"The Only Time Richard Got Angry at Me"


One of the most compelling Zodiac-Killer suspects, in my opinion, is the late Richard Gaikowski. He was very active in San Francisco's counterculture scene, matched the physical profile of Zodiac, and a variation of his nickname appeared in one of Zodiac's ciphers in 1969. Richard's claims to be in Europe during the first Zodiac murders in December, 1968, are problematic and unverified at best.

Author James Bigtwin was acquainted with Richard in the 1990s in San Francisco. Sharing common interests in art, computers, music, and farming, James was astonished to learn that Richard had become a suspect in the infamous Zodiac-Killer case.

James started his own research and hoped to find things pointing away from his friend; however, what he discovered in the archives of Stanford University only deepened the mystery. Since I am hosting a Zodiac-Killer event this weekend at Words and Lyrics cafe, I decided to include a promotion for James' fascinating deep-dive into odd connections and links between the Zodiac Killer and Stanford University.

From James' website...

Has evidence been found that the Zodiac Killer was on the Stanford University campus in 1969 and 1971?  Or is it just “One F of a Coincidence?”Are there reasonable explanations for discoveries in issues of the Stanford Daily and Stanford Chaparral?

Or is the entire Zodiac case about to be upended? Could these revelations shed light on the remaining cold case murders at Stanford, and change our conceptions of other cases and mysterious deaths of that era? And will a single out-of-character moment of anger 30 years ago be the one mistake that leads to solving the Zodiac case?

📖 Book Synopsis

  • Title: The Only Time Richard Got Angry at Me: New Discoveries in the Zodiac Killer Case

  • Author: James Bigtwin

  • Publication Date: December 31, 2024

  • Genre: True Crime, Biography & Memoir

Synopsis: James Bigtwin’s book explores his personal connection to Richard Gaikowski, a man long suspected by some researchers of being linked to the Zodiac Killer. Bigtwin recounts his multi-year investigation, sparked by a rare moment of anger from Gaikowski decades earlier. The narrative dives into archival discoveries at Stanford University (1969–1971), including clues in student publications like The Stanford Daily and Stanford Chaparral. These findings raise provocative questions:

  • Was the Zodiac Killer present on Stanford’s campus?

  • Are these coincidences or overlooked evidence that could reshape the case?

  • Could one out-of-character moment of anger be the key mistake that exposes the killer’s identity?

Readers can explore more about the book, James’ blog, and his theories on his official site: theonlytime.org.

🔗 Purchase & Website

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