Points of Wisdom

[Nick Profile]

Here are a few points I make to all researchers who embark upon a new suspect/POI. I've shared them with every researcher that has ever involved me in their quest. Feel free to expound or add to what I like to term the "Suspect - Code of Ethics".

1. Do not become fixated on your POI to the point of becoming subjective in your research and findings. There are no good or bad findings, just findings. Items of information should not be given emphasis just because they "fit the theory". Many.....many researchers have made and continue to make this mistake.

2. Do not try to explain away things that would seem to rule out your POI.

3. Keep in mind that it's unlikely that your POI (or anyone elses) is actually the Zodiac Killer. That's just the reality for everyone and leads back to points 1 and 2. A well known murder detective once told me that the only valid way to approach any suspect is to do everything in your power to prove he's not the guy. If you've tried in ernest and still can't rule him out, then keep digging.

4. Do not get into the "my POI is at least as good as <fill in the blank>" game. This is not a game or contest to see who can come up with the best POI. True researchers try to solve a case, not make a name for themselves. At the end of the day it doesn't matter how compelling a suspect or POI is. He either is or isn't the perp.

[morf13 Profile Website]

Nick, these are all good points!

[metaltomato]

This might be helpful, although not specific to Criminological Investigative SOP, still germane; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_method

[johnny5 Profile Website]

...A well known murder detective once told me that the only valid way to approach any suspect is to do everything in your power to prove he's not the guy. If you've tried in ernest and still can't rule him out, then keep digging.

Quoted for truth. I cant believe how often this particular point is flat out ignored.

[MikeM Profile]

One of the mods should pin these points of wisdom to the top of the forum.

Let me add another: READ BEFORE you comment! I don't know how frustrating it is to have someone come out of the blocks with comments or criticisms BEFORE they've read what you say or post. I posted Kim Rossmo's geo-profile and not seven minutes later, had someone condemning it. No way they could have read all 33 pages in seven minutes!

[metaltomato]

One of the mods should pin these points of wisdom to the top of the forum.

Let me add another: READ BEFORE you comment! I don't know how frustrating it is to have someone come out of the blocks with comments or criticisms BEFORE they've read what you say or post. I posted Kim Rossmo's geo-profile and not seven minutes later, had someone condemning it. No way they could have read all 33 pages in seven minutes!

LOL...reading the posts isn't gonna catch you the Zodiac son.

[morf13 Profile Website]

One of the mods should pin these points of wisdom to the top of the forum.

Let me add another: READ BEFORE you comment! I don't know how frustrating it is to have someone come out of the blocks with comments or criticisms BEFORE they've read what you say or post. I posted Kim Rossmo's geo-profile and not seven minutes later, had someone condemning it. No way they could have read all 33 pages in seven minutes!

I will use your logic & theory here. You are against my POI because there is no proof of him being Z, therefore, we should bury our heads in the sand and not look at and new suspects, or POI's.
So using your logic, there's no need to read that report. Its NOT based in fact, and therefore we shouldnt look at it. You cant prove that it is accurate and true, since we dont know who Zodiac is, we dont know where he lived...... now of course I am being sarcastic, and as a matter of fact i DID read it!

[Curt Rowlett Profile]

3. Keep in mind that it's unlikely that your POI (or anyone elses) is actually the Zodiac Killer. That's just the reality for everyone and leads back to points 1 and 2. A well known murder detective once told me that the only valid way to approach any suspect is to do everything in your power to prove he's not the guy. If you've tried in ernest and still can't rule him out, then keep digging.

Excellent advice and something that often appears to get ignored completely by some researchers. I've read plenty of true crime stories over the years and remember several homicide detectives taking that exact same approach. That always seemed very wise to me.

Having a high level of objectivity, and perhaps most importantly, being able to maintain that objectivity, will keep researchers from falling into any traps (in spite of badly wanting to believe something). I suppose one could say that is what separates the professionals from the amateurs.

[morf13 Profile Website]

3. Keep in mind that it's unlikely that your POI (or anyone elses) is actually the Zodiac Killer. That's just the reality for everyone and leads back to points 1 and 2. A well known murder detective once told me that the only valid way to approach any suspect is to do everything in your power to prove he's not the guy. If you've tried in ernest and still can't rule him out, then keep digging.

Excellent advice and something that often appears to get ignored completely by some researchers. I've read plenty of true crime stories over the years and remember several homicide detectives taking that exact same approach. That always seemed very wise to me.

Having a high level of objectivity, and perhaps most importantly, being able to maintain that objectivity, will keep researchers from falling into any traps (in spite of badly wanting to believe something). I suppose one could say that is what separates the professionals from the amateurs.

One thing that is also important to consider is the fact that if you dont have all the info or facts on a POI, then you cant always make an educated and complete conclusion about the POI. While you dont want to lose objectivity, the opposite is also true, you cant just dismiss them as a POI unless you can conclusively rule them out

[MikeM Profile]

One of the mods should pin these points of wisdom to the top of the forum.

Let me add another: READ BEFORE you comment! I don't know how frustrating it is to have someone come out of the blocks with comments or criticisms BEFORE they've read what you say or post. I posted Kim Rossmo's geo-profile and not seven minutes later, had someone condemning it. No way they could have read all 33 pages in seven minutes!

I will use your logic & theory here. You are against my POI because there is no proof of him being Z, therefore, we should bury our heads in the sand and not look at and new suspects, or POI's. So using your logic, there's no need to read that report. Its NOT based in fact, and therefore we shouldnt look at it. You cant prove that it is accurate and true, since we dont know who Zodiac is, we dont know where he lived...... now of course I am being sarcastic, and as a matter of fact i DID read it!

I wasn't talking about your POI and I haven't brought him up again. I'd like to drop the matter, actually. But since you asked, and since I brought up the READ before you COMMENT/CRITICIZE concept, I've spent the time to read your posts on your POI and I congratulate you for doing some in-depth research there.

I looked at the pictures of pilot gauges and the comparisons some readers made to Zodiac symbols. I noted that you found your suspect was living in southern Cal, that he had been arrested for a driving offense, and that two of the Zodiac's female victims went flying at some point and maybe he knew one of them. I read the details about his hairline, and how you think it matches the Zodiac composites. And so on.

I commented on your findings and theories, but only after I read -- and digested -- your material -- at four or five different forums(!) It wouldn't be fair to you or other readers if I didn't take the time to do that, regardless of whether or not I agree with what you've written.

On the other hand, you started criticizing the 33-page Rossmo report only 7 minutes after I had posted a link to it. It took me a full two hours to get through it, and even after that, I had to read it again to pick up all the other details and nuance.

You've also mis-stated that I'm pushing for Penn as a Zodiac suspect, which simply isn't true -- not even close. Read my story about his misadventures with Mike O'Hare -- all of it -- and then if you have comments, criticisms, etc., you'll be coming at them from an informed perspective.

I think that's a fair request, of anyone who posts -- or reads -- here. It's yet another way we can make this forum different from all the others.