Sgt. Richard Radetich

[rokker757 Profile]

i think it's weird that, despite zodiac indirectly claiming this murder & it never being solved, it's rarely discussed.

i saw on another board the reason given by the SFPD to ignore it was that the gun didn't match Z, which seems laughable given his history...the shooting occured about a mile or two south from the area where Z was picked up & dropped off the night of paul stine, at a point about halfway between the two locations, was ostensibly a crime of opportunity, & involved a .38 caliber weapon...now i don't know much about .38s but i think of them as those little snub-nosed revolvers; the kind anyone might keep around as a 'little friend' concealed weapon. it would be unlike any known or suspected Z murder to produce a spur-of-the-moment crime, but it's not impossible, & if one were to occur it seems likely that it wouldnt be using the 'weapon of choice'.

is it really that preposterous that Z, who obviously had knowledge & use for guns, might go around in his daily life toting a concealed weapon -- and one that wasn't used in any of his planned murders??

Zs statement was, ""I shot a man sitting in a parked car with a .38."

In a letter postmarked June 26, 1970, the Zodiac stated he was upset that he did not see people wearing Zodiac buttons. He wrote, "I shot a man sitting in a parked car with a .38."[38] It has been proposed the Zodiac was referring to the murder of Sgt. Richard Radetich a week earlier, on June 19. At 5:25 AM, Radetich was writing a parking ticket in his squad car when an assailant shot him in the head with a .38-caliber pistol. Radetich died 15 hours later. SFPD denies the Zodiac was involved in this murder; it remains unsolved.[36]

while he did not say it was a police officer, it was obvious he was referencing it -- he may have left out that information to be ambiguous, but really, a man in a parked car, with a .38 -- how many of those were there? he was doing everything but claiming radetich as a victim. and i find this significant because he made the claim less than a week after the shooting, a shooting which remains unsolved to this day. Z was taking a bit of a risk in presuming this would be the case if he knew nothing about the shooting. perhaps it was news that SFPD has no leads & no suspects, i don't know, but i'm confused as to why there isn't more discussion of this CLAIMED zodiac victim. kathleen johns, CJB, & donna lass garner much more attention, even though in those cases Zodiac could've provided proof or evidence of involvement of some kind, & failed to do so.

[Zsearcher Profile]

The crime and weapon type were reported in the papers before Z mentioned it in his letter. He may have just taken credit for a news story he read. Zs

[rokker757 Profile]

i realize that, & that is probable, based solely on the fact that SFPD somehow ruled him out. i am asking why, & if we don't know, why this isn't discussed a lot more. Z, directly or indirectly, claimed very few specific victims...this is one of 4 that i know of (CJB, KJ, DL, & Sgt Radetich)

[morf13 Profile Website]

Some info on the Radetich murder and the aftermath. Also a photo. Police DID indeed arrest someone for the crime, but the case didnt hold up against him ( weirdly similar to the arrest of that guy named BELL in the Domingos/Edwards case). So, perhaps Z wasnt lying?

The Office of the Mayor has authorized a $100,000.00 reward for information leading to the arrest and successful prosecution of the suspect(s) responsible for the murder of San Francisco Police Officer Richard P. Radetich.
On Friday, June 19, 1970, at approximately 5:25 A.M., San Francisco Police Officer Richard Radetich was murdered while sitting in police vehicle 390 parked in front of 643 Waller Street.Officer Radetich was survived by a wife and an eight month old daughter at the time of his death.
Anyone with information or questions is urged to contact SFPD Inspector Joseph Engler or Inspector Jeffrey Clark
Phoenix Task Force 415-558-2593
SFPD Operations Center: (after hours) 415-553-1071
SFPD Anonymous Tip Line: 415-575-4444
SFPD CASE # 70-768550



Officer Richard Radetich
San Francisco Police Department
California
End of Watch: Friday, June 19, 1970

Biographical Info
Age: 25
Tour of Duty: 4 years
Badge Number: 703

Incident Details
Cause of Death: Gunfire
Date of Incident: Friday, June 19, 1970
Weapon Used: Handgun
Suspect Info: Identified

Officer Richard Radetich was shot and killed when he was ambushed while writing a traffic citation.

He was working an overtime traffic detail and had stopped a vehicle for a traffic violation. As he was writing the ticket, an unrelated suspect approached his vehicle and opened fire through the closed driver's side window.

The suspect was later identified.

Officer Radetich had been employed with the San Francisco Police Department for 4 years. He is survived by his wife and 8-month-old daughter.

Officer Richard Radetich probably never saw his killer.

The 25-year-old traffic officer was sitting in a parked patrol car writing a ticket on June 19, 1970, when a gunman fired three shots from a .38-caliber revolver through the driver's-side window. He died about 15 hours later, leaving behind his wife and their 8-month-old daughter.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.c ... z0RzHt4kOg
Radetich's slaying bears some similarities to other unsolved killings of San Francisco police officers from 1967 to '71. Among those was the 1971 death of Sgt. John Young, who was fatally shot while working at the reception desk of Ingleside Station.

On Tuesday, San Francisco police and the state attorney general's office announced that eight men had been charged with Young's murder. Authorities linked the men to the Black Liberation Army, a violent offshoot of the Black Panthers. At the same news conference, police announced a $100,000 reward for information about Radetich's slaying. The case also is scheduled to be featured tonight on the television show "America's Most Wanted.''

Both Young and Radetich were gunned down during what proved to be the most dangerous time for San Francisco police officers since 1878. In 1970-71, seven officers died in the line of duty; six of the cases were homicides, and one was a helicopter crash. Three of the killings are still unsolved.

The 1970s also was the deadliest decade in U.S. law enforcement history, when a total of 2,260 officers died -- an average of 226 each year. Nationwide, the deadliest year was 1974, when 275 officers lost their lives. By the 1990s, that had dropped to an average of 159 deaths per year.

From 1967 through '71, surprise attacks involving guns or bombs killed four San Francisco officers: Officer Herman George (1967), Sgt. Brian McDonnell (1970), Radetich (1970) and Young (1971). Militants have been among those suspected in the killings.

George was gunned down while typing a report at a police substation in the Hunters Point neighborhood. His killer was never caught. McDonnell died after the bombing of Park Station on Feb. 18, 1970. Several other officers were injured in the explosion, which investigators have long suspected was set off by the Black Liberation Army or other militants. The BLA, which has been linked to at least 12 police killings nationwide, took responsibility for Young's slaying in a letter to The Chronicle. The group also is suspected in several other nonfatal attacks on San Francisco officers -- including the bombing of an officer's funeral.

"Police were being killed because we wore the badge," said retired homicide Inspector Napoleon Hendrix, who attended the Police Academy with Radetich in 1965. "It was a crazy time, because people were targeting us for doing our job. These (killings) were different than a struggle or pursuit or shootout. These were flat-out ambushes. They were trying to pick us off and blow us up."

No group ever claimed responsibility for killing Radetich.

Over the years, investigators have considered several theories. The Police Department's Phoenix Task Force, which also investigated Young's death, reactivated the Radetich investigation in 2004. Investigators won't discuss the other unsolved police killings, but in 2005 a San Francisco grand jury heard testimony and gathered evidence in the McDonnell case.

"We aren't closing the door on any theory," said Capt. Kevin Cashman, who oversees the task force. "We're hoping the reward will trigger some interest. We're willing to look at anonymous tips, eyewitness testimony -- any detail that could resurrect this case for us."

Police initially arrested Joe "Wesley" Allen Johnson, an ex-convict also wanted for the robbery of a Western Union office in which he fired at police but missed. Homicide investigators at the time said Johnson was angry with police after the shootout and apparently took revenge on an unsuspecting Radetich. After Johnson was extradited from Ohio, the murder charges were dropped because of lack of evidence.

Investigators also looked at the possibility that Radetich had been killed by the Zodiac killer. One of the letters from that serial killer said, "I shot a man sitting in a parked car with a .38." But investigators at the time ruled out any Zodiac link, in part because the serial killer, who has never been caught or conclusively identified, had used a 9mm handgun in his other crimes.
"If it was BLA or some other political group, it seems like they would have taken credit," said Hendrix, who was directly involved in the Radetich investigation. "It's always been a puzzling case. Rich Radetich was a fine man and a fine police officer. He had no enemies that we know of.

"The majority of us felt that there was an underlying factor here -- he was killed because someone wanted to kill a cop."

Radetich was working alone on an overtime shift the day he was killed. He parked his patrol car in the 600 block of Waller Street where he was writing a ticket for a parked Oldsmobile that had an out-of-date license plate. The spotlight of his patrol car was focused on the Oldsmobile's plate, and he had written 5:25 a.m. on the citation he never finished. When police arrived, they found him clutching his police radio, gun still holstered.

According to initial reports, no witnesses saw the predawn shooting or the gunman.

"It was really a cowardly act of terrorism," said retired Chief Tony Ribera, a longtime friend of Radetich's family. "He was an up-and-coming officer with a bright future ahead of him. He was a great guy, just starting a family and moving forward with his life and that was all taken away by an assassin."

After Radetich's death, the department assigned two officers to each patrol car.

The string of officer killings "really devastated the officers in our department," Ribera said. "His assassination and the other officers who were assassinated in those years really hurt us."

A local boy whose father emigrated from Croatia, Radetich always wanted to be police officer. After graduating from Balboa High School, he took criminology classes at San Francisco City College until he was hired by the department at age 21.

"The Radetich family was never the same," said Ron Radetich, a cousin who retired as a lieutenant in the San Mateo County Sheriff's Department. "It was so hard for all of us. The family kind of pulled away. We've never really recovered. It took years for us to even talk about this."

Radetich's mother became depressed and died two years later from an accidental overdose of medication, his family said. His father, Joseph, struggled for years with alcoholism before he died in 1985.

His widow, Nancy, died in 1974 from cancer. Their daughter, Janine, was raised by an uncle in Marin County. She married a police officer in a small Central Coast town where they live with their three children.

"There wasn't just one victim when my brother was killed," Jo-Ellen Radetich said. "This killer hurt an entire family. We are still hurting. I have lost a brother and close friend. His daughter lost both parents. His grandchildren will never get to know him

[rokker757 Profile]

thanks morf. i don't see anything that would lead me to rule out a Z connection.

Investigators also looked at the possibility that Radetich had been killed by the Zodiac killer. One of the letters from that serial killer said, "I shot a man sitting in a parked car with a .38." But investigators at the time ruled out any Zodiac link, in part because the serial killer, who has never been caught or conclusively identified, had used a 9mm handgun in his other crimes.
"If it was BLA or some other political group, it seems like they would have taken credit," said Hendrix, who was directly involved in the Radetich investigation. "It's always been a puzzling case. Rich Radetich was a fine man and a fine police officer. He had no enemies that we know of.

"The majority of us felt that there was an underlying factor here -- he was killed because someone wanted to kill a cop."

like i said, it's strange that this one doesn't get much play as a potential Z victim.

[zodiac]

The only reason that Radetich was considered a possible Zodiac victim was due to the inability to reconcile his statement about shooting a man in a parked car with the absence of any further information. The Zodiac never claimed that he had killed Radetich - he didn't even come close to making such a claim. The San Francisco Chronicle and Paul Avery created the "connection" between Zodiac and Radetich's murder, and ever since then, everyone wants to pretend that such a connection exists. In truth, there is absolutely no reason to link Zodiac to this crime other than our need to explain his statement when we have no further facts.

And, it's really not accurate to include Radetich in the list of Zodiac's claimed victims: Zodiac made an explicit statement implicating himself in the Johns incident and he responded to the theory that he was involved in the Bates murder. The comment about shooting a man in a parked car was applied to Radetich based on nothing more than the Zodiac's cryptic statement; the Zodiac did not respond to the theories that he was involved and offered no other information to link himself to Radetich's murder.

The reason that most people don't include Radetich's murder in most discussions is due to the fact that the overwhelming majority of those who have investigated and studied this case do not believe that the Zodiac was involved in this crime. Until someone produces something other than the Zodiac's statement to implicate Zodiac in this crime, discussing a possible connection is nothing more than unsubstantiated speculation.

[rokker757 Profile]

"i shot a man in a parked car with a .38", @ a time when Z was talking about hunting cops, one week after a man was shot in a parked car with a .38, is unsubstantial? i don't follow the logic.

i agree it's 'speculation' but not 'unsubstantiated'. digging up a random unsolved murder with no ties to Z would be unsubstantiated. i'm also unsure what evidence Z could provide even if he wanted to. he clearly intended to link himself to the crime in passing, & i think that is substantial.

[zodiac]

It's the use of the word "clearly" which is unsubstantiated - it's an assumption. The Zodiac was not "clearly" implicating himself in this crime at all, and the claim that he was doing so is a wholly unsubstantiated assumption.

[akwilks Profile]

Fair to say that Zodiac HINTS at possible involvement in this crime. On that alone, not much to go on, I agree.

What makes it a little more interesting, to me at least, are (from memory) the statements from known and suspected Z letters:

*"You cops deserve to have holes in your heads"
* kill one more "+ he will be a cop"
* "There is more glory in killing a cop than a (k)id"

Plus the many letters taunting the police and the whole hostile relationship to the police.

It could have been black radicals but they usually claimed credit.

Also, there was a report of a large Americam model car, possibly a Caddy, speeding away on Oak Street.

And for me there is some interest in looking at this case also because my main POI wrote in his journal in the mid and late sixties about wanting to kill "police" along with "businessmen, scientists" and "promiscuous" college couples.

The other outstanding fact is that in the cases were Z claimed or hinted at credit - Bates, Johns, (probably) Lass,(perhaps) Radetich - the crimes have remained unsolved.

And remember, after Stine Z said he would no longer "annouce" his killings. Perhaps meaning he would give hints (Lass, maybe Radetich), but no direct claims of credit.

[rokker757 Profile]

lol well, if that's the case it's an assumption i feel pretty safe making.

i don't find the lack of evidence provided or follow-up terribly significant either. whoever the perp was as i said this was likely a crime of opportunity where the killer shot & dashed.

the idea that a man in a parked car was shot in the SF area with a .38 the same week Z claims to have done just that & those two things were not related would be an assumption that i would consider preposterous. for this reason i think it's safe to say Z "suggested" he shot radetich. do you regard DL as a potential Z victim, or as "unsubstantiated" noise? because i fail to see the difference. Z could just as easily send a cryptic postcard possibly referencing a known disappearance as he could directly claim to have shot a man under the exact circumstances he was shot the same week he was shot. if anything i would think the tie to sgt radetich, in terms of correspondence directly from Z, is stronger.

The only reason that Radetich was considered a possible Zodiac victim was due to the inability to reconcile his statement about shooting a man in a parked car with the absence of any further information. The Zodiac never claimed that he had killed Radetich - he didn't even come close to making such a claim. The San Francisco Chronicle and Paul Avery created the "connection" between Zodiac and Radetich's murder, and ever since then, everyone wants to pretend that such a connection exists.

i really don't think i'm the one making obscene leaps of logic here. i would say he came awfully close, & the connection is hardly the work of an overimaginative journalist. we're talking about a murder that had taken place a week prior, in downtown SF, of a cop. it presumably would've been prominent news & on people's minds. it's hardly as if Z would've expected anyone to dig or imagine what he was referring to, it would've been quite plain.

i do think the fact that he referred to him as 'a man' is interesting, as it does seem to distance him from the radetich crime -- doesn't seem Z like to not demean him in some fashion. nevertheless radetich was a man, in a parked car, shot with a .38, in an area Z was known to operate, the same week Z referred to shooting a man in this manner. you've got to be kidding yourself if you don't think there's a substantial textual link to the radetich killing.