Since the 1950s, True Crime magazines have delved into the world of crime, unveiling mysterious murders that remain unsolved to this day. Among them, shadows of killers lurk behind codes, disappearances without a trace, spreading terror and haunting memories. Could these criminals, like an anonymous and unpredictable “van killer,” still be at large?
Unsolved coded letters
The Zodiac Killer: A Cipher Shadow of Terror
The Zodiac Killer, a name that haunted America in the late 60s and early 70s, emerged as a “van killer” figure in the world of cryptographic crime. After each brutal murder, he sent cryptic letters to the press. What was the purpose of these codes? What is the true identity of the Zodiac Killer? To this day, all remain unanswered questions, making this case one of the greatest mysteries in the history of criminology.
The Zodiac Killer is believed to have committed at least 5 murders, but the actual number may be higher. He sent at least 4 ciphers to the San Francisco police and local newspapers. One of them was decoded, revealing part of his morbid motive for killing. However, the remaining three codes remain a challenge for authorities and code-breaking enthusiasts around the world.
One of the most famous letters containing the “340 cipher” was sent to the San Francisco Chronicle on November 8, 1969. For over 45 years, this code has remained a mystery. The 408 cipher, decoded by teachers Donald and Bettye Harden, revealed the Zodiac Killer’s morbid fascination with taking human lives, comparing it to the pleasure of hunting wild animals, but humans are “more fun” because they are the most dangerous species. However, the end of Cipher 408 remains a big question mark.
The Zodiac Killer
The Taman Shud Case: The Mysterious Body on the Beach
In 1948, on Somerton Beach, Adelaide, Australia, an unidentified male body was discovered. Despite the hot weather, the victim was wearing a sweater and jacket, creating a strange and mysterious image. Like an invisible “van killer” disposing of the victim’s body here, the identity and cause of death of this man remain an unsolved mystery.
The man’s fingerprints and dental records did not match anyone. Police found a suspicious suitcase at the train station, possibly belonging to the victim. Inside the suitcase was a pair of trousers with a secret pocket, containing a small piece of paper with the words “Taman Shud”.
Taman Shud Case evidence
The “Taman Shud” paper matched a page torn from a rare print of Omar Khayyam’s “Rubaiyat” poetry collection, found in an unlocked car parked nearby. The back of the book contained five lines of scribbled capital letters, suspected to be a code.
Police also found a strange suitcase at the train station
The coded passage and the man’s identity remain one of Australia’s greatest mysteries, like a “van killer” ghost lurking in the shadows of history.
The paper matched a rare copy of the book
The YOGTZE Case: A Chilling Scream and a Mysterious Accident
On October 25, 1984, German food engineer Gunther Stoll suddenly shouted “Jetzt geht mir ein Licht auf!” (“Now I understand!”) then wrote “YOG’TZE” on a piece of paper before crossing it out and leaving home. Stoll’s bizarre behavior, as if he had just discovered a horrific secret about a “van killer,” marked the beginning of a confusing case.
After going to a bar and falling, Stoll was found seriously injured in a car accident around 3 a.m. the next day. He told the people who found him that 4 other men had beaten him up. Two truck drivers claimed to have seen another injured man near the scene, but this man was never identified.
Gunther Stoll suffered from paranoia
The investigation revealed that Stoll may have been injured earlier, perhaps by another vehicle, and then taken to the accident scene by someone. What does “YOG’TZE” mean? Who was the injured man? The YOGTZE case remains a puzzling enigma, reminiscent of a “van killer” lurking in the shadows, causing bizarre and inexplicable incidents.
The Ricky McCormick Case: Codes in a Pocket
On June 30, 1999, St. Louis police discovered the body of 41-year-old Ricky McCormick, murdered and dumped in a field. The only clue was two pieces of paper containing codes found in the victim’s pocket. The Ricky McCormick case, with its difficult-to-decipher codes, became even more mysterious and haunting, as if the perpetrator was an invisible “van killer,” leaving only vague traces.
The FBI and the American Cryptogram Association became involved but were unable to decipher these mysterious messages. The perpetrator remains unknown. According to the FBI, the Ricky McCormick cipher case tops the agency’s list of unsolved cases.
The above cases, recorded in True Crime magazine, are just a small part of the countless unsolved mysteries of the criminal world. Are there “van killers” hiding in society, committing horrific crimes and defying the law? The answer remains open, but these cases will forever serve as a warning about the dark side of society and the complexity of criminal psychology.
