In the summer of 1969, newspapers in San Francisco began receiving coded letters from a man who would come to identify himself as "the Zodiac." The killer confessed to a string of brutal murders and would go on to terrorize the Bay area into the early 1970s. This episode originally aired in February 2020.
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Aug 31
The Young Hippies Who Hijacked a Plane
In 1972, two young hippies hijack a commercial airplane in a wild attempt to free a famous political activist from jail, setting off one of the strangest, most idealistic crimes of a radical era. Sources for this episode include: The Skies Belong to Us: Love and Terror in the Gol ... Show More
38m 31s
Aug 24
The Greek Robin Hood Who Kidnapped Billionaires and Escaped Prison in a Helicopter
In the craggy peaks of Greece, a modern outlaw proves that you can rob a bank, kidnap a billionaire, and still be the most beloved man in the mountains. This is the story of Vassilis Paleokostas: the 'Robin Hood' who treats his hostages like guests and uses a helicopter as his pr ... Show More
40m 36s
Aug 17
Stanley Alpert, the Kidnapping Victim Who Outsmarted his Captors
Kidnapped on his 38th birthday by criminals who think every federal prosecutor is secretly wealthy, a calm-under-pressure lawyer survives a chaotic 25-hour ordeal—part hostage crisis, part absurd comedy—by befriending his captors. Sources for this episode include: The Birthday Pa ... Show More
30m 57s
Jul 2019
Summer of ‘69: The Zodiac Killer Pt. 1
This episode is brought to you by Unexplained Mysteries, a Parcast Original. For more episodes like this one, subscribe to Unexplained Mysteries on Spotify, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
In the summer of 1969, newspapers in Northern California began receiving coded letters ... Show More
42m 34s
Jun 2025
SERIAL KILLER: Zodiac Killer Pt. 1
The Zodiac Killer left behind more than victims—he masterminded a chilling legacy of cryptic messages, taunts, and terror. In Part 1, we trace his early murders, the ciphers that baffled authorities, and explore the disturbing psychology that drove one of history’s most notorious ... Show More
40m 35s
Jun 2025
SERIAL KILLER: Zodiac Killer Pt. 2
As fear gripped California, the Zodiac Killer escalated his mind games—sending letters, making threats, and pushing police and the public to the brink. In Part 2, we trace his psychological unraveling, the search for his true identity, and the failed attempts to bring one of Amer ... Show More
43m 21s