A new Netflix documentary series is taking a fresh look at one of America’s most notorious unsolved serial murder cases – the Zodiac Killer. The three-part show examines newly uncovered evidence that ties a longtime suspect, Arthur Leigh Allen, to the killings that terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area in the late 1960s. It shares interviews with the Seawater family, who claim Allen privately confessed details of the crimes to them before his death in 1992.
The Zodiac Killer murdered at least five people between 1968 and 1969 but took credit for over 30 deaths through taunting letters sent to newspapers. These uncracked cipher messages and contradictory eyewitness accounts made it very difficult for police to identify the killer.
Arthur Leigh Allen soon became a prime suspect due to circumstantial clues like owning a Zodiac brand watch and matching witness vehicle descriptions. But fingerprint and handwriting evidence did not conclusively link him to the crimes.
The documentary tells the story through the lens of the Seawater family and their connection to Allen. According to family interviews, Allen brought them to the murder sites and made statements implying his role. Unreported video footage also shows Allen compiling news reports about the case, which he mysteriously mailed to the Seawaters. A letter from Allen referenced nearly confessing, yet he maintained innocence until dying of heart disease at age 58 in 1992.
Despite strong circumstantial evidence, police were unable to charge Allen due to lacking direct proof. The Zodiac Killer’s true identity remains unknown over 50 years later, though the case continues attracting renewed investigation. This story highlights lingering questions in one of America’s most baffling unsolved serial murder mysteries.