Lead detective in the Zodiac Killer case, Dave Toschi, dies at 89 The former detective, made famous by the Zodiac Killer case, died on January 6 in San Francisco, California. The cause of his death was complications from pneumonia, as told by his daughter Linda Toschi-Chambers. For nine years, Detective Toschi was in the principal team of investigators on the case. Although the killer’s first murders dated back to 1968, Mr. Toschi was first involved the following year, after Paul Stine, a taxi driver, was killed in San Francisco’s district of Presidio Heights on October 11, 1969. Over the years, the detective and his partner Bill Armstrong became faces for the well-known failed investigation. The detective was renowned for his colorful personality and his bowties, this unusual cop had inspired Steve McQueen’s 1968 film “Bullitt” and Clint Eastwood’s characterization of a rogue officer in “Dirty Harry” a few years later in 1971. …show more content…
The killer sent countless letters to newspapers to torment and ridicule investigators. These letters were full of coded messages and cryptic letters. Many spent their lives trying to find the serial killer’s identity through these letters, in vain. In April 1978, the Chronicle received another letter, in which Dave Toschi was called a “city pig.” The author ridiculed the policeman, whom he said was less smart than him and would never find him. Expert deemed this letter to be fake. The same year, he was removed from the Zodiac Killer case after fake fan letters praising his work were revealed to have been sent by him to the San Francisco