What a freakin kook.

I'm completely impressed with the depth of your debunking coverage Steve. If not for you and this blog, I probably would have simply caught wind of this "new Zodiaz suspect" and thought it was interesting and exciting that something may be developing.

Basically, I now know to seek out your information before swallowing what mainstream media feeds me, at least as it relates to crime.

Thank you!

NOTE FROM STEVE: No, thank you. I appreciate what you said here, very much.

Forrest Gump, Zelig, whatever! Thanks, Steve, for the very reason suggest above.

Getting these things from you is like having a friend who knows all the best gossip, except better because I can actually believe it.

Jenny, Bloggess, you said it best.

Yes indeed steve ,very good work sir. And may i also add that the zodiac killer profile characteristics DO NOT match the guy hendrickson either. A construction worker with 6 kids and low level employment would not be criminally sophisticated enough (or have the time on his hands) to commmit the crimes. The Zodiac was more likely 1) highly intelligent 2) organized 3) military (probably navy) background. A man with 6 kids would not have been able to keep such a secret or devote the neccessary time required. The zodiac killer was probably antisocial and had few social accquaintances. thank you...you shave with occams razor and avoid the usual sensationalistic propaganda that the Average Media thrives for. And i must also stress that in the Zodiacs case...this was an All consuming obsession for him, something that dominated his inner essence, no man with a lot of kids and a bar-fly wife is going to be able to carry such an obsession without giving some indication. Also i find it convenient that much like the Janice Knowlton case (author of daddy was the black dhalia) she waits until 15 or so years after his death for this "repressed memory information" to come out?...sure.

I noticed that CNN has removed the story they initially had. Good job, Steve.

NOTE FROM STEVE: Are you sure? I hope so. A lot of mainstream media outlets should feel embarrassed for the uncritical reporting of this woman's claims. Only SF-area media - and only print media/blogs at that - seemed skeptical. The AP reported on it as if it was somehow plausible. I'm probably being hard on these folks, but at the same time, it shot down any illusions I might have had left about the state of reporting these days.

Are you sure?

It's no longer on their front page, and a search of the CNN site (on the "CNN News" search link) for Zodiac or Deborah Perez or Zodiac killer turns absolutely nothing up on her or the story (the Zodiac search turns up stories a couple years old). And I know I saw the story initially on CNN -- because I jumped from CNN to you to see what YOUR reaction was. :)

the guy has to know Darlene Ferrin. He has to know Gilbert and Sullivan work "The Mikado," in a way that is almost obsessive, and he has to be put in Riverside for the Bates murder. If they can't do that with this Henrickson, its not him.

Coo-coo!

Yep, that "I'm the bastardette of JFK" definitely puts the nail in the coffin. So to speak.

NOTE FROM STEVE: Geraldo is still apparently having her on his show. He's got the link to this post, too. Hope he puts someone on who will call b.s. on her story.

Geraldo is still apparently having her on his show.

Now I really regret tossing my TV in the trash. :)

NOTE FROM STEVE: Now we'll just see which Geraldo we get: actual journalist willing to ask tough questions or the more tabloid Geraldo, willing to further a clearly fabricated story in the interest of ratings. I'm hoping we see the former.

Hello,I AM THE DAUGHTER THAT TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT MY FATHER GUY WARD HENDRICKSON. I TOO EVEN WROTE IN MY FIRST BLOG AS SOON AS I READ HER JFK STORY. I THINK DEBBIE PERHAPS NEEDS "ATTENTION" AS DOES HER DISBARRED ATTORNEY/NOT FRIEND. DEBRA READ A SCRAP BOOK, ABOUT DADS VICTIMS??
I WAS FRIEND TO DAD, ALL MY LIFE,HE CAME TO VISIT HIS CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WE LIVED 70 MILES AWAY IN THE MOUNTAIN AND HE CAME BY MOTORCYCLE. MY FAMILY IS DISGUSTED ABOUT THE WAY THIS PERSON PEREZ,, WHEN DAD HELPED THEM SO MUCH, GAVE THEM ALL HIS MONEY, TREATED THEM LIKE HIS PRIZED PEOPLE, EVEN DEFENDING THEM BECAUSE THEY HAD NOTHING. DAD WAS THAT TYPE AND LUPE WAS GOOD LOOKING,,,,,,,,
WHY WHY DID ANY REPORTER WHO KNOWS ABOUT DEBRAS STORY THAT JFK WAS HER ILLDGT DAD???????????? GIVE ME A BREAK,,,,,,NOW, EVENAFTER DADS DEAD, SHE IS STILL AFTER BIG BUCKS ON HER DOCUMENTARY. I HEARD TONIGHT FROM SOME ON LINE PEOPLE,THAT MAYOR GAVIN NEWSOM OF SAN FRAN, HIS EX WIFE INTERVIEWED DEBRA,,,,,,, WHY ANYONE IS PUTTING ANY STOCK OR TIME INTO A WOMAN WHO CLEARLY LIES AND MAKES UP STORIES AND HAD THE TIME TO GET A "SPOKES PERSON" AND DO A FILM,,,,,, BUT SHE SAID SHE COULD NOT FIND FAMILY. I HAVE FAMILY NEAR WHERE SHE LIVES,,,,,, NO TIME DEBRA TO CONTACT FAMILY THAT YOUR GOING TO TRY TO MAKE MONEY , OFF DAD, EVEN AFTER HE IS DEAD IN HIS GRAVE. IT ALL MAKE ONE FEEL SICK WHO CARES.AS I SAID ON ANOTHER BLOG, IF YOU LIVE LIKE THIS DEBRA, GOD WILL SEE TO IT YOUR PUNISHED WHEN YOU FACE H I M.

j.HENDRICKSON (GUY'S R E A L DAUGHTER) AND TO THINK THAT "BRITE" BARRED ATORNEY, TRIED TO YELL AT ME THAT DAD WAS DEBRA,AND I COULD COME BY FOR A SHORT VISIT, AT ONE COUNT,,,,,OVER FIVE HUNDRED, THANKYOU !!!

this makes me think of the episode of Golden Girls when Rose is convinced Bob Hope is her real father.

Hi,

I would love a chance to see Ms. Perez handwriting samples of her dad, I will tell you in all about five minutes if they match up with the real Zodiac letters. I have someone sending me handwriting samples of the real zodiac every six months or so. This poor woman and her Attorney are looking for their fifteen minutes of fame, in the TV press conference even the Attorney could not keep a straight face, called "Duping Delight" flash of a quick smile before he talks,
Tony

He looks more like the actor Barry Nelson than the real Zodiac Killer.

The dude ,Guy Ward Hendrikson,looks like Ozzie Nelson too.Her story sounds more strange by the day.Keep in mind,if Darlene Ferrin just argued with 'Lee',why would she not run away from him.At the golf course that night,Darlene had her wallet and driver's license out.Gripped in her cold dead hand.If she saw 'Lee' pull in ,wouldn't she try to flee.If Mike Mague was wearing three layers of clothing,that Fourth of July,why?To appear bigger and stronger?Did Darlene bring Mike for safety reasons,she being afraid of 'Lee'?Guy Hendrikson doesn't look like a member of Church of Satan to me.Or was he?

I think this is the real cocksucking and nothiong more.
Someone is trying to be famous again.
Just for one moment everybody's gonna say my father, mother, stepfather, dother, brother god knows who else- was the Zodiac killer.

Why aren't these sensationlist profiteers such as Perez and this dirt bag, disbarred "lawyer" of hers prosecuted for obviously making false claims. This type of "showboating" brings up terrible memories for those deeply scarred from the murders, it spits on the graves of those who were killed and it takes valuable resources for police, FBI etc to follow up on their "story."

Prosecute these two assholes and make them apologize to the public and make them pay for the resources law enforcement used to look into this farce.

Her story is credible enough to be investigated. Question is will she take what she has to the police and let them investigate. Remember no one every thought the unibomber would be caught and look who turned him in. We need to wait and see cause what if it turns out her dad is the zodiac? Alot of us are going to feel like idiots so let's just wait and see. If it turns out she made this whole thing up then she needs to be arrested.And if that's the case it's no worse than what others are saying and claiming like that guy up in Oregan Tom Voight who has said alot of stuff that isn't true about the case.

Steve, have I told you lately that I love you? Don't worry, hubby understands the adoration of your mad skills :)

Great reporting!

HOW LONG ??????????????????????????
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO DISPEL MS PEREZ CLAIMS ABOUT MY FATHER?
SHE NOW, DECIDE'S TO TELL THE REPORTERS THAT SHE NEVER SAID THIS ABOUT BEING THE DAUGHTER OF JFK,,,,,OH? LOOK ABOVE FOR PROOF.
I HAVE ALSO NOTICED SHE IS NOW GRABBING AND USING ANYTHING I TOLD ABOUT MY FATHER GUY WARD TO THE PRESS,WHAT WAS THE FAVORITE NORWEGIAN FOOD DAD LOVED DEBRA??,,,,,,SHE FORGETS I WAS WITH MY DAD ALL HIS ADULT LIFE, NOT JUST A PART. HE CAME TO VISIT, HELD MY BABIES, LOVED MY COOKIN, LAID ON MY HEARTH IN THE SUNSHINE WHEN HE HAD HIS CANCER,AND FINALLY DECIDED TO COME LIVE WITH ME, WHEN LUPE, DECIDED HE WOULD NOT. WHY? WELL , FIRST OFF I WAS SELLING DADS THING'S,SO WE COULD MOVE HIM,AND SHE, HIS EX WIFE WHO COMMITTED ADULTRY ON DAD, DID NOT THINK I WAS SELLING OFF HIS STUFF FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE,,,(DO WE SMELL A GOLD DIGGER HERE?) SHE FAINED BEING A "NURSE" BUT WHEN I CALLED, DAD HAD NOT HAD WATER OR LIQUID FOR THREE DAYS!!!GOOD GOD, I DROVE THERE AS QUICKLY AS I COULD AND PUT HIM IN THE HOSPITAL ONLY TO DIE,THE NEXT DAY,,,,,,,,WHAT WAS DEBRA AND HER "FAMILY" DOING? WHILE DAD LAY DIEING?
THEY WERE AT HIS APT TAKING WHAT EVER THEY COULD CART AWAY,,,AND "CHUCK" HIS BUDDIE? HAD BACKED UP HIS BIG TRUCK,AND TOOK THE REST!!(LUPE TOLD ME THIS LATER,HUMMM) DAD WAS PICKED CLEAN FROM DEBRA AND FAMILY OVER THE YEARS, DAD GAVE IT HIS ALL, PAYING FOR ALL THEIR CARE, ONLY TO BE BETRAYED BY LUPE WHO HE HAD SAVED ALONG WITH HER 6 ILLEGIT KIDS.(THE FATHER WAS A MARRIED MAN IN SAN DIEGO, NOT JFK, THAT IS CERTAINLY IN SAN DIEGO COURT RECORDS) DAD SPENT ALL OF HIS SAVINGS,LIFE INSURANCE,FOR THEM TO BECOME LEGAL CITIZEN'S,,,,,,,SO YOU CAN ONLY GUESS HOW I FEEL ABOUT THIS DEBRA, NOW MAKING WILD CLAIMS ON HIS LIFE. DAD WAS A CARPENTER,WORKED ON SCHOOLS AND HOMES ACROSS CALIFORNIA, HE GOT ALONG WELL WHERE EVER HE WENT, HE GAVE HIS ALL, HE DID NOT GO ABOUT MURDERING PEOPLE HE KNEW? HER STORY!! SHE IS A FAKE AND A FRAUD JUST LIKE HER MOTHER,AND NO WONDER SHE DOES NOT LIKE TO ANSWER PROBING QUESTIONS, AS TOLD IN THE ARTICLES ABOVE, IT IS HARD TO BE ACCURATE WITH OFF THE CUFF INVESTIGATING!! GIVE IT A REST DEB, YOU WILL BE FOUND OUT,AND IT WILL BE HARD TO RECOVER YOUR LIFE AS A REAL ESTATE AGENT, THAT IS WITH ANYONE WHO DOES A BACK GROUND CHECK ON YOU. AFTER ALL, YOU WERE AN ACCOMPLACE GIRL,, YOU WERE BUSY BEING A HOOD EMBROIDER FOR THE ZODIAC!! LOL WHAT A HOOT,DO YOU REMEMBER HOW WE HAD TO FRISK ALL OF YOU FOR STOLEN ITEMS WHEN YOU CAME TO VISIT ME? WE SURE DO !!
J. HENDRICKSON,,,,

Janice, I feel that this story will get lost - if her story starts to loose more and more merit the press will probably cover it less and less. Lets face it, they will be embarassed for covering a story like this without doing adequate background checks. Where does that put the family? They won't be vindicated from her claims and there will always be a lingering question about your dad. I hope you continue your fight to clear your dad's name. I don't see any other way.

Listen all you good folks out there, just be ready for "zebbie" to come out of hiding with a taller tale for all of us, the poor gullible suckers. Something like "Jack the Ripper was my grand daddy!" I just wonder who can top that?

I dated Deborah Perez from 1992 to 1997. She never mentioned anything about this. She did talk about her father and how much she respected him and was very sad he died. But, never mentioned any of this to me. (949) 371-7080.
Al

Steve - thanks, as always, for your informative updates on these developments. Watching the Perez spectacle unfold is an unfortunate reminder of past events - they say that those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. Years ago, I was on the alt.true-crime message board, often engaged in debate about various true crime issues. At one point, an author named Michael Newton joined the board and posted about his book, "Daddy Was The Black Dahlia Killer." Now, anyone who had read the book or was familiar with the theory knew it was a load of mule fritters, but, of course, the media gobbled up the story and focused on the accuser, a woman named Janice Knowlton (mentioned in another post above). Janice also joined alt.true-crime and engaged in the debates about her theory. I think it's safe to say that she and Newton were shameless opportunists trying to cash in on a popular case, but there was more to it than simply a desire for profit and fame. Based on her posts, it seemed Janice had some serious mental problems, and some serious issues when it came to her family life. In short, Janice was mentally disturbed but people like Newton and others were happy to overlook this troubling problem in favor of pursuing the pot of gold at the end of the Dahlia rainbow (note: Others have joined the story now with their own claims, accusing their own fathers). I found the entire affair to be disgusting and sad to watch, but Newton and Knowlton were not deterred by facts or shame (or a lack thereof). The sordid tale dragged on over the years, until, finally, Janice Knowlton died, the victim of an apparent suicide (some think it was an accidental overdose of prescription drugs while others believe she took her own life). For those watching the saga unfold, Knowlton's death came as no surprise yet was still shockingly tragic. I truly believe that she was the victim of her own mental illness and the exploitation of others. As I watch the Perez saga unfold, I am getting the feeling of deja vu, that sense that I have seen this before, and I truly fear for her mental well-being. Watching Belli's former associate (talk about a shameless opportunist: "Belli's is reaching out from the grave to solve this case!" LoL) and others swarm around what they perceive to be a cash cow is sad yet all-too-typical. I worry that Perez, for all her faults and own complicity in this absurdity, will be lost in the shuffle and end up destroyed by this entire episode, like Janice Knowlton. As we watch this spectacle unfold, I think it's good to remember that, as silly or ridiculous as this may all be at times, there are real lives and real people involved, and this won't be over when the media spotlight fades. The other members of the family will be forever scarred by these accusations and Perez may suffer more than we will ever know. It's easy to think she's just an opportunist in search of fame and fortune, but I think that even the most jaded of us skeptics can see she is truly disturbed and that this whole episode is just plain sad. Just my thoughts on this ongoing story. Thanks again, Steve, and I'll keep checking for more updates. Love your work. -- Michael Butterfield

Someone previously mentioned Janice Knowlton's book, Daddy Was The Black Dahlia Killer, in regards to Debra Perez and her claims...

I've been studying both the Black Dahlia murder and the Zodiac case for years, and to me it seems all most as if Debra Perez is using the same exact story Ms. Knowlton used about her father being the killer, right down to him supposedly taking her along when he murdered people, how she wrote the letters as a child for her father to send to the police/newspapers, etc. It would be interesting to see if, after claiming she is the illegitimate daughter of JFK and the daughter of the Zodiac, she eventually claims that George Knowlton was her father as well.