Shivangi Sinha
Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards were high school students from Santa Barbara, California, who were engaged to be married. Full of youthful optimism, they had bright plans for their future together. However, in June 1963, their dreams were cut short when their bodies were discovered shot to death in a remote area of the beach. Netflix’s ‘This Is the Zodiac Speaking’ delves into the details surrounding their murder, exploring the case in an effort to uncover the identity of the serial killer. The documentary presents evidence pointing to one individual, Arthur Leigh Allen, who is suspected to be the Zodiac Killer.
Robert Domingos and Linda Edwards Were Living Life to the Fullest in Lompoc
Robert George Domingos was born on May 12, 1945, to George Domingos and Alice Clara Chavez Domingos. As the youngest of three siblings, he received a great deal of love and attention, often being spoiled by both his parents and siblings. From an early age, Robert was an active and cheerful child, always managing to bring smiles to those around him. The family’s home in Lompoc, California, felt complete and happy. Linda Faye Edwards’ life was no different. She was born on June 7, 1945, to Delbert Edwards. She was very close to her older sister, who adored her, and the two were inseparable. Lompoc, California, was all Linda had ever known, and it was where she imagined spending most of her life.
Both Robert and Linda attended Lompoc High School and had known each other since childhood. They played together, grew up side by side, and, due to their small community, their families were also well acquainted. As they matured, their bond deepened, and they fell in love. By their senior year, they had decided to get married and became engaged. Full of hopes for the future, they embraced life like any other teenager, spending time with friends, exploring the town, and making the most of their youthful days. They shared a tight-knit group of friends and found happiness and fulfillment in each other’s company.
The Police Found the Remains of the Couple in a Shack
On June 4, 1963, which was Senior Ditch Day at their school, the newly engaged couple decided to visit Gaviota State Park beach with a friend and her fiancé. However, at the last moment, the other couple was unable to join them, so Linda and Robert chose to go alone. Tragically, they never returned home. The following morning, their parents contacted the friend to ask if she knew their whereabouts. She provided the details to her parents, who then alerted the police, prompting a search. Soon after, the authorities discovered a partially burned shack.
Inside the shack, the police discovered the bodies of 17-year-old Linda and 18-year-old Robert. Reports indicated that he had been shot 11 times, while she had been shot 8 times, with gunshot wounds to their backs and chests. Linda’s body was positioned on top of Robert’s, and her swimsuit appeared to have been ripped or cut open. Both of their hands and legs were tied with pre-cut ropes. The partially burned structure suggested that someone had attempted to set the shack and the bodies on fire. The remote location of the beach left the police perplexed by the gruesome scene.
The Zodiac Killer Has Remained a Suspect in the Couple’s Murder
The murders of Robert and Linda went unsolved for many years. The police hypothesized that the couple had not been killed at the location where their bodies were discovered, as there was no blood at the scene, and the shell casings were found farther away. Additionally, Robert’s car was located nearby, containing his clothes and Linda’s purse, which ruled out the possibility of a robbery. Based on the nature of their wounds, the police speculated that they might have been trying to escape when they were shot. It wasn’t until 1970 that the Santa Barbara police contacted the Vallejo police department to share their suspicion that the Zodiac Killer was responsible for the murders of the young couple.
A .22 caliber semi-automatic firearm had been used, which matched the weapon used in the December 1968 murders of David Arthur Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen. Additionally, the use of pre-cut ropes was similar to the suspected Zodiac killing of Bryan Calvin Hartnell and Cecelia Ann Shepard in September 1969. In 1972, the police department issued a press release stating that investigators Bill Armstrong and Dave Toschi had acknowledged that Robert and Linda’s deaths were investigated in connection with the Zodiac case. However, no solid evidence has emerged, and their case remains unsolved, with no arrests made to this day.
