Shraman Mitra
Peacock’s ‘Myth of the Zodiac Killer’ as well as Netflix’s ‘This is the Zodiac Speaking’ are both exciting documentary series’ that investigate the infamous Zodiac killings between December 1968 and October 1969. Furthermore, through one-on-one interviews with investigators, experts, and others related to the victims, they also shine a light upon all his letters to authorities and newspapers as a way to mock them.
It thus also explores how it is believed the Zodiac killer struck for the third time on September 27, 1969, when he stabbed Bryan Calvin Hartnell and Cecelia Ann Shepard at Lake Berryessa in Napa County. However, unbeknown to most, Linda Jensen was present at the Lake on that same day, and she might be one of the only people to have seen the killer’s face.
Linda Jensen’s Encounter With the Alleged Zodiac Killer Left Her Terrified
Although not much is known about Linda Jensen’s early life since she has long preferred to stay off the radar in fear of getting targeted by the killer, she was a typical young girl in the late 1960s. The Napa Valley resident liked hanging out with friends, was passionate about life, and was looking forward to her future when September 1969 rolled around. People who knew her at the time actually even described her as a generous and amicable young woman who never once hesitated to help others in their time of need and make new friends. Though, like most California citizens back then, she was also familiar with the Zodiac Killer, unaware she might possibly actually come face to face with him on a lazy afternoon.
On the Peacock show, Linda mentioned that she and two of her friends decided to go and spend some time at Lake Berryessa on September 27, 1969. Since the day was quite sunny, the friends reached the Lake in the afternoon and decided to sunbathe for a few hours. Interestingly, in the middle of their sunbathing session, she looked up to see a strange man hiding behind a tree while seemingly staring at them. Although she immediately warned her friends about the man, all three decided to ignore him, hoping that he would go away.
However, the man showed no sign of retreating and instead began moving from one tree cover to the next, seemingly in order to get a better view of the group. Linda later mentioned that the situation was extremely creepy, and at one point, the girls even wondered if they were putting themselves in danger. However, they did their best to look away and were relieved when the man never actually got physically close to them before deciding to eventually leave.
Linda Jensen is Leading a Private Life After the Zodiac Killer Encounter
When speaking about the incident on ‘Myth of the Zodiac Killer,’ Linda mentioned that she and her friends were shocked when they learned that Bryan Calvin Hartnell and Cecelia Ann Shepard were stabbed at Lake Berryessa later that day. Although Byran was severely injured, he pulled through against all odds at the hospital, but Cecilia ultimately succumbed to her injuries. Incidentally, Linda initially believed that the man spying on her group was the Zodiac Killer, and her doubts were clarified when she heard Cecelia and Bryan’s description of the killer.
In fact, when the police came up with a sketch of the serial killer after Paul Lee Stine’s death on October 11, 1969, Linda claimed that it was all wrong as the person she saw had smoothly parted combed straight hair, and was looking at them with a dark intensity that sent shivers down their spine. Surprisingly, Linda’s description matched what the duo had told detectives, making experts question if there were two different killers from the very beginning. Naturally, Linda was left shaken by the terrifying experience, but she immediately approached law enforcement officers and spent hours with the sketch artist, describing the perpetrator in detail.
Since then, Linda decided to drop off the grid and embrace a completely private lifestyle. In fact, readers will be interested to know that the interview on ‘Myth of the Zodiac Killer’ was Linda’s first public appearance, as she believed if the killer (if still alive) knew she had seen his face, he would not hesitate to target her. However, from the looks of it, Linda Jensen still resides in the state of California, and with the show publicizing her experience, perhaps we can come closer to unraveling the mystery surrounding the Zodiac Killer.
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