For other versions of this work, see Zodiac Killer letter, July 31st 1969.
Harden worksheet (1969)
by Zodiac killer, translated by Donald and Bettye Harden

Sent to the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Examiner and Vallejo Times, the cipher was eventually cracked by Donald and Bettye Harden who read it in the papers. Although his next letter said this cipher contained his name, it actually included the phrase "I will not give you my name".

The following cipher translation is transcribed from the Hardens' deciphering worksheet.

Zodiac killer2702561Harden worksheet1969Donald and Bettye Harden

HARDEN worksheet

I LIKE KILLING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT IS SO MUCH FUN IT IS MORE FUN THAN KILLING WILD GAME IN THE FORREST BECAUSE MAN IS THE MOST DANGEROUE ANAMAL OF ALL TO KILL SOMETHING GIVES ME THE MOST THRILLING EXPERENCE IT IS EVEN BETTER THAN GETTING YOUR ROCKS OFF WITH A GIRL THE BEST PART OF IT IS THAT WHEN I DIE I WILL BE REBORN IN PARADISE AND ALL THE I HAVE KILLED WILL BECOME MY SLAVES I WILL NOT GIVE YOU MY NAME BECAUSE YOU WILL TRY TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP MY COLLECTING OF SLAVS FOR MY AFTER LIFE. EBEORIETEMETHHPITI


 This work is a translation and has a separate copyright status to the applicable copyright protections of the original content.

Original:

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was legally published within the United States (or the United Nations Headquarters in New York subject to Section 7 of the United States Headquarters Agreement) between 1929 and 1977 (inclusive) without a copyright notice.


This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was legally published within the United States (or the United Nations Headquarters in New York subject to Section 7 of the United States Headquarters Agreement) between 1929 and 1977 (inclusive) without a copyright notice.


This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

Translation:

This work is ineligible for copyright and therefore in the public domain, because it consists entirely of information that is common property and contains no original authorship.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse