Did Ross Sullivan and "Bob Barnett" team up?

Here's a link to a theory on ZKS that I thought waz pretty interesting:
http://www.zodiackillersite.com/viewtopic.php?f=96&t=3265

This isn't my theory. It's from someone named Zed over on ZKS. So there's the credit due.
I don't think that this idea is true (but you never know!) but it waz a really clever interpretation of known and speculated events and I waz kind of impressed. If I shouldn't have posted this, even with proper attribution, one of our excellent mods please remove it for me, OK? Thanks

 I have been following the Zodiac case for around 12 years now and have read many threads on this forum but have only just felt compelled to sign up now. Why? Well because I would like to share my theory on who the Zodiac is. Will you pick my theory apart? Quite possibly. But from all the information I've read and all the possible suspects I've analysed over the last decade, this theory is my favourite. So let me get started.

Firstly, let's start at the RCC library murder where Cheri Bates was killed. The RPD had a suspect, Bill Bennett, who they believed definitely committed this murder...they were sure of it. And you know what? I agree with them. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this, but just incase you arent:


[ltr]http://www.zodiackiller.com/BatesDNA.html[/ltr]


Plus I'm sure they have more evidence on him that we don't know about.
There is so much circumstantial evidence going against Bill it's not funny. But I believe there is a twist and something the police never considered. The night Cheri was murdered she rang Bill on the phone. He left his basketball game to answer the phone and called her a "b1tch" after he hung up. It was no secret that he was pi$$ed off because Cheri had just gotten engaged. I believe he went to the library that night in a fit of rage or considerably angry. But before he did, I believe he ran into Ross Sullivan. Now I don't know if Bill and Ross were friends or simply aquaintances, but I believe they had a conversation around Cheri and how angry Bill was. Maybe Bill told Ross he wanted to give her a scare, or put that "b1tch" in her place or something like that. Ross asked if he could come or maybe Ross just asked for a lift to the library. Either way, I believe Bill and Ross went to the library together. Ultimately I believe someone who knew Cheri, who knew she was at the library, was responsible for her death. It doesn't make sense with her leaving with a stranger.

They arrived at the library that night whilst Cheri was still inside. Bill tinkered with her car so it wouldnt start while Ross watched. And then they hid and waited. Around 9.30pmish Cheri emerged and tried her car...which wouldn't start. Then Bill emerged, playing his nice cards for a bit and asked her if she wanted a lift. She may have seen Ross or maybe Ross waited in the alleyway...but ultimately I believe Cheri went with someone she knew (Bill). Otherwise she would have went inside and made a phone call or gotten someone else to assist. Bill, with Cheri then made their way to the alleyway, perhaps Bill said he wanted to chat (after all, Cheri had rang him). Maybe Bill thought Cheri was changing her mind about her engagement with her boyfriend, maybe Bill got his hopes up only to be deflated and embarrassed in front of Ross. So, did Bill want/plan to kill her? Who knows, but I'm leaning towards no. I believe he was hurt, angry and wanted to let Cheri know she was making a mistake. Maybe they had an argument and then got into a bit of a tussle or maybe he slapped her around and in this struggle she tore off his watch without him realising. And then Ross stepped in. It was known he was a scary guy, had mental issues and got off scaring people. I believe he stepped in and ultimately stabbed her with a knife he brought along. Ross Sullivan, I believe, killed Cheri Bates.

Biill may have freaked out a bit. Of course, he knew was responsible as well, for he was the on who brought Ross, tinkered with her vehicle and had a tussle with her. Bill told Ross not to come to college the next day and to lay low for a while. He also told him to replace the clothes that Ross ALWAYS wore, due to blood. Later that night, Bill couldn't sleep and asked his best mate to meet him at the Green Turtle restaurant. Bills friend say they accidentally met there at 2.30am (yeah right). Now I'm not sure how much Bill told his friend and if he mentioned that Cheri had been murdered...but he did ask for a lift to the library. And I'm sure his friend could tell that Bill was stressed out and something wasn't right. You see, Bill had just realisd his watch was missing but didn't want to risk his own car being seen at the library. So off they went but they only spent 15min searching for the watch. Maybe they couldnt find it or maybe they were scared off and Bill thought it was less risky just leaving the watch. Or maybe he didnt want his friend seeing the body, but either way they left empty handed even though his friend knew something bad had gone down that night (maybe Bill even begged his friend not to tell anybody). They were spotted with their flashlights and some people believe them two unknown people were responsible for Cheri's death. Well i believe only one was and the real murderer, Ross Sullivan, was well home by that time of night.

Eventually Bill got cocky and maybe let slip to a few people that he killed Cheri. These people eventually told police and even passed polygraphs without their stories ever changing. Bill took a polygraph himself but refused to answer the more difficult questions. And Bill's best friend didnt admit to meeting Bill and going to RCC to search for something until the 90s! Eventually Bill left the country to get away from the heat but he eventually return. When the police met him at the airport for his DNA, they thought they had him. But there was no match. RPD were shocked. Why was there no match? Because the hair on Cheri and skin under her nails belonged to Ross Sullivan, the man who actually stabbed her to death. Bill basically admitted defeat at the airport (body language and some things he said) but then thanked his lucky stars when he got off.

Now to Ross...he didnt show up at RCC for a while and when he did come back he had different clothes. I'm sure many of you read the letter from RCC library staff on why they felt that Ross killed Cheri. I also believe that something changed in Ross after that. He had progressed from a stalker to a murderer...and he enjoyed it. He got a thrill out of it and wanted it to last longer. So Ross ended up sending letters to RPD taunting them about the Bates murder. He was also responsible for the desktop poem, well before he had even thought up his alias, the Zodiac.

Eventually he needed to kill and write to the authorities again...after all he had a taste for it now. Sullivan matched the zodiac sketches, even down to the receding hair line. And his handwriting, although we dont have much to go on, looks like a great match. The biggest question is where did RS live in 1969. Kratz, a friend of Ross's brother Tim, said he did live in San Fran at a point in time. And one of the Zodiac letters was posted from Santa Cruz. Even if he was still in Santa Cruz the entire time I wouldn't necessarily him out. Tim, his own brother thought he was the Zodiac. And Ross bragged how he had escaped from a mental Institution, which is very similar to the Zodiac bragging how he escaped from a prison at LB. And if Cheri Bates was his first murder, it was over a lovers tiff between two other people. So the lovers theme continued as he enjoyed this the first time.

I had wondered about them teaming up as well. Riverside PD were apparently convinced that Barnett was guilty but could not prove it. Sullivan is the perfect suspect in the Bates murder and the fact that a bunch of the RCC Library staff thought he was the killer definitely does not look good for ol' Roscoe. As far as him and Barnett teaming up, anything is possible, but it is going to take a miracle to prove it (assuming that theory is correct) or to even prove that they knew each other. I really like Ross as a Bates suspect, but not so much as a Z suspect just because nobody knows where he was during the bay area murders.

One other thing to ponder... assuming this theory is correct, do you think Ross killed Cheri Jo because he had just found out (from Bill) that Cheri was now engaged AND he just found out that Bill had a thing for Cheri Jo as well? If so, I wonder if Ross thought about killing Bill ("Where's Bill?") after he killed Cheri Jo..... just a thought.

there was a podcast where Morf talked about Ross, the host very interested in it , he ( the host or a reporter ) then went to some of Ross's relatives , and they convinced him Ross was not in Riverside at the time Cheri death , anyway this investigator was convinced Ross did not have anything to do with it . I will see if I can find that again

Hey, bro. I recently listened to and enjoyed a podcast that I found out about on this board with noted Zsearcher Michael Butterfield. And I'd like to hear this one if U can find us a link to it. Thanks

Metal Years wrote:Hey, bro. I recently listened to and enjoyed a podcast that I found out about on this board with noted Zsearcher Michael Butterfield. And I'd like to hear this one if U can find us a link to it. Thanks

Here it is, as posted by Don:

https://zodiackiller.forumotion.com/t738-mike-butterfields-podcast-12-7-16

Don Pseuym wrote:there was a podcast where Morf talked about Ross, the host very interested in it , he ( the host or a reporter ) then went to some of Ross's relatives , and they convinced him Ross was not in Riverside at the time Cheri death , anyway this investigator was convinced Ross did not have anything to do with it .  I will see if I can find that again  

I saw a video (I think - it may have just been something I read on a website) where a journalist was talking about how people need to leave the Sullivan family alone because Ross was not Zodiac. I don't know if it was the host of that podcast or not, but I will see if I can find out. I am pretty sure it was not, but I might be wrong. I did hear the podcast Morf did, though.

EDIT: I can't find the video or article I had seen before, dammit.

In fact, Ross was in Riverside, and he worked in the RCC library.