Dave Toschi: The man who hunted the Zodiac Killer
The case of the Zodiac Killer is arguably one of the most famous unsolved serial killer cases in American crime history.
Dave Toschi was an SFPD detective assigned to the case after the murder of Paul Stine, the final official victim of the Zodiac Killer.
Toschi’s work on the Zodiac case made him a highly influential figure in law enforcement, and he continues to be remembered as such following his death in 2018.
Join us here at Crime+Investigation as we look more closely at Dave Toschi’s life and his role in one of the most notorious serial killer cases in history.
The early life of Dave Toschi
Dave Ramon Toschi was born on 11th July 1931. His father, Sam Toschi, was a school janitor. His mother was candy factory worker Millie Toschi, who later became Millie Peri. He was mostly raised by his mother and his stepfather Mario Peri.
After graduating from high school in 1951, Toschi spent some time in the Army. He was honourably discharged in 1952 after his work holding the Pusan Perimeter during the Korean War.
Toschi’s police career
When he returned home to San Francisco, Toschi became part of the San Francisco Police Department. He was there for just over three decades, from 1953 to 1985. He worked in the homicide department from 1966 to 1978.
As well as his work on the Zodiac Killer case, Toschi was also well known for his eclectic wardrobe and charismatic personality. He had a penchant for bow ties and colourful shirts.
Even before his work on the Zodiac case, he was a highly influential guy. His style was such that Steve McQueen reportedly borrowed elements of his look for the 1968 movie Bullitt. The crew was filming in Toschi’s office and after spotting Toschi’s holster, McQueen insisted that his character have one too.
Clint Eastwood used Toschi as inspiration for the fictional police inspector Harry Callahan in the movie Dirty Harry. There’s even a reference to Toschi in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope when Luke Skywalker says that he is going to the Tosche Station.
The Zodiac Killer case
Toschi became chief inspector on the Zodiac Killer case alongside Inspector Bill Armstrong in 1969. They were assigned to the case after the murder of taxi driver Paul Stine.
Toschi worked the case for nine years. During this time, he followed various leads but came up short. Some of the most well-known clues were cryptograms and letters sent by the Zodiac Killer to the media.
These messages were analysed and Toschi worked with cryptographers to decode them for clues. However, they were unable to pin down the suspect.
There was one man who Toschi was certain was the culprit: convicted sex offender Arthur Leigh Allen. There were strong hints that pointed towards Allen’s involvement. For instance, he was known to have told a friend that he wanted to write a novel about a killer called the Zodiac. This killer stalked couples and sent cryptic messages to the police.
The police couldn’t find any evidence to indefinitely tie him to the crimes. Handwriting analysis and fingerprints were taken, but they didn’t link Allen to the killer.
Mark Ruffalo – who played Toschi in the 2007 film Zodiac – stated in an interview that Toschi had once told him that he was certain of Allen’s guilt. The lack of solid evidence was simply impassable. In 1992, Allen died of a heart attack, and the truth of his potential involvement died with him.
Removal from the case
Dave Toschi was removed from the Zodiac Killer case in 1978 when it was revealed that he had sent anonymous letters to a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.
These letters were written to admire himself and his efforts in the case, but he wrote them pretending to be a member of the public. Toschi later admitted that this was a foolish move.
These letters also led to him being accused of writing one of the letters from the Zodiac Killer (which he vehemently denied and was confirmed to be false).
After leaving the police department, Toschi had an extensive career in security. However, the Zodiac case clearly affected him.
Over the years, Toschi would say that the case haunted him to the point he developed a stomach ulcer. He would also visit the place where Paul Stine was murdered on the anniversary of his death, wondering whether more could have been done to bring justice to the victims.
Dave Toschi had a significant impact on one of the biggest crime stories in America. Despite not catching the killer, his tireless work on the Zodiac Killer case and dedication to justice will always be remembered.
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