AI solves the century-old mystery! The Black Dali Flower and the Zodiac Killer are actually the same person

Private investigator Alex Baber uses AI to crack the Zodiac “Z13” cipher, narrowing down from 71 million possibilities to focus on WWII medic Marvin Margolis. Evidence includes: living in the same apartment as the Black Dahlia victim, matching dagger among relics, and shadowy sketches with ZoDiac characters emerging in old age. Former NSA cryptanalyst and LAPD detective agree, FBI review underway.

How AI Locks in the Killer from 71 Million Possibilities

(Source: Cold Case Consulting CCCOA)

Founder of Cold Case Consulting, Alex Baber, utilized AI programs to interpret the Zodiac Killer’s “Z13” cipher sent to newspapers in 1970. Baber input this puzzle, which contains “My name is” followed by 13 mysterious symbols, into a system that cross-referenced 1950s census data and public records. After filtering approximately 71 million possibilities, AI ultimately identified the suspect: Marvin Margolis, who later changed his name to Marvin Merrill.

AI’s approach to solving the case is highly innovative. Traditional cipher cracking relies on manual trial-and-error with substitution rules, which is time-consuming and prone to missing possibilities. AI can enumerate all possible letter combinations within seconds and compare them against census databases to find real names matching specific times and locations. This brute-force method combined with big data comparison is beyond human capability.

More critically, AI not only decoded the Z13 cipher but also performed multi-dimensional evidence correlation analysis. The system cross-checked Margolis’s residence, occupation, military service, family members, and other details against the timelines, victim profiles, and modus operandi of two unsolved cases. When multiple independent evidence chains point to the same person—even if each has only 70% reliability—the combined confidence can exceed 99%.

Three Major Technical Advantages of AI in Solving Cases

Brute-force capability: 71 million possibilities would take years manually; AI completes in hours

Data correlation: Cross-referencing census, service records, addresses, and massive datasets

Pattern recognition: Identifying modus operandi, psychological traits, spatiotemporal links, and hidden patterns

Baber’s findings are not unfounded. Former NSA chief cryptanalyst Ed Giorgio, after reviewing Baber’s research, expressed agreement, believing the decoding aligns with indirect evidence. Former LAPD homicide detective Rick Jackson openly states that these cases are essentially solved, given the numerous links and overwhelming circumstantial evidence. Currently, agencies like San Francisco Police, Napa County Sheriff’s Office, and FBI are reviewing the data provided by Baber’s team.

WWII Medic’s Perfect Disguise and PTSD Motive for Murder

Margolis was a WWII Navy medic trained in battlefield amputations and “scattergun surgery,” explaining how he could precisely dismember bodies without damaging organs. In the 1947 Black Dahlia case, victim Elizabeth Short was beheaded and drained of blood, with her mouth slit into a bizarre smile. Police suspected the killer had medical training. This professional dissection skill aligns closely with battlefield medical training.

More crucially, Short and Margolis once lived in the same Hollywood apartment, possibly as roommates or neighbors. This explains how the killer could easily approach the wary Short. Baber speculates that Margolis had an abnormal obsession with the attractive Short, and reject