The Zodiac

The film opens on July 4, 1969, when the Zodiac killer carries out his second attack. Darlene Ferrin is shot and killed alongside Mike Mageau, who survives the horrifying encounter at a lovers' lane in Vallejo, California.

A month after the attack, a letter arrives at the San Francisco Chronicle, penned by the Zodiac. This letter contains encrypted messages that taunt the police, capturing the attention of Paul Avery, a crime reporter, and Robert Graysmith, a political cartoonist.

Despite being initially dismissed, Robert Graysmith gains access to one of the Zodiac's code letters. After deciphering parts of it and making connections, Avery begins to share more information with him, marking the beginning of their collaboration.

The Zodiac killer strikes again at Lake Berryessa, attacking Bryan Hartnell and Cecelia Shepard. While Hartnell survives the stabbing, Shepard tragically dies from her injuries, intensifying the public's fear and the police's urgency to apprehend the killer.

Shortly after the Lake Berryessa attack, Paul Stine, a San Francisco taxi driver, is shot and killed in Presidio Heights. This murder leads detectives Toschi and Armstrong to further their investigation and collaborate with other law enforcement agencies.

The Zodiac killer taunts the authorities further by making an appearance on television. His eerie presence and confident demeanor leave viewers both captivated and terrified, as he continues to elude capture while mocking the police.

In 1971, detectives question Arthur Leigh Allen, a potential suspect whose circumstantial evidence ties him to several Zodiac murders. Although a handwriting expert claims he did not write the Zodiac letters, the investigation continues to probe deeper into Allen's life.

As the investigation drags on, Paul Avery's health deteriorates under the pressure. He becomes increasingly paranoid, turning to drugs and alcohol as he receives threats from the Zodiac, straining relations with fellow detectives.

By 1978, Robert Graysmith remains fixated on unraveling the Zodiac's identity. He interviews witnesses and police detectives, pushing his investigation forward, despite facing personal turmoil, including the dissolution of his marriage.

In December 1983, Graysmith tracks down Arthur Leigh Allen at a hardware store in Vallejo. Their brief encounter leaves a chilling impression, as Graysmith realizes Allen's name tag bears the name 'Lee', which connects to the investigation.

In 1991, Mike Mageau confronts authorities and identifies Arthur Leigh Allen from a police mugshot. This identification stirs renewed interest in the case, even as copies of Graysmith's book 'Zodiac' are seen on a nearby bookshelf, signifying its impact.

The film concludes with final title cards revealing that Arthur Leigh Allen died in 1992 before he could be questioned by the police. Additionally, DNA tests conducted in 2002 failed to match samples collected from the Zodiac letters, leaving the case unsettled.