New cryptographic analysis has linked Marvin Merrill to both the Zodiac Killer and the Black Dahlia murder cases, according to recent findings presented by independent investigator Baber. The claims have sparked debate among experts and law enforcement officials due to the contrasting characteristics of the two notorious crimes.

The Black Dahlia case, involving the 1947 homicide of Elizabeth Short, is known for its brutality—marked by torture, dismemberment, and elaborate staging of the crime scene. In contrast, the Zodiac killings, which took place in the late 1960s in Northern California, featured a colder and more detached approach, with unpredictable victim selection and weapon use. Such differences have fueled skepticism about any common perpetrator.

Baber’s research centers on a cryptographic link derived from the Zodiac Killer’s Z13 cipher, an encrypted message previously unsolved until Baber applied new analytical methods. He contends that the message points directly to Marvin Merrill, a suspect with alleged ties to both crimes. Baber emphasizes that the Z13 cipher analysis is one facet of a comprehensive investigation incorporating statistical, forensic, cryptographic, and historical data.

The work has attracted support from several experts, including Rick Jackson, a California homicide detective with 36 years of experience handling the Zodiac case, and Mitzi Roberts, who managed the Black Dahlia investigation for the Los Angeles Police Department until her retirement in 2024. Both expressed confidence in Baber’s conclusions. Jackson stated there is overwhelming circumstantial evidence linking Merrill to both crimes, noting, "He left breadcrumbs all along."

Further investigation is ongoing. Jackson recently uncovered a fingerprint card for a person named Margolis from 1943, a record previously unexamined by authorities, which is now being compared to prints from a letter sent by someone claiming to be the Black Dahlia killer shortly after Short’s murder. The Los Angeles Police Department has confirmed it is testing this potential new evidence.

Despite the growing support, not all experts are convinced. David Oranchak, one of the cryptographers involved in solving the Zodiac’s Z340 cipher in 2020, has publicly questioned Baber’s methodology and the existence of forensic linguistic software credited by Baber in prior investigations. Baber acknowledged past errors in suspect identification, specifically retracting an earlier accusation against Lawrence Kane after new evidence emerged, stressing that revising conclusions is part of the investigative process.

Former National Security Agency chief codebreaker Ed Giorgio, who attempted to solve the Zodiac codes before retiring in 1997, praised the findings as a “triumph of imagination” rather than mere artificial intelligence. Giorgio described the new evidence as the greatest breakthrough in these cold cases.

Baber attributes his success to an unconventional approach that involves reassessing both cases from the ground up, stripping away entrenched assumptions and applying modern technological tools to detect patterns overlooked by earlier investigators. He also suggests that the intense media pressure at the time may have influenced the original investigations, potentially leading to errors and misdirection.

Reflecting on the emotional toll, Baber shared regret that he was unable to inform Elizabeth Short’s sister, Muriel, of the suspected resolution before her passing, noting that providing closure to families remains a fundamental motivation in his work.

Authorities continue to evaluate the accumulated evidence, aware that advances in forensic science and cryptanalysis may finally shed new light on two of America’s most enduring and enigmatic murder cases.