Tiktoker claims his grandfather was the notorious Zodiac killer

Many people believe that every family has its terrifying secrets. An American TikToker is convinced that his grandfather's secret life led to at least a dozen deaths. Was Richard Hoffman the Zodiac?

When asked about the case they would like to solve, fans of thrillers point to various instances: kidnappings, disappearances, unexplained death cases. Some want to uncover the identities of murderers and rapists who have so far avoided punishment. Despite the efforts of law enforcement, detectives, profilers, and criminologists, some crimes seem perfect. However, the identity of the perpetrator can sometimes be discovered accidentally.

TikToker J.Fox shared information that surprised even seasoned crime story enthusiasts. According to Fox, his mother's father, and thus his grandfather, is the Zodiac, who has been hunted for several decades. Fox has recorded five videos so far, which have been viewed nearly 13 million times. In the recordings, the influencer explains why he believes Richard Hoffman was the serial killer sought across the United States.

Fox points out distinctive misspellings made by both his grandfather and the Zodiac. Richard Hoffman also resembled composite sketches created with the help of people who managed to avoid death. Additionally, Hoffman was a police officer actively involved in the search for the murderer. Another point suggesting that the TikToker’s grandfather was the Zodiac is the fact that one of the victims, moments before her death, said, "Oh my God, it's Richard, he's going to kill us both." These words were repeated by a man who survived the Zodiac's attack. The family of the murdered Darlene Ferrin received information about her death before the police arrived at the scene. The call was made from a phone booth located next to the station where Richard Hoffman was on duty. J.Fox adds that his grandfather was a hot-headed, explosive man with manipulative tendencies, and he also loved mathematical puzzles, just like the Zodiac.

J.Fox also showed a snippet of an interview in which Richard Hoffman commented on the serial killer. In his opinion, his grandfather's way of speaking was at least suspicious. However, these are still just the influencer's speculations, not backed by police expertise.