Ross Sullivan

'Ross M. Sullivan' Timeline (primary sources)

• 1913: Approximate birth year for Ross Sullivan's father Harold R. Sullivan
  • Location: Milford

• 1916-07-06: Ross Sullivan's mother born in Maine

• 1941-07-28: Ross Sullivan born
  • Place of birth: New York
  • SSN application puts his birth place at Syracuse, NY
  • Mother's maiden name and birthplace: Harriet Gray - Maine

• 1956-08-15: Article about Ross' uncle Harold R. Sullivan and brother Jonathan G. Sullivan

• 1957: In 1977 his death certificate says his length of residence in California was 20 years, so this may be approximately when he moved from New York.
• 1957: Photos of Ross Sullivan from yearbook (which one?)
• 1957: Swim team photo of Ross Sullivan from Binghamton High School yearbook (NY State)
• 1957: Yearbook mention of Ross Sullivan's involvement with Acting, Orator's Club, and Swim Team (Are all these from the same Binghamton HS yearbook from 1957?)

• 1958-05-02: Ross Sullivan's social security number application

• 1959: Senior year photograph of Ross Sullivan from Glendale High School source)
• 1959-06-05: Death of his grandfather Daniel L. Sullivan
  • Husband of Rose L. Laubscer
  • Location: 102 Oak Ave., Milford, CT (Note: I'm having difficulty locating this address in Milford, CT)
  • Father of Daniel Sullivan, Mrs. Grace Flaherly and Mrs. Vincent Tulloch of Milford, and Harold Sullivan of Glendale CA, and Mrs. Walter (Blaut?) of Barryville, NY
  • Funeral on 1969-06-06, buried at St. Mary's cemetery
• 1959-09-12: Death of his mother Harriet
  • Location: Los Angeles
  • Her mother's maiden name: Keith
  • Her father's surname: Gray

• 1961-09-11: Started at RCC
  • Jo Ann Bailey say he bragged about being at Patton State Mental Hospital in San Bernardino, possibly before entering RCC.
• 1961-11-01 to 1964-02-01: Absence from RCC. Jo Ann Bailey say he bragged about being at Patton State Mental Hospital in San Bernardino, possibly during this period.

• 1965: Photo of Jo Ann Bailey from Riverside College yearbook

• 1966-10-28: Jo Ann Bailey claim to see Ross talking to a "cute young girl not unlike Cheri Jo"
• 1966-10-30: Murder of Cheri Jo Bates
• 1966-11-29: "Confession" letter mailed to Daily Enterprise, Riverside CA
• 1966-12: Desktop poem discovered (Is there an exact date and source?)

• 1967-04-30: "Bates had to die" letters mailed to newspaper, the police, and to Cheri’s Father.
• 1967-11-09: Transcript sent to UC Santa Cruz
  • Unknown date after that: Jo Ann Bailey claim he was in a mental institution

• 1968: Santa Cruz directory entry showing Ross living in an apartment in Santa Cruz
  • Address: 512 2nd Street Apt 2 (Google Maps)
  • Series of ads for stationery stores very close to that apartment. Some of the ads mention "Zodiac" stationery, "Zodiac" wax, the sale of Halloween cards and cut-outs, and a connection with the Mikado.
• 1968-02-06: Bizarre behavior leads to arrest (reported in Santa Cruz Sentinel)
• 1968-03-05: Ross Sullivan arrested for "public indecent exposure", according to claim by Howard Davis
• 1968-08-30: Death of Ross Sullivan's father Harold R. Sullivan
  • Location: 40 Bedford Streeet, New York, NY (Google Maps)
  • Funeral on 1968-09-04
  • Born in Milford, graduate of Yale University Divinity School, master's degree from Harvard, Doctor's degree from Princeton
  • Held pastorates in Princeton, NJ, Binghamton, NY, and in California.
  • Was an account executive with Statistical Tabulating corporation of NYC for 8 years.
  • Survived by four sons, brother Daniel E. Sullivan of Milford, three sisters (Grace Flaherty of Milford and two from out of state), and several nieces and nephews.
  • Burial record on FindAGrave.com

• 1969-07: Howard says Peterson found a record of him in Santa Cruz for public drunkenness (source 1) (source 2)

• 1970-11-16: Sherwood Morrill links Riverside handwriting to Zodiac case
• 1970-11-17: Paul Avery reports "Zodiac Link (to Riverside) is Definite"

• 1977-09-29: Death of Ross Sullivan
  • Death certificate, page 1, page 2. Last Occupation: Dish Washer (duration: 2 years). Type of business: Restaurant.
  • Cause of death: Undetermined, possibly acute right ventricular failure., secondary to Pickwickian Syndrome. Other significant condition: Extreme obesity with associated cardiomegaly.
  • Coroner signature dated 1977-11-14. Name is printed as Alfred F. Norenby/Noren but signature looks like "Mark Tracy".
  • Location of death: At home. Address: 2177 17th Avenue (now Paradise Villa) (Google Maps)
  • Funeral Director: White’s Mort Inc, Santa Cruz.
  • Soquel CA Crematory. Cremation date: 1977-10-03
  • Listed as living in Santa Cruz county for 3 years - in the state of CA for 20 years.
  • Signed by John (or Jonathan?) Sullivan, 1929-B Russell Street, Berkeley 94703 (Google Maps).
• 1977-03-19: Letter Dave Peterson wrote to Dave Toschi

• Unknown Date: Letter from RCC Jo Ann Bailey
• Unknown Date: Group photograph that includes Ross Sullivan (another view)

(Source for some of the above info)