Michael Mageau’s Current Life: Insights on the Zodiac Survivor as Netflix Releases “This is the Zodiac Speaking”

Michael Mageau stands out as one of the rare individuals to have escaped the murderous spree of the Zodiac killer. Back in 1969, the then 19-year-old Mageau was attacked, but his survival was largely attributed to swift medical attention.

The recently released Netflix docuseries, This is the Zodiac Speaking, delves deeper into the story of the notorious serial killer from the 1960s. The series also highlights the Seawater family, who had connections to a man suspected of being the Zodiac, Arthur Leigh Allen. Their contributions aim to shed light on the long-standing mystery surrounding the Zodiac killer.

Now aged 74, Michael has chosen to maintain a quiet lifestyle, with little public information about his current situation.

The Zodiac killer’s attack on Michael Mageau and Darlene

As revealed in This is the Zodiac Speaking, on July 4, 1969, Darlene, a 22-year-old waitress, was meeting her friend Michael Mageau at Blue Rock Springs Park. They settled in their car in an isolated area when suddenly a vehicle pulled up behind them.

A figure emerged from this vehicle, wielding a powerful flashlight that illuminated the car. Darlene and Michael, mistaking him for a police officer, rolled down their window. However, the individual instantly began firing at them.

The assailant shot Mageau in the right arm and struck Darlene in the neck, rendering her unconscious. Michael also suffered injuries to his knee and mouth; in an effort to escape, he managed to crawl into the backseat. The shooter then found him trying to flee, shooting both Michael and Darlene several more times before fleeing the scene.

Darlene’s sister vividly recounted the incident in This is the Zodiac Speaking on Netflix:

“He (Darlene’s father) just told me that she was with Michael. He was just a friend from Vallejo. He told me they were parked at a golf course. Just thought it was a cop pulled up behind her. She rolled the window down. My dad said that he had a flashlight shining into their eyes.”

She further explained:

“They were blinded. And he just started shooting. Mike flipped into the back seat cause he was shot in the knee and in the mouth. But I guess he was laying there, and I guess he crawled out of the car. And the killer shot some more. Mostly in her.”

Michael Mageau’s identification of the Zodiac Killer

Following the harrowing experience, Michael Mageau was rushed to the hospital. While he received the necessary treatment and survived, Darlene tragically succumbed to her injuries en route to the hospital.

Michael was shot four times during the attack. After recovering, he described the assailant as being approximately 5’8″tall. Later, during a police lineup, he identified Arthur Leigh Allen from among the possible Zodiac suspects. However, another witness claimed that Allen could not have been the shooter due to his weight exceeding that of the killer.

Although authorities considered Arthur Leigh Allen a prime suspect in the series of murders during the 1960s, they were unable to secure sufficient evidence to charge him. To this day, the enigma of the Zodiac killer remains unresolved.

This is the Zodiac Speaking is currently available to stream on Netflix.

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