Lawrence Kane
Lawrence Klein (April 29th 1924 - May 20th 2010), better known by Lawrence Kane, was an American salesman and career criminal most famous for being a suspect for the Zodiac Killer.
Lawrence Klein was born on April 29, 1924, in Brooklyn, NY, the eldest of three sons born to Morris Haim (Harry) Klein and Sarah Benjamin. Both of Klein’s brothers died in infancy. His father was a Hungarian immigrant (although, per his draft registration card, he claimed Austrian citizenship) and his mother was a native New Yorker of Russian parentage. He grew up in a working-class Jewish neighborhood in Brooklyn’s Borough Park district. [1]
Klein completed two years of high school in the state of New York before dropping from school to obtain employment.
On September 13, 1941, at the age of 17, Klein submitted an application to the Social Security Board requesting to have his name legally changed from Lawrence Klein to Lawrence Kaye. Next to “reason for filing,” he wrote that the change would be “Beneficial for employment in my field."
Kaye received training at the ‘Radio Materiel School’ in Chicago during this period. Admissions to the Electronics Training Program, an exclusive, highly classified military training program for which the radio material school served as a hub, they were approved on the basis of a rigorous classification and aptitude examination called the Eddy Test. The test featured a series of timed, multiple-choice questions, devised to give some indication of the test taker’s mathematics/physics knowledge, creativity, reasoning ability, and general aptitude. The preliminary screening process for the Eddy Test was also notoriously stringent, with applicants being selected from those who demonstrated an exceptionally high aptitude on the Naval Entrance and Otis Higher Examinations. Of those selected to take the test, only an estimated fifteen percent passed. Studies indicate that those admitted to the Electronics Training Program scored, on average, in the top two or three percent of Intelligence Quotient in the Nation. The fact that he passed the Eddy Test would also seem to suggest that Kaye, despite receiving a meager formal education, had a fairly advanced understanding of mathematics and electronic componentry. [1]
During this time Kaye had entered a relationship with Singer Eileen Barton. In 1947 Kaye was arrested on charges of conspiracy and fraud. [1] In 1949 Kaye was arrested on a grand larceny charge. He was able to have this charge dismissed by taking advantage of a loophole in then-existing contract laws. This was a recurring theme in Kaye’s fraud arrests/lawsuits over the years. [1]
By 1952 he became a salesman and was arrested for stealing gems. [1] In 1959 Kaye was arrested on charges of adultery, disturbing the peace, and assault and battery
During the 1960s Lawrence would change his surname to Kane and continue to get arrested for being a peeping Tom, Shoplifting and the illegal use of a credit card. It was also in this decade that Kane had a car accident, giving him immense brain damage which made him loose the ability to control his self gratifications.
From 1968 to 1979 Kane mostly seemed to stay out of trouble with Police, only getting arrested for Illegally setting up a telephone in 1979, and in1980 he was arrested for the theft of personal property.
Kane lived out the rest of his life until his death in May 20th at the age of 86, by the then he was living under the name Lawrence Cane.
Connection to the Zodiac Killer edit
- In Zodiac's "My Name is Cipher" the first 4 letters are A E N K, an anagram for Kane.
- Officer Donald Fouke, who saw Zodiac at the Paul Stine killing said after looking at a photo of Kane "I've seen hundreds of photos since then, and this is the best likeness." He did however say it was too long to be positive.
- Kane lived at 217 Eddy Street, 2 blocks from where victim Paul Stine picked up Zodiac.
- Zodiac quoted the play the Mikado. During the time Kane lived on Eddy street the Mikado played at the Lamplighter Theatre Group, 3 blocks away from Kane's apartment.
- Zodiac survivor Bryan Hartnell, who had an extended conversation with Zodiac was confident he would recognize the voice if he heard it again. He said Zodiac had a stutter, consistent with someone who had suffered a brain injury, Kane had suffered a brain injury in 1962 from a car accident. After hearing Kane's voice Hartnell said "His speech is certainly consistent with the voice I heard, although it's been too long to be certain."
- Kane's brain injury was said to have made him lose the ability to control self gratification. Many serial killers also suffer from brain injuries such as John Wayne Gacy and Fred West.
- The sister of Zodiac victim Darlene Ferrin said Kane stalked her sister and due to her panicked reactions Darlene probably knew who Zodiac was.
- Kane had criminal history for over 20 years, getting arrested for things like assault and being a peeping Tom.
- Kane also served in the navy which is where Zodiac was believed to have also served. This could have also taught him coding and gave him access to Wing Walker boots.
- He was known for asking people their Zodiac sign. He even had a Zodiac Chart on his wall, a plaque of the astrology calendar.
- Was indifferent to women, and in his attacks Zodiac seemed to focus mostly on killing the female.
- Kane often used aliases and fake birthdays. He was also very secretive about his dealings, even his neighbors didn't know what he did.
- Kane traded cars 5 days after Darlene Ferrin was killed where she and surviving victim Michael Mageau saw Zodiac's car.
- From the year of the Zodiac's first killing date 1968 to 1979 Kane managed to mostly stay out of police attention, only getting arrested for illegally hooking up a phone.
Gallery edit
