Heriberto Seda

Eddie Seda

Mugshot
Born July 31, 1967
New York City, New York
Other names The Brooklyn Sniper
The Copycat Zodiac Killer
Faust
The New York Zodiac Killer
Criminal penalty
 232 years imprisonment
Conviction(s) Attempted Murder
Murder
Killings
Victims 3 killed, 5 wounded
Span of killings
 March 8, 1990–October 2, 1993
Country United States
State(s) New York
Date apprehended
 June 18, 1996

Heriberto "Eddie" Seda (born July 31, 1967) is an American serial killer who struck New York City from 1990 to 1993. Before being caught on June 18, 1996, Seda killed three people and critically wounded four. Seda is believed to have admired San Francisco’s Zodiac Killer for avoiding capture. Seda was convicted in 1998, and sentenced to 83 years and 4 months in prison. He will be eligible for parole when he is 113 years old.

Background

Seda gave the impression of being a very religious man and attended church regularly. He lived with his mother and half sister in East New York, where he was unemployed and often kept to himself. At the age of 16, Seda dropped out of high school when he was caught carrying a weapon.

On November 17, 1989, East New York’s 75th Precinct began receiving letters with the heading: "This is the zodiac". The first letter contained a warning of 12 murders, one for each sign in the Zodiac. The letter also claimed that one murder had already taken place, but with no evidence the police dismissed the letter as a hoax, which the police are accustomed to receiving. The letter contained a drawing of a circle with lines through it dividing the circle into 12 sections, each part representing a sign in the zodiac.

Capture

Seda was mentally and physically abusive to his half-sister, Gladys Reyes. During a confrontation with her and her boyfriend, Seda pulled out a weapon and began threatening the couple. While Reyes' boyfriend hid in the bedroom, she tried to escape through the front door, but Seda shot her in the buttocks. Wounded but not incapacitated, she made her way to her neighbor’s apartment where she called the police. After a standoff with the police, Seda was arrested.[1] When asked to write a report on what had happened, Seda wrote in a fashion which one of the detectives, Daniel Powers, found strikingly similar to that of the Zodiac killer, especially due to the signature symbol that he wrote at the end of all of his letters, which he claimed signified God. He was later convicted and pleaded guilty to several counts of murder and attempted murder. Seda is housed at Great Meadow Correctional Center and will be eligible for parole in 2081.

Victims

Date Victim Zodiac Sign Status Description
March 8, 1990 Mario Orozco Scorpio Survived Shot in the back. The bullet stayed lodged next to his spine.
March 29, 1990 Jermaine Montenesdro Gemini Survived Shot in the left side of his lower body. The bullet went through his liver.
May 31, 1990 Joseph "Joe" Proce Taurus Died Shot in his lower back, hitting his kidney. He survived attack, but died in the hospital on June 24, 1990[2]
June 19, 1990 Larry Parham Cancer Survived Shot in the chest. The bullet missed his aorta and exited his body through his right armpit.
August 10, 1992 Patricia Fonti Leo Died Shot twice and then was stabbed over 100 times.
June 4, 1993 James "Jim" Weber Libra Survived Shot in the buttocks.
July 20, 1993 John Diacone Virgo Died Shot in the neck at close range.
October 2, 1993 Diane Ballard Taurus Survived Shot in the neck. The bullet missed vital arteries but lodged against her spine.

In popular culture

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richardson, Lynda (June 22, 1996). "Suspect Is Charged in 4 Zodiac Cases in Queens". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-07. A Brooklyn man who the police say is the Zodiac killer -- a gunman who fatally shot three people and wounded five others in twin crime waves in the early 1990s -- was formally charged in the case yesterday.
  2. ↑ Curry, Jack (June 25, 1990). "3 Weeks Later, A Victim Shot By 'Zodiac' Dies". New York Times. Retrieved 2008-07-07. The gunman who calls himself Zodiac became responsible for his first death yesterday morning when his third shooting victim, a 78-year-old man, died at Jamaica Hospital, the police said. Joseph Proce was shot in the back about 2 A.M. on May 31 as he walked in front of 74-27 87th Road in Woodhaven, Queens, the police said. Mr. Proce later told the police that the gunman asked him for a glass of water and then shot him in the back as he walked away.

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