Projects
Don is featured in the new Netflix documentary series “This Is the Zodiac Speaking,” which delves into the infamous Zodiac Killer case—one of the most notorious unsolved mysteries in American history.
In the series, Don offers a professional and compelling analysis of the complex investigation, shedding new light on Arthur Leigh Allen, the primary suspect publicly identified in the case.
Don’s involvement with the Zodiac investigation began in the late 1990s when he was assigned as a detective with the Vallejo Police Department and took on a leadership role in the Zodiac Task Force.
This task force included detectives from multiple jurisdictions with confirmed Zodiac homicides: the San Francisco Police Department, Vallejo Police Department, Napa County Sheriff’s Office and Solano County Sheriff’s Office.
During his nearly two-year tenure with the task force, Don worked to re-evaluate the case with fresh forensic technology and develop viable leads on suspects, which ultimately laid the groundwork for future investigative insights.
In 2005, after his retirement, Don continued his involvement with the Zodiac case as an investigative consultant for the 2007 “Zodiac” movie by Phoenix Pictures. This role put him on the radar of Ample Entertainment, who reached out to him in 2023 for interviews that led to his involvement in “This Is the Zodiac Speaking.” Don visited Ample Entertainment’s studios twice to contribute his insights, which can now be seen in episodes two and three of the series.
The documentary explores disturbing connections between Allen and the Zodiac case, spotlighting chilling testimonies from those close to Allen, which may reveal fresh evidence. Don’s reflections and professional insights add to the gravity of the series, giving viewers a new appreciation of the decades-old mystery.
“This Is the Zodiac Speaking” is currently in the Netflix Top 10. For a preview, you can view the trailer here:
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Click here to watch the trailer.​
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​Aired on NETFLIX, October 23, 2024
This is the Zodiac Speaking
AMPLE Entertainment
Investigative Consultant/Self | 2023-2024
Don's latest article on the Connecticut Private Investigators Association has been published in PI Magazine. The piece offers an in-depth look at the organization's history, its role in the industry, and the resources it provides to its members. For those interested in the inner workings of private investigation in Connecticut, this article is a must-read. Click here for the article on Don's blog.
PI MAGAZINE
Interview | May/June 2024
Murder on Middle Beach is a four-part documentary by director Madison Hamburg about the unsolved 2010 murder of his mother Barbara Hamburg in Connecticut. Don was hired as the project's investigator and appeared in all episodes. Don worked closely with the Director and staff with locating witnesses, crime scene reconstruction, determing possible motive, victimology analysis, suspect development, meeting with law enforcement, reviewing records and evidence, and using the Freedom of Information Act to obtain official documents. The documentary aired on November 15, 2020, on HBO.
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HBO Series
Murder on Middle Beach
Investigative Consultant/Self | 2017-2020
Released in 2007, the film tells the story of the manhunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial murderer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, taunting police with letters, bloodstained clothing, and ciphers mailed to newspapers. In the late 90's Don worked on the Zodiac Task Force comprised of all law enforcement agencies with bonafide Zodiac murders. The mission of the Task Force was to take a fresh look at the case records, interviews, old suspects and evaluate evidence for modern forensic examination using new technologies not available to the original detectives. Subsequently, Phoenix Pictures started work on the Zodiac Movie project and Don assisted Phoenix Pictures researchers as their liaison to the Vallejo Police Department, making available reports, records, evidence and escorting researchers to areas throughout the City of Vallejo that were of interest to the project, such as the original Vallejo crime scene. The case remains one of the United States' most infamous unsolved crimes.
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SONY Pictures / Phoenix Pictures
Zodiac Movie
Research Consultant | 2004-2005
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Welcome to Madison Investigative Services, where experience meets discretion. Established in 2011, we're a Veteran-owned business licensed by the State of Connecticut Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection, Division of the State Police.
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