Catching Killers has returned for a third season on Netflix, examining shocking murder cases in America. One of those featured in the latest instalment is the New York Zodiac Killer.
Not to be confused with the actual Zodiac Killer - who was based in San Francisco and never actually found. While inspired by the original murderer, New York's Zodiac Killer was eventually caught and jailed.
Heriberto Seda, a Brooklyn native, shot and killed three people and injured six others, leaving four of them in a critical condition. Described as a longer who was obsessed with astrology, Heriberto was expelled from school as a teenager for bringing a pistol with him.
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He was just 23 years old when he shot his first two victims in March 1990, who fortunately survived. And, like the original Zodiac Killer, Heriberto would send taunting messages to the police and media after each crime, which included International maritime signal flags.
These were decoded and his letters claimed he was choosing victims based on their zodiac signs. He also boasted that he'd never get caught, as he was using an improvised firearm which meant the bullets wouldn't be marked, so he couldn't be traced.
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A couple of months after his first two shootings, he killed his third victim, who was shot in the back and later died in hospital. Meanwhile the fourth victim, who was attacked later on in the same year, survived.
He struck again in 1992, shooting his next victim twice and fatally stabbing her more than 100 times. He waited another year until he attacked two more victims - one was shot in the head and died and the other survived.
His identity was still unknown, having eluded capture. But two years later, his violence would reveal his identity.
How was the New York Zodiac Killer captured?
Heriberto was abusive towards his younger half-sister Gladys Reyes. One fateful day in the spring of 1996, he got into an argument with her and her boyfriend.
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It escalated and he pulled out a weapon. As Gladys tried to escape through the front door, he shot her in the buttocks. She was hurt, but still managed to escape to a neighbour's house and phoned the police.
This lead to Heriberto's arrest, yet police still had no idea he was a serial killer. But one move gave away his identity.
Having to submit a handwritten statement about the family incident to police, Heriberto signed it with a symbol similar to the ones he'd scribbled in the taunting letters to police.
He then became a suspect in the case. Police were able to link him to the murders through the weapon he used and by analysing his handwriting. His finger prints and DNA were also found on the stamp of some of the letters sent to police.
Where is he now?
Heriberto was convicted of murder and attempted murder In June 1998. He was sentenced to 232 years behind bars.
He was first sent to the Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo. There, he began a relationship with the prisoner in the cell next door, Synthia-China Blast, a trans woman who was jailed for a gang-related murder and the murder of a child.
Now 55 years old, the killer is serving his remaining sentence at Clinton Correctional Facility in upstate New York.
All three series of Catching Criminals are available to stream on Netflix now.
