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SF cop who hunted Zodiac killer dies. Dave Toschi was 86 
  
 FILE —Inspector David Toschi of the San Francisco Police Department worked on the Zodiac case, August 25, 1976 FILE —Inspector David Toschi of the San Francisco Police Department worked on the Zodiac case, August 25, 1976 Photo: Dave Randolph, The Chronicle Photo: Dave Randolph, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 28 Caption Close SF cop who hunted Zodiac killer dies. Dave Toschi was 86 1 / 28 Back to Gallery 
  
 Dave Toschi, a dapper cop who became the lead San Francisco police investigator for the Zodiac serial-killer case in the late 1960s and ’70s, has died at the age of 86. 
  
 Toschi died at his home in San Francisco on Saturday after a lengthy illness, relatives said. 
  
 The Zodiac terrorized the Bay Area in 1968 and 1969 when he stabbed or shot at least five people to death, writing taunting notes and cryptograms to police and newspapers including The Chronicle after his kills. Toschi was drawn into the case when he was assigned to investigate the killing of the Zodiac’s only San Francisco victim — Paul Stine, a cabbie shot to death in his taxi on Oct. 11, 1969. 
  
 It was the Zodiac’s final confirmed slaying. Like every other inspector looking into the saga, from federal agents to police in Vallejo and Napa County, Toschi was unable to solve the case. But he never lost zeal for the mystery, friends said. 
  
 “He was a super guy and a great cop,” said Duffy Jennings, who covered the Zodiac case as a Chronicle reporter in the 1970s and maintained a lifelong friendship with Toschi afterward. “And he told me that he still went every year on Oct. 11 to the Paul Stine murder scene to look around and try to figure out why they couldn’t catch the guy. 
  
 “The Zodiac case gnawed at him,” Jennings said. “He said it gave him an ulcer.” 
  
 Toschi was born in San Francisco and, after graduating from Galileo High School, he pulled combat duty in the Korean War with the Army. Upon his return to San Francisco in 1953, he was hired at the Police Department and stayed there until retiring in 1985. 
  
 In addition to his work on the Zodiac killings, Toschi was part of the team that solved the racially motivated Zebra murders in the early 1970s, in which four black men were convicted of the random slayings of 14 white people. In 1985 he received a meritorious conduct award from the department for arresting a man who raped senior citizens and burglarized their homes. 
  
 His penchant for bow ties, snappy trench coats and the quick-draw holster for his .38-caliber pistol drew the attention of Steve McQueen, who patterned his character in the 1968 movie “Bullitt” after Toschi. Clint Eastwood’s “Dirty Harry” character was also partially inspired by him. 
  
 But it was the Zodiac case for which Toschi was best known. He worked the clues until 1978, when he was taken off the case after admitting he sent fan notes with fictitious names to then-Chronicle writer Armistead Maupin praising himself. Toschi told the San Francisco Examiner that the notes were an “ill-advised indulgence.” 
  
 In the brouhaha that resulted, there were suspicions that he might have also written a letter to The Chronicle that purported to be from the Zodiac. However, nothing was proved, Toschi denied it and he remained with the department as a homicide inspector until his retirement. He was portrayed by Mark Ruffalo in the 2007 movie “Zodiac.” 
  
 “I always looked up to him because he was this Italian guy who got this crazy case,” said Gianrico Pierucci, who retired in November after being the latest in a long line of homicide inspectors to head up the still-alive Zodiac investigation. “He was a good cop. He said he was always happy to get up and do his job.” 
  
 Of the Zodiac case, Pierucci said: “Dave did the best he could. He was always very pleasant and charming, and dapper, and Zodiac is a tough case.” 
  
 After leaving law enforcement, Toschi worked in the security business, including several years as vice president of Northstar Security Services. 
  
 “He loved books, music and could sing with the best of them,” said his daughter, Linda Toschi-Chambers of San Francisco. “His greatest pleasure was his loving family, and we will miss his keen sense of humor, his gentle guidance and his unconditional love.” 
  
 Toschi is survived by his wife, Carol Toschi of San Francisco; two daughters, Toschi-Chambers and Karen Leight of San Mateo County; and two granddaughters, Sarah Leight of Pacifica and Emma Leight of Los Angeles. 
  
 Private services were held Wednesday. Donations may be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in San Francisco, or to a charity of choice. 
  
 Kevin Fagan is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: kfagan@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @KevinChron ||||| FILE - This Sept. 15, 1976 file photo shows San Francisco police detective Dave Toschi in San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, that Toschi, who worked on the... (Associated Press) 
  
 FILE - This Sept. 15, 1976 file photo shows San Francisco police detective Dave Toschi in San Francisco. The San Francisco Chronicle reported on Wednesday, Jan. 10, 2018, that Toschi, who worked on the... (Associated Press) 
  
 SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Dave Toschi, the San Francisco police detective who led the unsuccessful investigation into the Zodiac serial killing a half-century ago, has died. He was 86. 
  
 Toschi died Saturday after a lengthy illness, his daughter, Linda Toschi-Chambers, told the San Francisco Chronicle. 
  
 Toschi was put on the Zodiac case after a San Francisco taxi driver was shot to death in 1969. He was removed nine years later when he acknowledged writing and mailing anonymous fan letters to the Chronicle lauding his own work. 
  
 Five people were fatally stabbed or shot to death in Northern California in 1968 and 1969, and their killer sent taunting letters and cryptograms to the police and newspapers. 
  
 The killer was never caught. He was dubbed the Zodiac killer because some of his cryptograms included astrological symbols and references. 
  
 Duffy Jennings covered the killings for the Chronicle and grew close to Toschi. 
  
 Jenning said Toschi visited the San Francisco murder scene on the anniversary of the killing for many years in a row to see if he overlooked any clues. 
  
 "The Zodiac case gnawed at him," Jennings said. "He said it gave him an ulcer." 
  
 Actor Mark Ruffalo portrayed Toschi in the 2011 movie "Zodiac." 
  
 Toschi was born in San Francisco and graduated from Galileo High School before serving in the Korean War with the Army. He returned to San Francisco in 1953 and was hired at the Police Department, where he worked until retiring in 1985. 
  
 Toschi's family said the retired inspector enjoyed books and music. 
  
 He "could sing with the best of them," said his daughter. "His greatest pleasure was his loving family, and we will miss his keen sense of humor, his gentle guidance and his unconditional love." 
  
 Toschi is survived by his wife, Carol Toschi of San Francisco; two daughters, Toschi-Chambers of San Francisco and Karen Leight of San Mateo County; and two granddaughters, Sarah Leight of Pacifica and Emma Leight of Los Angeles. 
  
 Private services were held Wednesday. 
  
 ___ 
  
 Information from: San Francisco Chronicle, http://www.sfgate.com |||||

Dave Toschi, the San Francisco police detective who led the unsuccessful investigation into the Zodiac serial killer a half-century ago, died Saturday after a lengthy illness. He was 86. Toschi was put on the Zodiac case after a San Francisco taxi driver was shot to death in 1969. He was removed nine years later when he acknowledged writing and mailing anonymous fan letters to San Francisco Chronicle writer Armistead Maupin lauding his own work, reports the AP. Five people were fatally stabbed or shot to death in Northern California in 1968 and 1969, and their killer sent taunting letters and cryptograms to the police and newspapers. The killer was never caught. He was dubbed the Zodiac killer because some of his cryptograms included astrological symbols and references. Toschi was born in San Francisco and served in the Korean War with the Army. He returned to San Francisco in 1953 and was hired at the Police Department, where he worked until retiring in 1985. Duffy Jennings covered the killings for the Chronicle and grew close to Toschi. Jennings said Toschi visited the San Francisco murder scene on the anniversary of the killing for many years in a row to see if he overlooked any clues. "The Zodiac case gnawed at him," Jennings said. "He said it gave him an ulcer." Actor Mark Ruffalo portrayed Toschi in the 2011 movie Zodiac. The Chronicle notes Toschi was a "snappy" dresser with a "penchant for bow ties," a look that is said to have inspired Clint Eastwood and Steve McQueen's characters in Dirty Harry and Bullitt, respectively.