The Zebra Killers
1974

Jesse Lee Cooks, one of the Zebra Killers

Five men, calling themselves the "Death Angels," were arrested and convicted of a l973-74 six month racially motivated crime spree involving kidnap, rape, mutilation and murder of 23 random victims, 14 of whom died.

The term "Zebra" came from a police radio code set up to alert police about communications related to these crimes, but was widely thought to be a reference to the black-on-white nature of the attacks. One of those shot and severely injured was the future Mayor of San Francisco, Art Agnos.

Those convicted were Manuel Moore, J.C.X. Simon, Jessie Lee Cooks, and Larry Green. The fifth member of the group, Anthony Harris, came to the police with the identity of the others and testified against them at their trials.