‘Chinese Zodiac Killer’ who claimed to eat his victims is arrested by the FBI

May 20, 2022

A man who allegedly sent threatening letters in which he claimed to eat people he murdered has been arrested and charged by the FBI on Thursday.

Jesse Bartlett, 46, is accused of sending such letters to private businesses, houses of worship, media outlets and government offices in northeastern states, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Vermont and the District of Columbia.

The letters were allegedly sent by someone who claimed to be the “Chinese Zodiac Killer,” a presumed reference to the infamous Zodiac Killer, who also sent threatening letters but was confirmed to have murdered at least five people in Northern California in the 1960s.

In his letters, Bartlett allegedly wrote that he killed people, ate their flesh and that he plans to kill more, including an unidentified bus driver.

The White House also reportedly received one of the letters. On May 12, Bartlett, who lives in New York’s LaFargeville, was allegedly pictured placing what appeared to be brown envelopes into a U.S. Postal Service collection box in Watertown, and another in Clayton, according to court documents.

Authorities collected 21 letters from both boxes. All were addressed to religious institutions and signed “Aleister Crowley,” a name that was also referenced in earlier Chinese Zodiac Killer letters and presumably refers to the late English occultist and artist.

On May 15, Bartlett was again allegedly captured placing a brown package into a postal box in Watertown. Authorities said it contained 21 letters, but this time, they were addressed to law enforcement agencies and some politicians.

“EVERY MONTH SINCE NOVEMBER I HAVE KILLED BOTH MALE AND FEMALES,” the letter for the police and politicians read in part. “IT IS POSSIBLE THAT I AM KILLING INDIVIDUALS WHOSE IDENTITIES ARE IMPOSSIBLE TO TRACK (I.E., HOMELESS, RUNAWAYS, ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS), AND DESTROYING ALL EVIDENCE SO EFFICIENTLY.”

Bartlett has been charged with mailing threatening letters. He is facing up to five years in prison, up to $250,000 in fines and up to three years of supervised release.

Featured Image via FBI

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