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American serial killer

Heriberto "Eddie" Seda (born July 31, 1967), often referred to as The New York Zodiac or The Brooklyn Sniper, is an American serial killer who was active in New York City from 1990 through 1993. He fatally shot three people and wounded six others (four critically) before being caught on June 18, 1996. Seda is believed to have admired San Francisco's Zodiac Killer for avoiding capture. Police described Seda, a Brooklyn resident, as a recluse obsessed with astrology and death. He was formally charged in the case on June 21, 1996, convicted on June 24, 1998, and sentenced to 232 years imprisonment.

Seda attacked people throughout New York City, sending taunting messages to the police and media after each crime. The messages included codes based on International maritime signal flags, which New York Post journalist Kieran Crowley decoded with the assistance of his father in law, a veteran of World War II cryptography and signals intelligence. The killer's letters to police claimed that he was selecting his victims based on their signs of the zodiac and implied he would act only at certain times when specific stars were visible in the night sky. Police consulted a professional astronomer, whose predictions about when the killer would strike proved somewhat accurate.

Authorities initially made no connection between Seda's arrest for the family violence incident and the string of unsolved murders. However, he closed his handwritten statement about the family incident with a symbol resembling one written on the taunting letters to the police by the unidentified killer. On June 24, 1998, Seda was convicted by a jury after a six week trial presided over by the Honorable Robert J. Hanophy, Justice of the State Supreme Court for the County of Queens, New York. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys Robert J. Masters and Raymond E. Scheer. The prosecution presented testimony of 45 witnesses and introduced 150 pieces of evidence. Seda was represented by court appointed attorneys David A. Bart and John S. Wallenstein. Seda was sentenced to prison for 232 years.