By Gia Jarmin and Laura Dinsdale
Lake herman is located in the small town of Benicia, California. Although the town is small, the list of horrific occurrences at Benicia’s Lake Herman isn’t small at all. Its roads and lake have been deemed as cursed, many murders take place there, and many theories of what Lake Herman could actually be have been told. This will tell you all about Lake Herman’s twisted past and what it could behold.
The biggest case occurred at Lake Herman when the Zodiac Killer arrived on scene Friday, December 20, 1968. It was the night after Benicia High’s prom, David Faraday and Betty Lou Jensen were on their first date. The couple were parked in a turnout on Lake Herman Road.
The turnout was a small gravel parking spot next to a gate leading to the Benicia Water Pumping Station. The spot was a well-known lovers’ lane. At around 11:15 p.m., another car pulled in beside the couple. A man who was suspected to be the zodiac killer exited the vehicle and shot and killed both teens with a .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol.
The leading suspect of the zodiac killer has spoken on his part in the Lake Herman killing. He said after the murder, “I hope you guys have fun trying to catch me,” trying to mock the police due to the difficulty they’ve had finding him in the past and knowing how hard it would be for them to catch him in this Lake Herman case. He also stated that he killed them because, “killing is so fun”.
Lake Herman was carefully chosen by the Zodiac Killer for a few reasons. The road was described, “as a secluded, poorly lit “lovers’ lane”. Offering easy access, privacy for the killer, and a quick escape route. It provided an ideal, isolated location for attacking a vulnerable couple. As well it was perfect for the killer as he commonly enjoyed killing couples.
I asked student Alyssa Evans the question, “What do you think of Lake Herman’s twisted past?” to get an insight of what students see of the lake. She replied to the question saying, “It seems haunted because many killings have been done there and there’s probably a reason for that. Everything seems too coincidental to have no meaning”
On Monday, February 9, 2026, a body was discovered on Lake Herman road after the police received a 911 call reporting a vegetation fire around 5:00 AM. When the fire was being extinguished they discovered a burned body.
Many people have had spiraled thoughts about whether the new Zodiac Killer is making an appearance in the town of Benicia or not. This homicide investigation is currently being investigated by The Solano County Sheriff’s Office with no further details and no clue to who or what killed the person who was burnt.
The death from February led to many concerns around Lake Herman. The case has so many un-answered questions, and such little attention drawn to it. Almost as if it’s trying to be covered up. Maybe it’s covered up to keep up the town’s good reputation, or even to hide the true identity of the killer. But it is very suspicious that the person has remained unidentified with not even one suspect.
Lake herman has a dark history of killings but alongside those cases, there is also a story told about the roads. The Story tells the tale that if you drive your car along Lake Herman Road late at night you can see a woman wearing a long worn out white dress. Marilyn Hudson says, “I have tried driving late at night on Lake Herman with my friends a long time ago when we were teenagers but we did not see anything.” So could it all be a hoax? Maybe they made a ridiculous story to make the truth seem just as unbelievable as the tale.
With all the many strange things about Lake Herman it leaves un-answered questions and theories. The abandoned buildings, the killings, the stories, and even the twisted past. Weird things have been happening on this road for at least 58 years. Hopefully the truth will be told to the Benicia citizens who live unknowing of their safety.
beniciapaw.com 