At a Glance
- January 15, 1947: Elizabeth Short’s mutilated body found in Los Angeles
- No charges filed: Despite hundreds of suspects and multiple false confessions
- Prime suspect: Dr. George Hodel, whose son claims he has evidence linking his father to the crime
- Why it matters: This remains one of America’s most infamous unsolved murders, captivating the public for nearly eight decades
Nearly 80 years after Elizabeth Short was found brutally murdered in Los Angeles, her killer has never been identified. The 22-year-old’s death became one of Hollywood’s most notorious murder mysteries, known as the Black Dahlia case.
On January 15, 1947, Short’s body was discovered cut in half and drained of blood on a roadside. Despite extensive investigations and numerous theories, the case remains officially unsolved.
The Gruesome Discovery
A young mother found Short’s body while walking through Leimert Park with her child. At first, she mistook the corpse for a mannequin due to its contorted position. As she approached, the horrific reality became clear.
Short’s naked body had been severed at the waist with surgical precision. The extensive mutilation included facial lacerations and a grisly slash from each side of her mouth. Crucially, no blood remained at the scene, indicating she was killed elsewhere.
The coroner later determined Short died from hemorrhaging caused by facial wounds and shock from repeated head trauma.
The Investigation That Went Nowhere
The Los Angeles Police Department launched an intensive investigation that lasted until 1950. During this three-year period, detectives received dozens of leads and false confessions, yet none produced results.
Hundreds of suspects were considered. The LAPD processed handwritten notes allegedly from the killer. The media sensationalized coverage with baseless claims.
In 1949, a grand jury examined the department’s failure to solve Short’s murder and other cases. Detective Harry Hansen testified he believed a “medical man” committed the crime due to the surgical precision used on the body.
No charges were ever filed.
Who Was Elizabeth Short?
Short was born on July 29, 1924, and grew up outside Boston with her parents and four sisters. Her father disappeared after the 1929 stock market crash, leaving the family destitute. He was presumed dead until 1942, when he contacted his wife to reveal he had started a new life in Northern California.
As a teenager, Short struggled with respiratory issues. Doctors recommended she spend winters in Florida’s milder climate. She eventually dropped out of high school and began traveling regularly.
In 1943, she moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. Over the next several months, she lived in multiple locations while working various jobs. Friends described her as secretive about her activities and relationships.
The Final Days
In December 1946, Short left Los Angeles for San Diego, telling friends she was scared but refusing to explain why. She stayed with Dorothy French and her family, admitting she was hiding from an ex-boyfriend.
Weeks later, three people came looking for Short. Upon hearing this, she became “very frightened” and “panicky,” refusing to see them. She left San Diego on January 8, 1947, with a traveling salesman who dropped her at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles.
Hotel employees saw Short making frantic phone calls in the lobby. She left around 10 p.m. This was the last confirmed sighting.
The next few days remain mysterious. Officer Myrl McBride claimed he encountered Short on January 14, hours before her body was found. She was “sobbing in terror,” saying someone threatened to kill her. Later that night, McBride saw her leaving a bar with two men and a woman.
The Prime Suspect
Dr. George Hodel, a Los Angeles gynecologist, emerged as the leading suspect. He was known for hosting Hollywood elite at his parties and was rumored to have dated Short.
In 1949, Hodel was arrested for allegedly assaulting his teenage daughter, though he was acquitted. Authorities wire-tapped his home and recorded disturbing statements.
“Supposin’ I did kill the Black Dahlia. They couldn’t prove it now. They can’t talk to my secretary anymore because she’s dead,” Hodel said in recordings. “Killed her. Maybe I did kill my secretary.”
Hodel relocated to the Philippines for four decades. After his death in 1999, his son Steve-a former LAPD detective-investigated his father’s possible involvement.
Steve Hodel found a photo resembling Short among his father’s belongings. He discovered five newspaper witnesses describing George as Short’s boyfriend. George had surgical training at the University of California, San Francisco.
Handwriting analysis revealed similarities between George’s writing and letters sent to the Examiner in 1947. Steve also found receipts for cement bags matching those found near Short’s body.
In 2018, Steve uncovered a 70-year-old letter from a police informant naming “GH” as Short’s killer.
L.A. Deputy District Attorney Steve Kay reviewed Steve’s evidence and stated: “I told Steve, if his father was still alive, I would have filed murder charges against him. His evidence was very persuasive.”
Other Theories
New theories have emerged about Marvin Margolis, a former pre-med student who lived with Short for 12 days. An amateur codebreaker using artificial intelligence identified Margolis-who used the alias Marvin Merrill-as a possible suspect while researching the Zodiac Killer.
Two veteran LAPD homicide detectives believe Margolis, who died in 1993, could be responsible for both Short’s murder and five Zodiac Killer murders. No investigation has resulted from these claims.
The Nickname That Stuck
The “Black Dahlia” nickname originated before Short’s death, referencing the 1946 film The Blue Dahlia and her preference for black clothing. After her murder, newspapers needed sensational names for cases involving women.
The day after Short’s body was found, the Los Angeles Examiner sold more copies than any day since World War II ended. The Los Angeles Record featured related items on its front page for 31 consecutive days.
The Black Dahlia moniker first appeared in print on January 17, 1947, in both the Herald-Express and Los Angeles Daily News.
Where The Case Stands Today
Despite multiple investigations, theories, and suspects, Elizabeth Short’s murder officially remains unsolved. The LAPD has not pursued leads from Steve Hodel’s research or the Margolis theory.
Detective Harry Hansen, who worked the case for 23 years, retired without solving it. “My only regret is that I never solved the murder of Elizabeth Short,” he said in 1968.
The Black Dahlia case continues to captivate the public, representing one of America’s most enduring murder mysteries. With each passing year, the likelihood of finding definitive answers diminishes, leaving Short’s final moments-and her killer’s identity-lost to history.
