LAPD Homicide Detective Ed Jokisch Dies at age-96 Last of 1947 Black Dahlia Era Passes
Retired LAPD Captain Edwin W. Jokisch passed away on Wednesday, August 3, 2011. He was 96. Ed was appointed in 1940 and served 32 years, retiring in 1972.
During the 1940s Det. Jokisch was assigned to the LAPD Homicide Division’s, Abortion Detail, and was responsible for dozens of arrests. He also assisted in the Black Dahlia investigation and is mentioned as receiving and turning over to SID (Scientific Investigation Divison) one of the messages sent in by the Black Dahlia suspect.
I worked briefly under his command at Wilshire Division in 1964, but never had any real contact with the Captain during my one-year assigned at Wilshire Patrol.
Ed Jokisch, upon publication of my book, Black Dahlia Avenger in 2003 became one of the most vocal critics of my Black Dahlia investigation. It was his belief that I was personally attacking him as well as Chiefs Parker, Brown and his good friend, Capt. Jack Donahoe.
Ed was mistaken, and I told him so. I had no knowledge that he was connected to the original investigation in any way, until a year after publication when he contacted and informed me of just how he was connected.
While Ed was assigned to the Homicide Unit at the time Tamar made her report of her abortion, to this day, I do not know if he was personally involved in the arrest and investigation of Dr. Leslie Ballard and Charles Smith, for performing the abortion on my half-sister Tamar?
In April of 1950, just days after my father fled the country, Ed Jokisch was part of the team of investigators that was involved in helping arrest multiple suspects in the San Francisco- Los Angeles Abortion Ring.
DA investigators did link George Hodel’s friend and abortionist, Charles Smith to that SF-LA ring, but to my knowledge Smith fled L.A. and was not arrested.
Lt. Ed Jokisch and Thad Brown 1957
My condolences to Ed’s surviving family members and loved ones:
Edwin W. Jokisch
1914-2011
REST IN PEACE