72nd Anniversay of the Elizabeth Short “Black Dahlia Murder” Will Feature Two Major Productions Linking Dr. George Hill Hodel As Her Killer: Additional LA Lone Women Murder Victims Remembered
January 15, 2019
Los Angeles, California
Today, January 15, 2019, marks the 72nd Anniversary of “LA’s most infamous murder.”
In life, her name was Elizabeth Short, an attractive, and rather naïve twenty-two -year old woman from Medford, Massachusetts. In death, she became known as “The Black Dahlia.”
Even today if you speak her given name, few would recognize it. However, mention, her pseudonym, “The Black Dahlia” and almost everyone knows it. “Oh Yes, The Black Dahlia. That was a famous unsolved murder in Los Angeles from the 1940s.”
Bill Kurtis 2018 “Through The Decades” Video Crime Summary on the Black Dahlia (5 minutes) Click Here
In two weeks (January 28th), the viewing public will be presented with a highly promoted TNT six-part miniseries, “I AM THE NIGHT.” Starring actors Chris Pine, India Eisley, as my niece, Fauna Hodel, and Jefferson Mays playing the role of my father, Dr. George Hill Hodel.
Click on below graphic to view TNT trailer
Actor Jefferson Mays as Dr. George Hill Hodel in “I Am The Night” Dr. George Hill Hodel circa 1952
Fauna Hodel Actress India Eisley in “I Am The Night”
Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia
“As it turns out, even the eight-episode TNT series could not cover it all, which is when TNT, in coordination with filmmaker Zak Levitt, decided to work on the companion podcast to ‘I am the Night’ called ‘Root of Evil’, which will premiere via Cadence 13 on February 13 on Apple Podcasts and other podcasting platforms.”
Journalist, Mangala Dilip
(See his full article below)
Click on above graphic for the full article, by Mangala Dilip, ‘I am the Night’ finds perfect podcast companion in ‘Root of Evil’, where the Hodel family discusses the curse of the Black Dahlia legacy.”
Zak Levitt excerpts from the above ‘Root of Evil’ interview:
…
“It is going to be a much more sprawling, expansive story containing the stories of most of the living family members who have been affected by the legacy of carrying the Hodel name,” Levitt tells MEAWW, adding, “‘I am the Night’ is primarily focused on Fauna Hodel’s story, this is going to be the story of many of the Hodels, and kind of intertwining all of them into this one narrative about their family.”
“One of the most unique voices in this story is that of Steve Hodel, who during his tenure as an LAPD Homicide Detective gathered enough information to confirm that his father, George, murdered Elizabeth Short, more popularly known as Black Dahlia. “
…
Steve’s side of the events, along with that of the rest of his family made for a really unique story. “I really think it was a catharsis for every single one of them. I think that they have been carrying this story and their pain for their entire lives — since they were children and they have all had uniquely shocking stories about what they have been through — really heartbreaking,” says Levitt.
2018 New Dramatic Linkage Connecting Dr. George Hodel to Dahlia and Red Lipstick Murders
The newest evidential linkage to Dr. George Hodel—The W. Glenn Martin Letter, written in 1949 by an LAPD paid police (Internal Affairs Division) undercover informant, W. Glenn Martin was discovered and presented to the public in BLACK DAHLIA AVENGER III (Rare Bird Books November 2018).
Published November 2018 (Graphic by Steve Lawrence, SouthPasadenan.com)
As revealed in the Afterword Chapter of BDA III, Martin’s Letter was in effect a “Dying Declaration” naming George Hodel as the killer of Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short and identifying him to the police as the probable suspect in a second 1949 LA Lone Woman Murder victim, Mrs. Louise Springer who lived in Hollywood, just three directly west of Hodel’s Sowden/Franklin House.
Martin in his letter informed detectives that both he [Martin] and George Hodel were acquaintances and they both knew that victim, Mrs. Louise Springer, prior to her abduction and murder.
Springer was kidnaped on June 13, 1949, sexually tortured and then strangled to death. Her abduction occurred just two blocks from where Elizabeth Short’s body had been posed on the vacant lot some two years earlier in January 1947.
This new evidence confirms separate police documents establishing that Dr. George Hodel was “grilled by LAPD detectives” on three separate LA murders over a four-year period. Those being: 1) Ruth Spaulding (his personal secretary) in 1945 for suspected forced overdose, 2) Louise Springer in 1949, who he also knew and may have dated prior (?) and 3) Elizabeth Short whom he knew, dated and was questioned by both FBI and the LADA detectives in the weeks prior to his taped confessions and admissions at his home in Feb/March 1950.
BLACK DAHLIA MURDER/ Retired LAPD Detective Reveals New Evidence Pointing To Prime Suspect– His Father Major article summarizing new evidence by journalists Daniel and Anne Vasquez CLICK HERE.
“We do have information that he [Dr. Hodel] did associate with Elizabeth Short.”
Lt. Frank Jemison, March 22, 1950 Page 5, LADA Secret Hodel Black Dahlia Official Transcript
On this, the 72nd Anniversary of my father’s horrific murder of Elizabeth Short I can do little more than say to Elizabeth and to all the other LA Lone Woman Murder victims, may you all REST IN PEACE.
I can offer little more than my sincere solace to each of you and to your living relatives.
I am deeply grieved by the sins of my father and the only reparation I can provide you is some slight degree of closure found in the knowing and solving of my father’s many crimes.
Photo Credit Robert J. Sadler, true crime author/photographer
To the following additional Los Angeles victims, know that you were not forgotten and the truth of his terrible crimes and his name, Dr. George Hill Hodel will live in infamy, and may that knowledge and the solution of his crimes provide you and your families with some small degree of closure.
MAY THE FOLLOWING LOS ANGELES LONE WOMAN MURDER VICTIMS, ALL SLAIN AT THE HAND OF DR. GEORGE HODEL, BETWEEN THE YEARS 1943-1950–REST IN PEACE:
- Mrs. Ora Murray, slain by George Hodel on July 26, 1943
- Miss Georgette Bauerdorf, slain by George Hodel on October 11, 1944
3. Miss Ruth Spaulding, slain by George Hodel on May 9, 1945
4. Miss Elizabeth Short, slain by George Hodel on January 15, 1947
5. Mrs. Jeanne Axford French, slain by George Hodel on February 10, 1947
6. Mrs. Laura Trelstad, slain by George Hodel on May 11, 1947
7. Mrs. Marian Davidson Newton, slain by George Hodel on July 16, 1947
8. Miss Lillian Dominguez, slain by George Hodel on October 2, 1947
9. Mrs. Gladys Eugenia Kern, slain by George Hodel on February 14, 1948
10. Mrs. Louise Margaret Springer, slain by George Hodel on June 13, 1949
11. Ms. Mimi Boomhower, slain by George Hodel on August 18, 1949
12. Ms. Jean Elizabeth Spangler, slain by George Hodel on October 7, 1949
13,Ms. Jane Doe, slain by George Hodel on February 18, 1950 (crime tape-recorded by DA)
A lovely tribute, Steve.
Karen S: Thanks Karen. Well, as a retired police officer yourself you KNOW what I and Detective III Harry Bosch know. “Everyone counts or nobody counts.” It really gets my blood up to hear people like James Ellroy and retired Detective Brian Carr (LAPD Major Crimes Unit) say things like, “There is no such thing as closure. Closure is Bull Shit.” They are wrong! KNOWING whodunit does bring some degree of closure. At least to some degree, “The Truth does set one free.” Thank you for your many years of service to that truth. Steve
The incredible nexus of revealed clues due to your dogged ‘truth-seeking’ investigation into The Black Dahlia” and “Lone Woman Murders” posits only one conclusion that Doctor George Hill Hodel was responsible for the murder and surgical hemicorporectomy of Elizabeth Short. Of all the named or proposed ‘suspects’ only GHH had the means (actual surgical training and practical experience) regardless of any one else who could have conceivably had the motive and opportunity to murder Elizabeth Short. May she rest in peace.
Robert S:
Thanks Robert.
Yes, every surgeon (there have been five so far) that has examined the photographs (beginning with Chief Coroner’s surgeon, Dr. Newbarr, who performed the original autopsy on Elizabeth Short) agree that the bisection (“hemicorpectomy) had to have been done by a skilled surgeon. Most indicated that the “operation” actually exceeded what they, as trained surgeons could have performed. That is KEY and severely limits the “suspect pool” even if one wants to ignore the fact that five of the original top cops on the case said, “The case was solved and George Hodel did it.”
Best, Steve
I am also in a vulnerable situation . Wish you were here in India…I have had my mother in law put some strange brown coloured powder in our tea..after years of abuse both my daughters have epilepsy..
I do follow the black dahlia case, I am so proud of your family for exposing your dad.. here in India , one would be seen as ungrateful if you bite the hand that fed you…i had to tolerate some advances from my dad and when I voiced it out my mother said..didn’t you get anyone else to embarrass than your dad..it’s a tough situation..one hand you are grateful to the parent for sustaining you so far ..and later when you find out that you were taken care of , for all the wrong reasons and you rebel people frown at you..I told the ladies at church ..and they were up in arms against him…but that didnt stop him from talking obscenly and trying to condition me for wrong ends..I continue my fight ..
Raagi eliz:
Yes, family dynamics are and can be most difficult. Hoping you find solace and peace.
Steve
Hello, I’m not sure how to contact you. My husband told me I need to. I am the granddaughter of Paul Robert deGaston. Your description of your father sounds alarmingly identical to the description of my grandfather. My grandfather and one of his doppelgängers or aliases is chronicled on “blue heron blast” a blog I have no affiliation with. Either we are cousins or our fathers/grandfathers switched identities or something. I tried to FOIA and was told the documents were destroyed. I would love to get in touch with you to find out what information you got on my grandfather. It would also be interesting to find out if there were two of the same men running around SoCal or if we have an even more interesting story here. I have documents, photos and letters which are unpublished as keeper of my family photos and documents. Please reach out if you would be willing to share documents. I was heartbroken when I couldn’t get information about my grandfather. Thanks
I check in on your website every six months or so when it crosses my mind to see what new info you have on the case. I had no idea today was the anniversary of Elizabeth’s death. I am so excited about the TV show and podcast! Ever since reading your first book years ago I could see the cinematic possibilities of your family story. It just has all the makings of a movie. Hopefully these Hollywood efforts will bring renewed interest in the case and renewed believers in your theories. Thank you for continuing to honor these women by searching for the truth.
Emily: Thanks for the kind words. Well, know that the first production, “I Am The Night” is fiction, not based on my investigation. But, the second production, “Root of Evil” hopefully will be accurate and I was involved in interviews for that show which airs February 13th for eight episodes. Best, Steve
Root of Evil , airs Feb.3? On what network?
Diana C: No the scheduled first airing for Root of Evil is set for FEB 13.
Will be on a number of podcast from Cadence 13, but not sure which. I’m sure it will be
announced in advance, and I will post once I see which ones.
Well I hope that both productions generate more books sales for you and… Maybe DNA testing! Have you submitted your DNA to the familiial sites? I know they are testing DNA on zodiac now.
Dear Steve, can you confirm that Elizabeth Short wasn’t buried in Boston because the City of LA or a charitable organisation payed for the funeral costs plus sponsored the gravestone and does so till this day? Greets Heinz (Vienna)
Heinz K: No, she was buried at Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland, California in 1947.
I believe your reference is to a tribute plague that was erected a decade or so ago in her memory. She was born and raised in Medford, Massachusetts, and that was placed there to honor her memory. Regards, Steve
Sorry Steve, I knew that, but did not make a destinction between LA and Oakland authorities.. Anyway who was the benefactor of providing the final resting place? Tc H.
Heinz K: Not sure what you mean exactly. Her body was never relocated from Oakland burial site to Medford as far as I am aware. So, body in CA and the tribute and recognition of her as being a native Bostonian are in MA. steve
Yes exactly, but didn‘t the Shorts consent to have her buried in California, because they couldn‘t afford to have her remains flown home? And why Oakland instead of LA!? PS: Finally got me BD Avenger 3
I also can’t believe I just happened after a few years to pop in to your site on this momentous day as well. I had been watching on YouTube and an ad showed with what appeared to be a black dahlia case movie and filmed in the actual home where she was killed, so I knew it had to be calling your father the suspect, so I came here to find out what is up.
I didn’t know about the third avenger book, so I will purchase it right away. Bravo as usual for all you’ve done, and for your heart and intelligence in pursuing justice no matter where it led.
H. Kampel: You will read about the “new clue” in BDA III, but here’s a link to the blog on it. She was buried in Oakland because one of her sister’s lived there and the mother flew up and the funeral services were conducted there. https://stevehodel.com/2016/09/26/black-dahlia-update-new-clue-links-dr-george-hill-hodel-1947-jeanne-french-red-lipstick-la-lone-woman-murder/
Tx Steve, I am admidst reading BDA3 and now I know why Oakland and not LA was chosen as burial site. Can you get back to me please on my initial inquiry though if some third party ( Examiner, City council, charitable organization etc.) contributed to her funeral and who is paying for the grave today. The Shorts were short on funds as I understand. I think they took up an offer, instead of bringing Bette home…