NY Newspaper Reporter Johanna Elattar Reviews The Black Dahlia Revisited on the 77th Anniversary of the Horrific Torture/Murder of Elizabeth Short
March 13, 2024
Birch Bay, Washington
My apologies for my tardiness in blogging Johanna’s article summarizing my Elizabeth Short, Black Dahlia investigation for its 77th Anniversary (January 15, 2024).
It is always personally rewarding when I discover a journalist who has actually read my books and writes with authority, as opposed to the smash-and-grab hack writers or the ex-copy editor trolls who try to pass themselves off as “journalists.” Check out Johanna’s impressive credentials below before reading her excellent article. (Click on the HERE link below.)
Hornell Sun Reporter Johanna Ellatar
Johanna’s Impressive biography HERE.
The Black Dahlia Revisited: Steve Hodel’s Shocking Revelations and the Lingering Enigma
Wow Steve……much food for thought here👍! Will definitely mull this over as once again involved in a busy family week with mucho family 🛫 into 🌵, culminating over St. Pat’s weekend! Already have comments to you running thru my head! Back to you later….if not before St. 🍀’s, have a Happy (& sane) March 17th🍻!! 🤗🌵
Patricia O:
Top of the morning to you and yours. Yes, she wrote an excellent article.
Have a FUN St. Patrick’s Day.
An excellent and accurate appraisal of your work. Odd that the author chose to mention ex DA, Kaye’s pronouncements but doesn’t mention the critical area of the DA’s office “Dahlia file” that names GHH as the prime LAPD suspect and includes surveillance tapes from the Hodel residence with incriminating evidence from the Doctor’s own mouth. The lack of that evidence aside, this is a good overview of you work. Happy St Patrick’s day, Steve. To that old saying of, “Top O’ the morning to you,” I answer in my best northern brough, “Aye, and the rest O’ the day to you.” Enjoy the day!
Dennis E:
Thanks Dennis. And to you.
I can never forget a friend of my brother Mike and Kelvin and I in our childhood/young adulthood. Big Irish/Scot who every St. Pat’s Day would get super drunk and sing out this ditty:
“Have you ever ben in an Irishman’s shanty
Where money is scare and children are plenty
One at the table, one at the tit, one in the corner
All covered with shit.
Happy St. Pat’s.
steve
Steve, this involves the wiretap that was put on your fathers house and a man named Jim Vaus that did wiretapping for the LAPD and for Mickey Cohen and Hollywood celebrities too. There is no evidence Vaus was part of the surveillance operation carried out on your father. I recently contacted his son Will Vaus who has postings on the internet and he told me that is father never mentioned George Hodel or the Black Dahlia murder. He said his father was involved in the Barbara Allen call girl ring wiretap though.
Here is what I find interesting about Jim Vaus. I came upon Vaus while researching the evangelist Billy Graham and his unusual career. Graham’s career took off at a “Crusade” he featured in Los Angeles in 1949. Graham had critical assistance from Hearst and his newspapers who gave the order to “Puff Graham”
Graham rented a tent from Ringling Brothers Circus. When crowds swelled he rented an extension tent.
Jim Vaus came forward one night confessing his wiretapping and mob connections. Vaus confession and his unusual trade as a wiretapped were big news.
Vaus even took Billy Graham to me Mickey Cohen, a visit that was leaked to the press.
If you are comfortable with Billy Graham’s image as a humble godly evangelist you may not want to read the book “Billy Graham and His Friends” by Cathy Burns.
Hearst was just the beginning, Graham enjoyed a celebrity and relationships that were incredible. A staunch anti communist Cold Warrior, but at the same time Graham was an advocate of a one world new age type of world and religion. The book is available on line.
Possibly Vaus found shelter in the Graham organization.
I found the Ringling Brothers connection interesting. Wasn’t the field where Elizabeth was found also a carnival and circus ground? Was there a railroad track near there?
And couldn’t the facts about Elizabeth’s murder have been manipulated and covered up by Hearst?
Is it possible Vaus wiretapped for Hearst?
The Circus and the theater preceded motion pictures and set the stage so to speak.
Graham was involved with the Dulles brothers, John and Allen and many other very rich and influential people here and overseas in his “ministry”
A carnival worker, Larry Crafard, was a key witness in the Warren Commission investigation.
Didn’t Leslie Dillon have something to do with carnivals?
I thought this was worth mentioning.
Steve U:
Yes, I’m familiar with Vaus and have read his book. There is no indication that he was ever connected to the DA/LAPD Hodel Bugging. The investigation remained at all times in the control and custody of the DA’s office, and LAPD detectives were there to basically “monitor” the statements. While Vaus is deeply related to Brenda Allen and Sgt. Charles Stoker, as presented in “Thicker ‘N Thieves,” there is no connection to the DA Buggings. “Thicker ‘N Thieves” is highly recommended reading. https://www.amazon.com/ThickerN-Thieves-Political-Corruption-Prostitution/dp/0983074496/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2TYDAMER0FEQT&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.iVnRv2Xagu6RKfrtbpjfCbaYxAOsoMy5n8YuP2SVG5F7Rv4MhKh-oz1ZXs1wrGMidgu6cqvR01jHkCd5s8OtS1whyI1xZhp1_uQWSG7X9PbCzKBhufxU3xcltiXFmp_xO3UiwbpOrlrqoP__n9hjrpYG2GRBztlW4ynaSiMhH_C5DWp105GOxmIjPS5S_AcqHZ4nD6qW-OubnAtu-7LV3ItBVatixjY9_dsP-9gbwPo.FWwrOkOSOa5dVpcFpq1SrZJ-pm1wKaAIdJ3FSFJHN9k&dib_tag=se&keywords=thicker+and+thieves&qid=1710441368&sprefix=thicker+n+thieves%2Caps%2C163&sr=8-1