78th Anniversary of the Murder of Elizabeth Short-Black Dahlia Avenger IV: The Murder Trial of Dr. George Hill Hodel as Presented by “The Quick and the Dead.”
January 14, 2025
Birch Bay, Washington
First a word to my fellow Angelenos who are suffering through the worst fires in our city’s 244-year history.
My thoughts are with all of you during this ongoing horrific disaster which is unlike anything that has come before us.
I was born and raised in Los Angeles and seeing so many familiar locations totally destroyed is truly heartbreaking.
I pray that the winds subside so that LAFD can fully contain the many conflagrations and keep you all out of harm’s way.
Tomorrow is the 78th anniversary of the discovery of the severed body of Elizabeth Short in a vacant lot in the Liemert Park area of Los Angeles, some five miles south of Hollywood. Her kidnap/torture murder in 1947, tagged, “The Black Dahlia” became known and remains as, “Los Angeles’ most famous unsolved murder”–UNTIL NOW.
You have heard the many theories and myths.
If you’ve read the books covering my twenty-six years investigating the torture/murder of Elizabeth Short you know the facts: a) that the murderer was known by law enforcement and b) he was a surgeon with the skills to perform a Hemicorporectomy***, [a surgery in which the body is transected, cut in two, between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebrae] and c) that the operation was performed by, Dr. George Hill Hodel (the sole surgeon at a CCC logging camp during his early medical practice.)
Even after writing multiple TrueCrime books about my fact-filled investigation, there are still those who hang on to their myths, missing the story. The story of how the discovered facts all fit together.
In order to tell that ‘story’, the whole story, I have written ‘an historical fiction,’ BLACK DAHLIA AVENGER IV, that puts the murderer, and his accomplice, Fred Sexton, on trial, at the Los Angeles Hall of Justice. (The same courthouse that he was found “not guilty” in for committing incest with his fourteen-year-old daughter, Tamar Hodel, in 1949, some 76-years-ago.) In that trial, my later investigation established coercion and payoffs to witnesses and the DA’s office.
In BDA IV, both defendants are put on trial and subject to testimony from and by the original 1940s victims who are summoned and finally given a voice, from the other side to explain ‘who dunnit’! You will hear direct testimony presided over by a ghost judge, the Honorable Ambrose Barrington and presented to the court by a veteran ghost prosecutor, Ms. Kay Stevens. I act as her investigator and help coordinate the calling of living witnesses. The trial, is factual and all the evidence presented is REAL and comes from actual police and DA reports, as well as my own investigation.
Black Dahlia Avenger IV: A Los Angeles Superior Court Trial by The Quick and the Dead
(Available in print and audiobook)
*** Numerous naysayers have through the years claimed and continue to claim that Dr. George Hill Hodel “Never practiced or had any surgical experience.” Not True. I have repeatedly provided documentation that he had extensive surgical training. In addition to the 755 hours of hands on experience, which included performing a dozen autopsies in medical school, he then worked as an intern at San Francisco General Hospital for one year, and after graduation he served for a year as the sole ” Camp Surgeon at a CCC logging camp in New Mexico” as documented on his 1942 application to join Public Health Service. (See copy of original below.)
#1
TODAY’S PEOPLE MAGAZINE ARTICLE ON 78TH ANNIVERSARY OF BLACK DAHLIA MURDER
CLICK BELOW FOR FULL STORY:
Elizabeth “Black Dahlia” Short
January 15, 2025
Wow; a look behind the scenes of a real murder investigation by a real homicide Detective. I look forward to this publication. The journey you endured while trying to prove your father’s Innocence was fraught with personal revelations that would have stopped many others in their tracks. Somehow your professional experience shined through that personal trauma and the truth slowly came to light. Your understanding of the man added a layer to your story telling that brought, “murder as fine art,” into our broader understanding as a contributing factor to his copycat homage to artists and art works he admired. That gave us a view into the mind of a psychopath seldom written about. As many examples abound today, and experienced investigators know, the true nature of an event can be correctly ascertained and understood long before the facts can be proven in a court of law. Also, your work brought to mind and provided the background for this story of a particular time of rampart corruption in the cities history. It included a prison term for the LA County DA, a few Mayor’s recalled and a couple of police chiefs being replaced. The surprise discovery of the DA ‘s Dahlia file years after the publication of your books definitely proved beyond any doubt that George Hill Hodel was the #1 suspect in this gruesome mutilation murder., validating your 20+ years of hard work. Someday, hopefully soon, the case will be marked, “Solved” and justice served.
Dennis E:
Thanks Dennis. Appreciate your comments and contributions through the years.
Hello Steve, I have read many articles of the Black Dahlia
Murder and your findings, all about your family, and I’ve listened to the Root of Evil podcast as well. I’m So curious to know more about Elizabeth Short, what led her to cross paths with George, what was her background like? Did George seek out young actresses to go to the Franklin house for parties?
Avery:
All are answered pretty much in Black Dahlia Avenger I. They likely first met when she probably went to his VD clinic in DTLA for treatment of a Bartholin gland cyst.
Pray for Los Angeles!
Pray for Los Angeles!
Pray🙏🏻🙏🏼🙏🏽🙏🏾🙏🏿
PRAY FOR LOS ANGELES!!!
Hi Steve,
It’s been awhile, but I’m back. I was doing a little genealogy recently and found out that your half-sister Tamar was my 13th cousin, thru her mother Dorothy Anthony.. Our common ancestors were from 16th century Kent, England. — I check in from time to time to see any new developments. This is the first comment in awhile, but I’m still watching.
All the best,
Dan
Hi Dan:
Good work. Well I guest that makes us half/cousins sort of huh. Best, Steve
Been fascinated for years by all this concerning your father and his murders. Planning on buying all your books on the subject. Totally believe you cracked the Black Dahlia case and the others. Really admire you for all the research into your father’s history and his connection to these crimes. Couldn’t have been easy, with it being your own Dad. Much admiration and respect for your bravery and professionalism.
Tina M:
Thanks Tina. Much appreciated. Best to you and yours. https://stevehodel.com/books/
Filmmaker David Lynch just died at age 78 on the same day that, 78 years previously, the Black Dahlia murder happened, and Lynch was known to be fascinated by the case (his “Lost Highway” film first premiered on its 50th anniversary, and the film’s content contains similarities to the case).
Narrator Jack:
Yes, I saw that he did. Pretty damn synchronistic. See my David Lynch blog at below blink from April 2019. Click HERE. https://stevehodel.com/2019/04/12/director-screenwriter-david-lynch-reveals-new-old-clue-to-black-dahlia-investigation-in-dinner-with-john-john/
Hi. Steve,
I checked to see if we are related thru Dorothy Harvey and the result came back that she was the wife of my 11th cousin, John Huston. Close but not quite. I then entered in George. I had my doubts, since his dad was Ukrainian and Jewish.. Well, it turns out that my wife is Emelia Lawson’s 10th cousin. So the screen shows me as Donna’s husband and George as Emelia’s husband. Close call. Wives are related, be we aren’t. But hey, I am related to John Huston. The Family Search site is free and easy to use. It turns out that most Scottish, Irish, & English descendants are related. Usually, 10 or more generations back. Regarding the subject of the blog, I thought the flash photo of the BD crime scene was interesting. I imagine GHH destroyed the negative. Possession of a print wouldn’t necessarily incriminate him, but the negative would.
All the Best
Dan
So sad to see your hometown and so much of its unique history gone. I can’t imagine seeing charlotte go through that, I’ve followed your incredible trip down the horrible rabbit hole of your father’s madness and depravity, What a journey into the bazar and absurd it must be to first discover and prove your old mans a brutal serial killer, Then to have to spend the next 25 years in what must seem like upside down world defending that awful truth to the willfully ignorant or worse, duplicitous hacks smart enough to see you figured it out but have a financial incentive. So they continue to try to discredit your investigation and bait you into pissing matches online, Anyone who’s read your books n followed your blog would see you make a more than compelling case GHH killed Beth Short and Janinne French. I’m convinced GHH n Fred Sexton raped n killed others. George is practically named in the paper for killing a dentist. I can’t wait to get the new book, I hope you n yours had a great holiday season n a happy new year so far. Thank you for such indebt and fascinating series of books, I only wish for you it didn’t hit so close to home for you. Best wishes, Frank Adkins
Frank A:
Thanks for the kind words Frank. Much appreciated.
You’re right about the baiting. Time I just ignored him/them Running about 90% pro from readers and the other 10% (mostly who have not read/nor will ever read the books) are simply either wanting it to remain “unsolved” or have already hitched their wagon to another “theory” and are not about to admit they were wrong. Best Wishes to You and Yours.