Medical Murders-A two-part Podcast Presented by Alastair Murden and Dr. David Kipper M.D. summarizing the biographical and criminal life of Dr. George Hill Hodel Focusing on The 1947 Black Dahlia Murder

4 Comments

1. Luigi Warren on May 22, 2022 at 12:33 pm

   Steve,

   I recently found the full text of GHH’s 1954 Luis Guerrero Memorial Lecture, “Emotional Problems of the Filipino Abroad.” It’s similar in tenor to “The Psychological Testing of Seminarians” article GHH co-authored with a prominent Manila churchman some years later. IMO, it’s breathtaking how artfully GHH poses himself as a scholar and humanitarian while flattering his audience and snowing them with psychiatric patter and dubious stats. The talk builds up to a thinly-pretexted “Easter egg,” GHH claiming to discern a rising manifestation of “amok” murders and sex crimes among Hawaii’s Filipino population. From the APA Psychiatric Dictionary:

   “amok (amuck): n. a culture-bound syndrome observed among males in Malaysia, the Philippines, and other parts of southeast Asia. The individual experiences a period of social withdrawal and apathy, before making a violent, unprovoked attack on nearby individuals. The aggressor eventually collapses from exhaustion and afterward has no memory of the event.”

   So, they lie awake thinking of their next victim, lose all control and go on a kill rampage. Sounds familiar.

   Best regards,

   LW

   Reply
   • Steve Hodel on May 22, 2022 at 1:47 pm

     LW:
     Great find Luigi. Keep up the investigation findings and you’re going to make Detective II by summer.
     Much appreciated. Steve

     Reply
2. Patricia ONeill on May 22, 2022 at 6:34 pm

   Steve: Sadly the revelation of GHH’s abuse of his granddaughter Deborah dashes any hope that perhaps age brought some remorse to this man, some desire to attempt to make amends to his daughter Tamar and his three sons who lacked a father for so many of their young years! While the medical facts point to GHH in so many heinous murders (the fact that no DNA testing has ever been done is in itself heinous neglect by all law enforcement agencies involved) I cannot erase several glaring facts that “jumped” out at me as I read The Early Years. OK….you’re saying “just the “facts ma’am” but here are my observations.
   1. GHH was not only gifted academically, musically but developed as a teen as a tall, dark, handsome youth!
   Let me quote you from page 8 of TEY-1: “Unlike our father (GHH), who was over six feet tall, grandfather at five foot-six was quite small in stature.” (Look at your father pg.19 TEY-1,👌). Some daddies don’t like tall, talented, handsome sons!
   2. The Tea House “gift” to GHH at age 15…….gift?! No way! That’s not a gift from concerned, loving parents😞.
   3. #3 concerns the murder of Fr. Heslin, which I have written about in previous comments as perhaps “the straw that broke the camel’s back”!
   4. Again I end paraphrasing my now familiar quote from my professional seminars working with emotionally disabled youths: “…,,,,,,,,…you’ve heard of a woman scorned? Well you ain’t seen nothin’ yet!”
   Unfortunately we are seeing it on a daily basis now!

   Reply
3. Steve Hodel on May 22, 2022 at 6:55 pm

   Patricia O:
   Yes, we only have a few subtle suggestions as to what was going on in his childhood and pre-teen years. Only guesstimaters. I suspect we are missing a hell of a lot. I know his domineering and overly protective mother was a MAJOR factor in his psychological development. His hatred of her as described by our mother had to be seeded in that plus, as I’ve said before, my suspicions of incest with her or another family member. So much we don’t know.

   Reply