Posts by Steve Hodel
David Oranchak’s Part 3 Deep Dive on Alex Baber — And One Historical Correction
June 2, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington I just finished watching David Oranchak’s ninety-minute Part III presentation examining Alex Baber’s background, credentials, and public claims regarding the Zodiac and Black Dahlia cases. It is, in my opinion, an exceptional and deeply researched piece of investigative work. Oranchak—best known for his role in the team credited…
Read MoreAward Winning Jazz Composer/pianist Freyja Garbett releases SOWDEN HOUSE
May 30, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington Freyja Garbett, Award winning Australian pianist/Jazz Composer Just listened to SOWDEN HOUSE, the remarkable new jazz album by award-winning Australian pianist and composer Freyja Garbett — and it beautifully captures the atmosphere, mystery, and emotional architecture of the historic John Sowden House in Los Feliz, our Hodel family home…
Read MoreOn the Record: The Black Dahlia Investigation –“This Investigation Came to Me, I didn’t go looking for it.”
May 25, 2026 Memorial Day – A huge Thank You to all our servicemen and women living and dead. Birch Bay, Washington After more than twenty-five years investigating the Black Dahlia case, I felt it necessary to clarify several longstanding misconceptions regarding the origin and purpose of my investigation.
Read MoreNewly Located 1961 Photograph Challenges Current Margolis/Zodiac Comparisons and Update/Referral to David Oranchak’s Examination of the Baber/Team Connelly Evidence
May 22, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington A newly located November 12, 1961 Kansas City Star article provides what appears to be the first date-verified public photograph of Marvin “Skipton Merrill” Margolis at age 36. The article identifies him as “Skipton Merrill” and places him in Wellington, Kansas, where he was attempting to organize what…
Read MoreReflections on My 1972 Arrest of Rodney “Dating Game Killer” Alcala
May 20, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington Reflections on My 1972 Arrest of Rodney “Dating Game Killer” Alcala 1968-Victim Tali Shapiro …
Read MoreOut-Lynching Lynch: David Lynch, Kirk Mellecker, Surrealism, and the Black Dahlia
May 6, 2026 Birch Bay, Washingon Last night I finally watched David Lynch’s The Straight Story (1999), a film recommended to me recently in conversation. At age 84, watching Richard Farnsworth portray Alvin Straight calling himself “an old man” at 73 gave me pause. Farnsworth himself was nearing 80 during filming and already seriously ill.…
Read MoreBlack Dahlia Interview with “Truth Be Told” Host Tony Sweet
May 2, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington Here is a live interview I did in the studio with Tony Sweet for his show, “Truth Be Told” some years ago. I think the in-person nature always adds a little more oomph and energy to the final product than say a “Zoom” talk. This interview runs about eighty…
Read MoreBlack Dahlia & Zodiac — Setting the Record Straight: Prior Publications, Correspondence & Law Enforcement Record
April 29,2026 Birch Bay, Washington The following documented timeline reflects my published work, subsequent independent findings, and law enforcement statements—then and now. The following panels present a documented timeline of publications, correspondence, and law enforcement statements. The record speaks for itself.
Read MoreBLACK DAHLIA / ZODIAC — SETTING THE RECORD STRAIGHT (UPDATED)-A documented timeline of prior publications and evidentiary patterns
April 26, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington With renewed national media attention revisiting the question of whether the Black Dahlia and Zodiac cases may be linked to a single offender, I am updating and reposting my earlier work to clarify the historical record. The core connections being discussed today—that the Black Dahlia and Zodiac cases may…
Read MoreDorothy Hodel: Poems, a Letter, Last Will and Testament
April 16, 2026 Birch Bay, Washington (For those who missed it, my previous post on Dorothy, A Poem to an Unborn Child, can be found HERE.) Several readers have asked for more about my mother, Dorothy. What follows are a few pieces found among her papers—written at different times in her life. Taken together, they…
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