The Places Behind America's Most Notorious Crimes
From the unsolved Black Dahlia murder in 1947 Los Angeles to the Manson Family's rampage on Cielo Drive, explore the real locations where America's most infamous crimes took place. Some are memorials, some are museums, and some have been erased entirely.
True crime has captivated the American imagination for over a century. From the unsolved axe murders in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892 to the "Trial of the Century" that gripped the nation in 1995, these locations tell the stories of crimes that shaped law enforcement, media coverage, and popular culture.
Many of these sites have become destinations for true crime enthusiasts and history buffs. The Lizzie Borden House operates as a bed and breakfast where guests can sleep in the actual rooms where the murders occurred. The Dakota building where John Lennon was shot still stands as one of Manhattan's most prestigious addresses, with the Strawberry Fields memorial in nearby Central Park drawing visitors from around the world.
On January 15, 1947, a woman walking with her daughter through a vacant lot at 3825 South Norton Avenue in Los Angeles made a discovery that would haunt the city for decades. The body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short — surgically severed at the waist, drained of blood, and posed — became the most infamous unsolved murder in Hollywood history. The press dubbed her "The Black Dahlia," and despite over 60 suspects and thousands of pages of investigation, the case remains officially open.
On the night of August 8-9, 1969, members of Charles Manson's cult entered the home at 10050 Cielo Drive in Los Angeles and murdered five people, including 26-year-old actress Sharon Tate, who was eight months pregnant. The following night, they killed Leno and Rosemary LaBianca in their home across the city. The Tate house was demolished in 1994; a new home was built with a different address.
The murders of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman at 879 South Bundy Drive in Los Angeles on June 12, 1994 led to the most-watched criminal trial in American history. O.J. Simpson's slow-speed Bronco chase was viewed by 95 million people, and his acquittal divided the nation along racial lines. The Bundy Drive condo has been renumbered but still stands.
On July 15, 1997, fashion designer Gianni Versace was shot twice on the steps of his oceanfront mansion, Casa Casuarina, at 1116 Ocean Drive in Miami Beach. His killer, Andrew Cunanan — already wanted for four other murders across the country — was found dead on a houseboat eight days later. The mansion is now a luxury boutique hotel.
The vacant lot where Elizabeth Short's body was found, severed at the waist. Hollywood's most infamous unsolved murder.
Unsolved Murder879 South Bundy Drive. The crime scene that launched the "Trial of the Century."
True CrimeThe legendary apartment building where the former Beatle was shot by Mark David Chapman.
Murder SiteExterior ViewableGianni Versace's oceanfront mansion. Now a luxury hotel where you can stay.
Murder SiteNow a HotelSharon Tate and four others were murdered by the Manson Family. The original house was demolished in 1994.
Mass MurderAmerica's most notorious outlaws died in a hail of 167 bullets on a quiet Louisiana highway.
Ambush SiteMemorial"Lizzie Borden took an axe..." The Victorian murder house is now a B&B where you can stay overnight.
Unsolved MurderB&B MuseumTed Bundy's final murder spree. He attacked sleeping sorority sisters in the middle of the night.
Serial KillerThe legendary Sunset Boulevard hotel where John Belushi died in Bungalow 3.
Celebrity DeathStill Operating12305 Fifth Helena Drive. The hacienda-style home where the screen icon was found dead at 36.
Celebrity DeathThe King of Rock and Roll's mansion, where he died at age 42. Now America's second most-visited private home.
Celebrity DeathMuseumThe Lake Washington Boulevard home where the Nirvana frontman was found dead at 27.
Celebrity DeathElizabeth Short was found on January 15, 1947 in a vacant lot at 3825 South Norton Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. Her body had been severed at the waist and drained of blood. The case remains officially unsolved.
The original house at 10050 Cielo Drive was demolished in 1994. A new home was built at the site with a different address (10066 Cielo Drive). The property is private and not accessible to the public.
John Lennon was shot outside The Dakota apartment building at 1 West 72nd Street in New York City on December 8, 1980. The Strawberry Fields memorial in nearby Central Park honors Lennon with an "Imagine" mosaic.
Yes! The Lizzie Borden House at 230 Second Street in Fall River, Massachusetts operates as a bed and breakfast museum. Guests can stay overnight in the rooms where the 1892 murders occurred.