The History
Elizabeth Short was a 22-year-old aspiring actress who had drifted to Los Angeles in search of Hollywood stardom. Born in Boston in 1924, she bounced between Massachusetts, Florida, and California throughout the war years, working waitress jobs and dating servicemen. She was known for her striking dark hair, pale complexion, and a preference for black clothing that would later inspire her infamous nickname.
By January 1947, Short was living a transient life in Los Angeles, staying with acquaintances and struggling to break into the film industry. She was last seen alive on January 9, 1947, at the Biltmore Hotel in downtown Los Angeles. What happened in the six days between her disappearance and the discovery of her body remains one of the great mysteries in American crime.
The Crime
On the morning of January 15, 1947, Betty Bersinger was walking with her three-year-old daughter through a vacant lot at 3825 South Norton Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood. She noticed what she thought was a broken store mannequin in the weeds. It was Elizabeth Short's body.
The body had been surgically bisected at the waist, completely drained of blood, and meticulously cleaned before being posed with arms raised above the head. The precision of the surgery suggested the killer had medical knowledge. Short's face had been slashed from the corners of her mouth toward her ears in a grotesque "Glasgow smile."
The press dubbed her "The Black Dahlia," a name inspired by the recent film noir "The Blue Dahlia." The case generated unprecedented media frenzy, with newspapers publishing gruesome details and the LAPD receiving over 60 confessions, all of which proved false. Despite thousands of pages of investigation, the murder has never been solved.
Key Facts
The Investigation
Over 150 suspects were investigated. The LAPD received more than 60 false confessions. The case file runs thousands of pages and remains officially open.
The Leading Suspect
Dr. George Hodel, a prominent LA physician, is considered the leading suspect. His own son, retired LAPD detective Steve Hodel, built a detailed case against him in a bestselling book.
The Taunting Letters
The killer mailed Short's belongings and a taunting note to the press. The package included her birth certificate, address book, and photos, all wiped clean of fingerprints.
Cultural Legacy
The case inspired James Ellroy's 1987 novel "The Black Dahlia," a Brian De Palma film, and countless true crime documentaries. It remains the most famous unsolved murder in LA history.
What's There Now
Visiting the Black Dahlia Site
Address: 3825 South Norton Avenue, Los Angeles, CA (Leimert Park)
Status: The vacant lot is now a residential neighborhood. Houses were built over the site in the 1950s.
Note: There is no marker or memorial at the site. This is a private residential area. Visitors should be respectful of the neighborhood and its residents.
Nearby: The Biltmore Hotel in downtown LA, where Short was last seen alive, still operates and can be visited.
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