The Black Dahlia Murder Case - Lecture 1-April 12, 2022 Frank Wood - William & Mary
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The Black Dahlia
Murder Case
Lecture 1—April 12, 2022
Frank Wood
frwood2@comcast.net
Frank Wood, April 2022
Black Dahlia—Course Objectives
• Try to separate fact/reasonable speculation from fiction
• Provide insights into why case has attracted interest for 75 years
• Provide insights into why case has never been officially solved
• Highlight aspects of case which have never been satisfactorily
resolved
• Present and critically analyze the three most plausible “solutions” to
the crime
Frank Wood, April 2022
Black Dahlia—Course Expectations
UNLIKELY THAT CASE WILL EVER BE “OFFICIALLY” SOLVED
Frank Wood, April 2022
Black Dahlia—Content By Lecture
• Lecture 1
• Introduction
• Information sources utilized
• Certain important factors in the “day”
• Discovery of the crime
• Identification of the victim
• The victim
• Lecture 2
• Autopsy
• 1947 investigation
• Late 1948-early 1949 developments
• 1949 Grand Jury re-investigation (November 1949—March 1950)
• Subsequent developments
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Outline (continued)
• Lecture 3
• Larry Harnisch perspective and “solution”
• Piu Eatwell “solution”
• Steve Hodel “solution”
• Unresolved questions concerning the case
• Closing thoughts
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Information Sources Utilized
• Books
• Severed—John Gilmore—Published in 1995
• Black Dahlia Avenger I—Steve Hodel—published 2003
• The Black Dahlia Files—Donald Wolfe—published 2005
• Black Dahlia, Red Rose—Piu Eatwell—published 2017
• Childhood Shadows: The Hidden Story of the Black Dahlia
Murder—Mary Pacios—Published 1999/2007
• Black Dahlia Avenger II—Steve Hodel—published 2013
• Black Dahlia Avenger III—Steve Hodel—published 2018
• Thicker ‘N Thieves—Charles Stoker—published 1951
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Information Sources Utilized
• Podcasts
• Most Notorious—The Black Dahlia Murder with Steve Hodel, Part 1
• Most Notorious—The Black Dahlia Murder with Steve Hodel, Part 2
• Most Notorious—The Black Dahlia Murder Revisited with Piu Eatwell
• Stephanie Harlow—The Black Dahlia, January 15, 2019
• Websites/Blogs
• stevehodel.com (Squadroom Blog)
• lmharnisch.com (website not updated in over 10 years)
• ladailymirror.com (more up to date material by Larry Harnisch)
• Articles
• crimereads.com—The Black Dahlia: The Long Strange History of Los
Angeles’ Coldest Cold Case
Frank Wood, April 2022Los Angeles—Late 1940’s
Frank Wood, April 2022Media Environment—LA of January 1947
• Sources of news:
• Los Angeles Times (Chandler)
• Los Angeles Examiner (Hearst)
• Los Angeles Herald Express (Hearst)
• Los Angeles Daily News
• The Mirror
• Local newspapers in surrounding towns
• National and local radio stations
• Newspapers were hypercompetitive with a tendency to sensationalize
crimes
• Law enforcement and newspapers had a collaborative and competitive
relationship
Frank Wood, April 2022Jimmy Richardson
• Legendary L.A. Newspaperman
• City Editor of L.A. Examiner in
1947
• Directed early coverage of BD
case including interplay with
Central Homicide of LAPD
• Spoke to BD killer on January 23,
1947?
Frank Wood, April 2022“Aggie” Underwood
• Legendary L.A.
newspaperwoman
• Star crime reporter for LA Herald-
Express in 1940’s
• Close friend to Dr. Paul De River,
LAPD psychiatrist
• May have been first reporter on
the BD murder scene
• “Promoted” to City Editor of
Herald- Express in Feb. 1947.
One of the first women to hold
such a position
Frank Wood, April 2022Environment—LA of Late 1940’s
• Los Angeles Police Department (“LAPD”)
• Major scandal in 1938 with at least an appearance of housecleaning
• Employed one of first police psychiatrists—Dr. Paul DeRiver
• Severe manpower shortages during WWII in face of booming population
• Gangster Squad formed in 1946 to combat rising organized crime. Later
alleged to be protecting/extorting organized crime and abortionists
• Crime was escalating in post-war LA and newspapers were keeping score
• Black Dahlia case was one of a number of unsolved “lone women” murders
between 1943 and 1949
• Allegations of corruption investigated by 1949 LA County Grand Jury resulting
in resignation of Chief and Assistant Chief in June 1949
Frank Wood, April 2022Clemence Horrall
• Served as Chief of LAPD 1941-
1949
• 52 years old in 1947
• Was a Captain in the Vice
Division prior to being named
Chief
• Resigned in June 1949 while
facing perjury charges related to
police corruption investigation
by the L.A. County Grand Jury
(Brenda Allen case)
Frank Wood, April 2022William Worton
• Retired Marine Corps. General
• Succeeded Clemence Horrall as LAPD
Chief
• Served as interim LAPA Chief June
1949—Aug 1950
• Chief during LA County Grand Jury
and DA office reinvestigation of Black
Dahlia case
• Succeeded by William Parker
Frank Wood, April 2022Dr. J. Paul De River
• LAPD police psychiatrist 1937-1950
• Credited with second ever case of criminal
profiling, Albert Dyer, the Inglewood babes
killer in 1937
• One of the authors of the Sexual Criminal, a
textbook of forensic psychiatry in 1949
• Identified Leslie D. Dillon as Black Dahlia
murder suspect in Oct.-Dec. 1948
• May have been considered a “rat” by certain
members of LAPD for his testimony before
1949 Grand Jury.
• Convicted of improperly maintaining
prescription records in July 1950
• LAPD police psychiatrist position abolished
in August 1950
Frank Wood, April 2022William Parker
• Served as Chief of LAPD 1950-
1966
• 45 years old in 1947
• Background was in
administration, intelligence and
internal affairs
• Credited with major
improvements in the
professionalism of the LAPD
during the 1950’s
Frank Wood, April 2022Thad Brown
• Served as Chief of Detectives of
LAPD 1949-1966
• 45 years old in 1947
• Older brother of Sgt. Finis Brown
• Runner-up to William Parker for
Chief of LAPD in 1950
• Served as Chief of LAPD for
approximately a year after Wm.
Parker’s death
Frank Wood, April 2022Discovery of the Crime
January 15, 1947
39th and South Norton Ave.
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—The Crime
• Wednesday—January 15, 1947 approximately 10:30 AM
• Leimert Park section of Los Angeles (west side of S. Norton Ave between
39th and Colusium)
• Discovery of mutilated corpse of an unidentified young female
• Naked corpse drained of blood and severed at waist
• Face slashed to extend mouth
• Other injuries to corpse
• Corpse appeared to be posed and had been transported to this location
• Crime site is a weed choked vacant residential building lot
• LAPD and crime reporters swarm the crime scene
• Minimal physical evidence (no blood, no clothing, no jewelry, no purse)
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—S. Norton Ave Then and Now
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Discovery of Corpse
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Central Homicide Investigators
• Lieutenant Harry (“the hat”) Hansen
• Central Homicide detective with 20+ years on the force in 1947
• Was “responsible detective” on Black Dahlia case until his retirement in 1968
• Described as a “cerebral” investigator and a “loner”
• Reputation of being incorruptible, but not a “crusader”
• Sergeant Finis Brown (partner of Harry Hansen)
• Central Homicide detective with ~15 years on the force in 1947
• Younger brother of LAPD Chief of Detectives Thad Brown
• Figured prominently in BD case through 1949 Grand Jury Investigation
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Central Homicide Investigators
• Capt. Jack Donohoe
• Commanding officer of Central Homicide
• Described as having a “cozy” relationship with the newspapers
• Reassigned from Central Homicide during 1947
• LAPD Gangster Squad
• Replaced the “intelligence unit” in 1946 and reported directly to Chief Horrall
• Were alleged to be the enforcers and protectors of police corruption
• Often used to supplement investigative manpower on major cases
• Alleged to have conducted a “parallel” investigation of the BD case
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Central Homicide Investigators
Frank Wood, April 2022Black Dahlia—Initial Investigative Priorities
• Identify the victim
• Notify next of kin
• Trace recent movements
• Identify and interview known associates
• Identify possible suspects
• Determine circumstances and cause of death
• Autopsy
• Coroner’s Inquest (establish the crime as a homicide)
Frank Wood, April 2022Jane Doe #1—Victim Identification
• Artist’s likeness of unidentified victim published in LA Examiner.
Airbrushed crime scene photos published in other LA newspapers
• No local matches to victim’s fingerprints
• Victim’s fingerprints sent to FBI in DC via Soundphoto machine
• Within one day, FBI matched prints to a 1943 employment application at
Camp Cooke, California and a 1943 arrest in Santa Barbara, California
• Victim was Elizabeth Short, age 22, of Medford, Massachusetts. Known to
her mother as “Betty” and to friends as “Beth”
• LA Examiner did an exclusive phone interview with Phoebe Short (mother)
Frank Wood, April 2022Initial Coverage in L.A. Examiner
Frank Wood, April 2022Eliz. Short—Santa Barbara PD Booking Photo
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short--Often Published Photo
Frank Wood, April 2022The Victim
Elizabeth Short a/k/a The Black Dahlia
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short—”The Black
Dahlia”
Born: July 29, 1924 in Boston, MA
Grew up in Medford, MA
Middle child of five girls
Father abandoned the family when Elizabeth was 6
Dropped out of school in 1940 after completing 9th grade
Worked as waitress, cashier, movie usher, hat model
Very concerned with her appearance—”could stop traffic in
Medford”. “The Deanna Durbin of Medford”
Began spending winters in Florida after leaving school to alleviate
asthma during winter months
5’ 5”, 118 lbs, black hair, pale skin, “badly decayed teeth”
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short—Selected Life Events
7/29/1924 June 1940 August 1945
Born in Drops out of Eliz’s “finance”
Boston, MA Medford HS Maj. Matt
to Cleo & after 9th Gordon KIA
Phoebe grade
Short
1930 Jan.—Sep.
Cleo Short’s 1943 June 1946
business Eliz.’s 1st trip Eliz. Returns to CA. in
fails. He
to CA. pursuit of marriage to
abandons Lt. Gordon Fickling
family
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short—Selected Life Events (continued)
1/9/47 1/15/47
Jul-Nov 1946
Returns to LA Corpse
ES in LA & (Biltmore discovered in
Hollywood. Hotel) with 3900 block of S.
Lives in 3 Red Manley Norton Ave
locations.
12/9/46- 1/9/47-
1/8/47 1/14/47 1/22/47
Staying with “Missing Victim ID by Phoebe
French Week” & Virginia Short.
family in San Coroner’s inquest
Diego rules death a
homicide
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short--Persona
• No close friends as an adult. Stayed in frequent contact with her
mother via weekly letters
• Was acquainted with a lot of men, particularly WWII service men
• Had health issues (adolescent asthma, decayed teeth)
• Retained numerous mementos (letters, photos, small gifts)
• Claimed that she was engaged in early 1945 to an Army Major who
was accidently killed during the final days of WWII
• Traded on her attractiveness (“dating for dinner”)
• Misled her mother and others about her lifestyle and activities
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short
• Facts • Myths
• Black Dahlia name attributed to her at a • Involvement in pornography
drugstore in Long Beach • Was in the movies
• Traded on her physical attractiveness • Worked as a B-girl or call girl
• Meticulous about her appearance • Was attracted to women
• Transient lifestyle in 1946, early 1947
• Described as “secretive” • Disputed/Uncertain
• Able to obtain money when needed • Traded sex for money or clothes?
• Acquainted with individuals involved in • Visited doctor(s) who were known illegal
alleged illegal activities abortionists?
• Traveled to LA to rekindle romance • Travel to San Diego in fear to hide in Dec
‘46?
• Misrepresented her lifestyle to her • In LA in 1944 or 1945?
mother
• In California in 1943 & 1946/47
• News coverage became less sympathetic
Frank Wood, April 2022Elizabeth Short—Lingering Questions
• Did she misrepresent herself? (at various times she claimed to be: a war
widow, working in naval hospital, bit parts in movies)
• Did she consciously affect a striking/provocative look? (lacy black clothes,
jet black hair). Genesis of the Black Dahlia name.
• Was she an impoverished innocent or a calculating opportunist?
• Did she trade sexual favors for clothes or sustenance?
• Why did she leave Los Angeles for San Diego in early December 1946?
• Who was she trying to contact upon return to LA from San Diego?
• Where was she and who was she with in the five days prior to discovery of
her corpse? (“missing week”)?
Frank Wood, April 2022You can also read
