The killing of Elizabeth Short on Jan. 15, 1947, shocked Los Angeles and America at large. Police were highly skeptical, however, with no water or sand being found on the purse. Los Angeles newspapers of the 1940s, especially the afternoon Herald-Express, frequently nicknamed the more gruesome murders of women, often after flowers. Georgette was out at the Hollywood Canteen with her friend June Zeigler that night. One of the most popular theories that has plenty of evidence to back it up is the theory that Mary's obsessed stage mother had designs on Taylor herself and was upset with Mary, her meal ticket, taking such an avid interest in the director. Until I read the story of the Hillside strangler, I would not have believed these were related, now I am not so sure. The case of the Black Dahlia has continued to grow over the 60+ years since the body was originally discovered, and while her killer was never officially brought to justice, like the case of Jack The Ripper, there have always been a few men strongly suspected of committing the crime. Sharon Tate in the Home Where She Was Murdered. While police at the time dismissed the theory that the Black Dahlia murder had been part of a series, others have tried to link many other crimes to Short's killer. All of the killings and disappearances must be taken in the context of the city's criminal and political climate during this period in Los Angeles history. Short had a known preference for military men. She was found murdered June 13, 1949 in the back of her husbands convertible sedan. Find out what the police did 45 years later to catch her killer. Turned out Ralph Kyle had an alibi and was released from custody. When bibulous gang member Walter Ivans kills a man in a car accident, Paul refuses to help clear him. Notable organized killers include Ted Bundy. Inside the purse, a letter was found that ended in a comma, suggesting it was incomplete. Likewise, Spangler's name is often raised about the potential Dahlia linked cases, yet also has very little to connect it beyond the link to Hollywood and the victim again being young, dark-haired and attractive. If this is done as part of a fantasy ritual, then it is posing. There was a message written across her stomach in her own red lipstick, which earned her the name of the Red Lipstick Murder. a., TV Actress Feared Victim of Sex Fiend, (October 12, 1949). Stephen Knight's book "Jack the Ripper: The Final Solution" convinced me the Ripper was actually several Freemasons including the Royal Physician, the Royal Coachman, the Royal Painter and they were assisted by Freemasons in the Whitechapel constabulary, Scotland Yard and the London newspaper. Email address will not be displayed with the comment.). Crimes revealed other reasons. Before looking at the cases that are potentially linked to the Black Dahlia affair, it is vital to understand what kind of person killed Short in January of 1947. French was from that state and had married an oil tycoon, a coincidental link to Bauerdorf, the daughter of an oil tycoon. Are the murders of these women connected? The Black Dahlia and the William Desmond Taylor cases are among the top infamous unsolved murders, while other well-publicized murders, such as the Manson murder and the Betty Broderick story, intrigue us due to the fact that we know who committed the murder. Random acts of violence are usually simple and unemotional. However, they will be antisocial and show no remorse for their crimes. So that night June 27, 1943, Letona, and Ora went dancing at the Zenda Ballroom. She spent years babysitting and doing odd jobs while raising their four children knowing that some day all her hard work would pay off. a., The Mystery of Mimi Puzzle Friends, (August 16, 1959). All Rights Reserved. Until 1986 she kept the secret. That same year a second killing happened. A newspaper headline in the FBI file on Elizabeth Short. Following the killing of Bauerdorf, there was a lull in the murders that are claimed to be linked to the Black Dahlia, with no more suspected related cases until 1946. They will leave significant amounts of evidence, such as blood or fingerprints. He was never charged with the murder, but his son Steve Hodel wrote a book called The Black Dahlia Avenger, in which he accused his father of the murder. Eventually, Joan was rushed to the hospital due to the fact that she was getting progressively worse. In 1973, an 11-year-old Girl Scout, Linda O'Keefe, was abducted and murdered while walking home from school. Georgette Bauerdorf bears quite the resemblance to Short. These killers are often above average intelligence and not categorized as insane. When things did not go exactly her way, she shot him dead. As soon as she turned 19, Elizabeth was off to join her father. The killer shows intelligence and cunning but a tendency for explosive violence. While she may have appeared to be "The Merry Widow," those suffering from depression often hide it very well, particularly in the 1940s when a socialite heiress would have been expected to behave in a certain way. She was found in an entrance Griffith Park at 7 a.m. by groundskeeper Henry Anger, her white purse to the side with the straps torn. The body was soon identified to be Elizabeth Short, a beautiful 22-year-old woman who wanted to become a movie star. Writer John Gilmore pointed the finger at this man when he published his bestselling book about the Black Dahlia murder, Severed. Beautiful Elizabeth Short became known as The Black Dahlia after her slaying. When Dan married his former mistress he had basically signed his death certificate. At this point nine attractive women beginning with the Black Dahlia had created years of terror in Los Angeles. If this is done to confuse the police, it is staging. On the other hand, disorganized killers frequently leave the victim at the site of the murder. She stated, If the boys can play poker, we girls can go dance (Independent Press-Telegram, Long Beach, March 18, 1956). Jean was seen around a market between 5-6pm. A suspect of some of the Los Angeles Times writers was Walter Alonzo Bayley, who was a surgeon and lived approximately one block away from the location of where Elizabeth Short's body was found. a., Letter Tells Details of L.A. Offers may be subject to change without notice. View an alternate. Paul later invited everyone to take a ride in his flashy blue convertible coupe (Hodel, 2018). Marion Newton(36) was not so lucky. With this backdrop in L.A. a thriving metropolis, these horrific crimes took place. Half-truths and lies became the norm as differing newspapers looked to one-up their rivals and beat their last scoop for the headlines. Tate married a diminutive film director named Roman Polanski in 1968 and her dreams of being a movie star quickly changed into becoming a housewife and mother. Even so he was acquitted. Following the killing of the Black Dahlia in January, three other cases in 1947 raised alarms that the killer may have struck again, those being the murders of Jeanne French, Evelyn Winters, and Lillian Dominguez. In fact, I think there may have been more than one killer. While it might be suggested that the evidence points to the fact that Boomhower was interrupted while getting ready for a date with a man, the possibility of suicide remains. a. , Fear Felt for Missing Widow, (August 25, 1949). Thor Nis Christiansen. Her coloring was a sight to behold. While Short's brief, tragic life and unsolved murder have captivated the popular imagination for decades a cautionary, noir tale of a pale, pretty Red Riding Hood swallowed up by the. John was becoming critical of his wife and her hobbies, and began to detest her father Ash Robinson. In 1947 according to the newspapers, they were. Beth's mind began to wonder about the movies and how she could become a movie star to escape her feelings of neglect and loneliness. She ranted about Dan, and the injustice that the very liberal legal system of California where the wife basically has no rights. However, there is also the possibility that the bisection was part of the staging or posing process. She was well liked, had a good group of friends and was a devoted mother to Christine. The women and the year they died are: Ora Murray 1943 Georgette Bauerdorf 1944 Elizabeth Short 1947 Jeanne French 1947 Laura Trelstad 1947 Dorothy Montgomery 1947 Lillian Dominquez 1947 Gladys Kern 1948 She also loaned him her new blue convertible coupe. Those who knew Taylor spoke very highly of him as a man who put his work first, making him a great director. At this point papers from around the country were calling this the 3rd victim in the sadistic, sex slayings in Los Angeles. The detective quickly discovered that John Hill was having an affair with Ann Kurth, a thrice-married and thrice-divorced mother of three. Maybe LA's most famous murder of all time: Elizabeth Short was found cut in half in a field in Leimert Park on January 15, 1947. Further investigations found Spangler told friends she was three months pregnant and intended to get an abortion, which was illegal. Robert Manley has remained one of the top suspects because he was the last known person to see Elizabeth Short alive. These are the top five most vexing murder mysteries of all time. The suspect claimed that he was forced to confess after being tortured by the police. The affair between Dan and Linda lasted years, which wavered from Dan breaking it off and telling Linda to date someone else, to Dan telling Betty she was crazy and that he and Linda were not having an affair. Her skirt was tangled around her hips, and her jacket had been twisted around her body. Jim Cook (racing driver) Tara Correa-McMullen. It is improbable the killer would have happened to think up the Glasgow smile independently during the torture of Short without knowing it was a common attack from Scotland. At 2:30 a.m. a neighbor said he her a female cry, Stop youre killing me (L.A. Times, 1944). She was sexually assaulted with a 14-inch tree branch. On March 12, Winters body was found along the Los Angeles River. The violence is disorganized overkill. Ash Robinson was thrilled the day that Joan gave birth to a son, Robert Hill. As she passed through the Leimert Park district her daughter said, "What's that?" He was about 510 dark curly hair. Yet, this doesn't necessarily speak of a serial killer at work. At her table sat an uneaten salad, her lights were left on and her front door open, but where was Mimi? The first six years of their marriage Joan and John lived with Ash and his wife, due to the fact that John needed all the help he could get while trying to stay focused on his medical studies. Classic Hollywood Scandals-Paul Kelly & Dorothy Mackaye. Vaughn Greenwood murdered two transients in 1964, went to prison for a decade for a different crime, returned to Los Angeles and killed nine men in a two-month span. He was accused of her murder but denied it. Oswald was a patsy just like Timothy McVeigh. After making a phone call at 8 p.m. to a friend, presumably before her rendezvous, she was never heard from again. Among Taylor's belongings was a love letter from another actress, Mary Miles Minter. An interesting side note about the Trelstad murder is that I found a blog with comments about her murder, and her granddaughter was on the blog discussing it. The killer showed signs of clear organization, with the efforts to move Short's body and utilizing gasoline to wipe away traces of fingerprints on her possessions. A critical aspect of disorganized killers is the level of violence, with these types of murderers often killing their victims with overwhelming force. Therefore, many can wonder if the killer had spent time in the United Kingdom either as a youth or during military service during WW II. She had been ambushed, raped and strangled by an intruder who had unscrewed the night light on the porch to ensure it wouldn't illuminate the area. Beth was a sickly child who had severe asthma, influencing her mother to send her to Florida during the winter months. According to her journal that was retrieved after she was killed, Georgette had an affinity for servicemen, like Elizabeth Short did. She was stabbed in the back with a hunting knife, and the killer took her appointment book, likely as it would have given his name. (Name and email address are required. . They also connected to their father before he died. 2) There is flurry of police activity as investigators seek each victim's last male companion. He drove the woman and the prize fighter to the house. The janitor heard a commotion in her apartment about 12:30 a.m. "TEX" was added underneath, a possible nickname for her killer or a reference to Texas. He noticed the white under the pepper tree and went to investigate. The next morning the janitor took his wife and went up to Georgettes apartment and found her floating in the bathtub. Crime boss Paul Madvig, who has been running the city for ten years, decides to reform and joins the campaign to re-elect Senator John T. Henry, whose daughter, Janet, Paul hopes to marry. Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle, one of the most well-known silent movie stars of the time, was accused of murdering actress Virgina Rappe, 30, at a Labor Day party in 1921 held to celebrate Arbuckle's. Never-before-seen photos of Elizabeth Short are still turning up on the internet of Beth standing next to an unknown young hunk. A list of unsolved Hollywood homicides and show business crimes. It will work best this way while mother is away. Over 7 decades ago multiple murders were not called serial killings, but chain murders. So, he volunteered to go get them for her. Sharon Tate was born January 24, 1943. The killer would have followed the case in the press and may have spoken with others about it. In 1958, 12-year-old Treva Joyce Raper was murdered by her 32-year-old cousin Thomas Everett Rutledge. Novice E. Bloomhower was a big game hunter, wealthy and very social. She was beaten about the head and strangled, which was the cause of death. With an alcohol problem, she had become something of a drifter and had last been seen in bars the night before. The killing displays neither the MO nor the signature of the Black Dahlia killer. It stopped so he did nothing about it until the next day. The murder remains unsolved. ", The finger was also pointed at the press and the fact that abortionists, drug dealers and illegal gambling rings were allowed to act with impunity throughout the city. Even children who grew up in the 1970s with bad parents actually learned about social graces by watching the old movies that were on television during that era. Beth traveled from California, to Oregon, back to Florida and so on. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. These early dance halls were a celebration and raised the spirits during the war. The killer then took her lipstick and wrote the words "F*** YOU PD" on her stomach. Those people included William Rasmussen, Captain Jack Donahoe of the LAPD, and Steve Hodel. She had dreams of being an actress, and after graduating, she found work at theLos Angeles Timesand at the Hollywood Canteen, a nightclub that catered to servicemen. He is confident enough to send the victims' belongings back to the police. After he waited for a time, he became suspicious and went inside the house. They were a morale booster for both soldiers and the general population. It was August 18, 1949, Mimi Bloomhowers husband had died years ago, and the 48-year-old widow lived alone in 1949. He also had a photograph locket of the actress, Mabel Normand in his pocket along with his watch and a penknife. The Black Dahlia is the most famous unsolved murder in Los Angeles, but there were others..So what happened to women's unsolved murder cases in the 1940's?. At some point that afternoon she was seen with a man at the counter of a drugstore, today we would call that a meeting. While there may have been indications given time, Short likely did not know how dangerous this man was, and she was unfortunate to cross his path. Woman Slain in Hollywood Mystery; Police Seek Anonymous Note Writer, Pt. Some have tried to link the Chicago Lipstick murders to the Black Dahlia and, in particular, the murder of Degnan. Ms. Winters was a former studio musician and studio copywriter. On June 13 of the following year, 28-year-old Springer would be kidnapped from her car waiting in a downtown parking lot. A stunning young girl who was being groomed to follow in the same footsteps as Mary Pickford. He was eventually convicted of swindling and sentenced to 3 years in prison, but never was charged with Oras murder. It would soon become clear that Linda was having an affair with Dan and reaping all of the rewards in life that Betty Broderick had worked for. Joan pleaded with her father that John was a good man from a good home, and Ash knew that if he were to use too much common sense at this time, his daughter would resent him. About 5 days after visit was under way the women decided to go dancing at a dance Hall. William Heirens was arrested and found guilty of the murders, yet there has always been significant doubt about his actual guilt. French was found dead on Feb. 10, 1947, just a month after the Black Dahlia. Her husband wanted to continue; the women were bored. Barry Crane. In the Short case, that need and signature is sexual anger and involves mutilation and humiliation. Dan was off and running with a younger version of herself and planning to start a new family while she was left broken and neglected. Once upon a time, there were actual movie stars in the 1920s1950s who had incredible poise, class and glamor. Lauras daughter Audrey who was 8 at the time of the murder, said that the next day the father asked the 5-year-old daughter Janet to bury this shoe in the back yard and never discuss it again. While some of these proposed links often seem tentative at best, merely adding to speculation, rumor and falsehood, others show distinct similarities and raise the specter that a serial killer may well have gone undetected in the City of Angels' recent past. Dan was a smart and levelheaded guy who now had a medical degree and a law degree under his belt, and was starting up his own law practice. 5 Days after her disappearance, her white handbag was found in a telephone booth next to a supermarket in Los Angeles. The group of hippies were soon given the name the Manson Family due to the fact that they were being led by lifetime criminal, Charles Manson. The criminal made no attempt to effectively cover his tracks nor contact the press or police. That said, while a serial killer may indeed have been at work over several of the deaths, none of the crime scenes can safely be connected to the Black Dahlia murder, which stands apart from the others. He was given a lie detector test in which "truth serum" was used. The torso was a few feet away from the legs. She divorced Dexter Benner in 1946 and had sole custody of their daughter Christine. Nov. 11, 1988 12 AM PT. The injury was common amongst street violence from the 1920s onward, spreading to England. A police bulletin on Elizabeth Short's killing. Now that her father was living in California, that was all Elizabeth needed to know before she was off to California herself. He cleaned the blade and left it at the scene. The killer took $100 and stole her car. Boomhower was a well-off socialite whose jovial personality had won her the nickname "The Merry Widow." who wondered how his daughter could have been vibrant and alive on Friday and pronounced dead on Tuesday. This, alongside the fact that the Black Dahlia killer was willing to converse with the press, and the locations of the approach, kill and dump all being different points toward the Black Dahlia killer showing both signs of organization and disorganization. An organized killer is a type of murderer who has shown a willingness to hide evidence, move a body and revealed some cunning in their crimes. There was clear evidence that Mary was in love with Taylor but there was absolutely no evidence that Taylor loved Mary. Her sister-in-law Jean was helping her with Christine, so all the bases were covered. The vehicle matched the description given to police by Latona. The Betty Broderick story is one of San Diego's most notorious murder cases ever. Lillian was slightly behind the other girls. The case of Joan Robinson and Dr. John Hill poses a little of both, for it is a case that could be considered unsolved and yet the general public believes that they know who the killers were, which makes the case all the more notorious. Could Mary have gone to visit her lover and been rejected by him? a., Springer Murder Tips Flood Police, (June 18, 1949), Los Angeles Times. As a final step before posting your comment, enter the letters and numbers you see in the image below. She was wearing $25, 000 ($260,615.00 in 2019)worth of jewels that night as she was to meet a girlfriend, Stella Hunter. Gardner was never indicted for the Ora Murray killing, and while everyone agreed he was a con man and swindler, few believed he was capable of murder. She had been strangled and trampled to death as if someone kicked her over and over, then stomped on her body. However, the first victim Josephine Ross was attacked in her own home after surprising an intruder, as was the second, Frances Brown. Frank said his landlady could vouch for him, that he did not leave his apartment. It wouldn't be until the following year that authorities eventually located the suspect, the FBI identifying him as Roger Lewis Gardner and arresting him in New York. Frank was arrested for punching her in the face at one point. Jeanne French (45) was discovered on a west L.A. Hilltop February 10, 1947. A killer does not wholly have to be one of these things and can show both organized and disorganized elements. Dexter denied he was to meet with Jean, and said he was at home all night with his present wife Lynn, who gave him an alibi. A few days later a woman came forward to say Paul was her fianc. He was with his mother, his third wife and his son. She was not yet a star, but she was a show girl.