Guide Note:
The Black Dahlia Case is a legendary unsolved 1947 murder of aspiring actress Elizabeth "Becky" Short.
Fast Facts:
- Name of Victim: Elizabeth Short
- Born: July 29, 1924
- Found Murdered: January 15, 1947
- Black Dahlia (1987): Book adaption by James Ellroy
- The Black Dahlia (2006): Film adaption, directed by Brian DePalma
The Mystery
On January 15, 1947, the body of Elizabeth Short was found in Leimert Park in Los Angeles, California. The aspiring actress and waitress's body was found surgically cut in half at the midsection, and her face was slashed from her mouth to her ears. The murder immediately turned into a media frenzy. In the weeks that followed, police had many suspects, and many deranged individuals confessed to the crime. In addition, the police began receiving messages from someone who appeared to be the killer, who sent them some of Short's personal effects and short messages composed of individual characters cut from newspaper headlines. Despite a massive manhunt, no killer was ever found or identified, and no motive for the grisly crime could ever be determined.
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The Black Dahlia Case Timeline
1924: Born Elizabeth Short in Hyde Park, Massachusetts
1930: Mother Cleo Short abandoned Elizabeth and her four sisters
1930: Preferred to be called Becky instead of Elizabeth
1943: Went to Vallejo, California to live with father
1943: Was arrested in Santa Barbara for underage drinking and told to return home.
1943: Returned to Hollywood, determined to be in movies.
1944: Met Matt Gordon, a Major in USAF "Flying Tigers"
1945: Fantasizes about upcoming nuptials only to learn Gordon was killed in a plane crash in India
1946: Returns to southern California to be close to Joseph Gordon Fickling
1946: Nov 13- Dec 15: Lives with 8 other women in cramped 2 bedroom apartment.
1947: January 8th, Joseph Fickling receives letter from Becky, telling him she's going to Chicago to become a fashion model
1947: January 9th, Flickling drives her to Los Angles bus station & checks luggage. Takes her to Biltmore Hotel and leaves her at 6:30 pm.
1947: January 15th, Becky Short's body discovered in a vacant lot
1947: January 25th, Purse and shoe found in dumpster, identified as Becky's.
The crime remains unsolved
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