At one time, Black Dahlia lived at the Las Palmas Hotel.

(In Pretty woman, Richard Gere climbed up the fire escape to Julia Roberts).

Elizabeth Short was born on July 29, 1924, Hyde Park, Massachusetts.  She came to Hollywood in hopes of becoming an actress. Her face is known by millions, but in a way, she had never dreamed. 

On January 15, 1947, Elizabeth Short’s naked body was discovered in Leimert Park in downtown Los Angeles.  Her hair had been dyed red, shampooed and perfectly set.  Her body was surgically cut, mutilated and posed.  Her body was severed in half at the waist, drained of blood and washed.  She was only 22 years old.

The police often named the high profile cases.  Elizabeth Short’s case was dubbed “The Black Dahlia” because of the movie that had just come out called the “Blue Dahlia.”   “The Black Dahlia” because Elizabeth Short was known to wear black, had black hair and often times adorned her hair with a flower.  She was last seen alive leaving the Biltmore Hotel.

For weeks, the killer taunted the police sending notes, “catch me if you can.”  Unfortunately, to this day, the murder remains unsolved.

Local legends say the ghost of Elizabeth Short has been seen gliding eerily along the streets of Argyle and Cherokee, near where she was found.  Other sightings were at the Biltmore Hotel.  There is a claim by a man that he rode the elevator at the Biltmore Hotel with Elizabeth Short.  He claims that once they reached the sixth floor, he moved aside to let her pass.  She seemed dazed, but finally she walked by him and when she did, the man felt a cold blast of air.  She turned to face him again.  She never spoke a word, but there was a look of desperation in her eyes, making him think that she needed help. The doors to the elevator started to close and he hit the button to stop it, but by the time it reopened again, the girl is gone.  He didn’t realize until later whom he had seen.  He spotted a book about the Black Dahlia and saw her picture on the cover.

Steve Hodel claims his father killed twenty women between 1940-1950 including Elizabeth Short.  Steve began investigating his father after he found photographs he believed were Elizabeth Short.  He also found notes that eerily match the killer’s handwriting. 

George Hodel was the county health department doctor.  George Hodel was a suspect in the murder, but authorities feared Hodel would expose medical records of well-known powerful people including police officials.  Released, George Hodel left the country for forty years.  He died at the age of ninety-one.