Black Dahlia Case

Research Paper The Black Dahlia 77 years later, the murder of Elizabeth Short continues to go unsolved. This case has become one of the most famous cases in the history of unsolved murders and is known as the Black Dahlia. The tragedy took place on January 15th, 1947, in the city of Los Angeles where Elizabeth’s body was found by a mother and daughter duo. Short’s body was found completely drained of blood and cut in half. These were just a few of the things that made this case unique and gained it a huge following. The popularity of the case gathered lots of attention and lots of tips for detectives to consider. Many believe that this case has remained unsolved due to the excessive number of people who got involved, resulting in distortion

According to Crime Museum, “Her face had been cut from the corners of her mouth to her ears to give her what people would call today the “joker smile”. Elizabeth's body had been mutilated and the killer had taken the time to drain the body and prop her outside. The crime scene was clear of any blood or fingerprints, making it hard for investigators to gather any evidence at the scene itself. This led investigators to believe the killer must have had skills that enabled them to disfigure Elizabeth’s corpse in the way it was discovered. The article also mentions that “An autopsy showed that she had ultimately been killed because of lacerations and a hemorrhage on her head due to blows to her face” (Crime Museum). This evidence would prove that the person that killed Elizabeth intended for it to be very personal and likely had a close relationship with her. The first suspect that stood out in this case was George Knowlton. According to George’s daughter, Janice Knowlton, she recalls the relationship her father had with Elizabeth Short. As we know, the attack was targeted, personal, and

“Dillon, who moved to Florida soon after the murder, began writing to LAPD psychiatrist J Paul De River about the case in 1948, telling him that he wanted to hear about the slaying as research” states Jason Daley in an article posted in the Smithsonian Magazine. Detectives eventually brought Leslie in for questioning. “Dillon was picked up and questioned in Los Angeles after police said he told a psychiatrist unpublished details of the murder.” (FBI Vault). Leslie apparently had been very involved in this case, with more than enough indications that associated him with the murder. Leslie Dillon eventually wrote a book in 2017 titled Black Dahlia, Red Rose: The Crime, Corruption, and Cover-Up of America’s Greatest Unsolved Murder. In this book, Leslie Dillon admits to the slaying of Elizabeth. “The book suggests that Dillon committed the crime at the request of nightclub owner Mark Hansen,” states Sarah Pruitt. Although Leslie had no history of a relationship with Elizabeth, the evidence against him was enough to make him a suspect. The third and most likely suspect in this case was a man by the name of George