The Black Dahlia case remains one of the most infamous unsolved murders in true crime history. In this special second part of our conversation with retired LAPD homicide detective and bestselling author Steve Hodel, we go deeper into the evidence, controversy, and personal cost behind his decades-long investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short.

Steve originally set out to prove that his father, Dr George Hodel, had been wrongly accused of killing Elizabeth Short. Instead, the evidence led him in the opposite direction. In this fascinating and often emotional interview, Steve discusses why he believes his father was responsible, the alleged cover-up that followed, and how his own career investigating more than 300 homicide cases shaped his conclusions.

Steve Hodel is a retired Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective, former private investigator, nd bestselling true crime author. During his LAPD career he worked on more than 300 homicide investigations and received 75 commendations. He is best known for Black Dahlia Avenger, which explores his investigation into the murder of Elizabeth Short and the possibility that his own father, Dr George Hodel, was responsible.

Sources and Further Reading

• Steve Hodel – Black Dahlia Avenger

• Steve Hodel – Most Evil

• Steve Hodel – As Within, So Without

• Steve Hodel – The Early Years

• LAPD Black Dahlia case files

• Contemporary reporting on the murder of Elizabeth Short

• Historical research into the Black Dahlia investigation

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📚 Visit Isla at Criminally Good Books: https://criminallygoodbooks.co.uk🌐 Find us at Switchblade Sisters Social Club: https://switchbladesisterssocialclub.com🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and wherever you get your podcasts.

In one of the most infamous unsolved murders in true crime history, Dee takes on a case she never thought she’d cover: The Black Dahlia.

On 15 January 1947, the mutilated body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short was discovered in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The shocking brutality of the crime, the glamour of post-war Hollywood, and the mystery surrounding her killer created a media sensation that continues nearly 80 years later.

This week, Dee walks Isla through the life of Elizabeth Short, the investigation that followed, and the key suspects who have fascinated detectives, journalists, and armchair sleuths for decades. Particular attention is given to one man whose name remains closely linked to the case: Dr George Hodel, a wealthy Los Angeles physician whose own son, retired LAPD homicide detective Steve Hodel, became convinced his father was responsible.

Next week, we’ll be joined by Steve Hodel himself to discuss growing up in the shadow of one of true crime’s most controversial suspects and the evidence that changed his mind forever.

• Steve Hodel — Black Dahlia Avenger

• Steve Hodel — Most Evil

• Steve Hodel — Black Dahlia Avenger II

• Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia (TNT/Cadence13)

• FBI Records: The Black Dahlia Investigation

• FBI History: Elizabeth Short (The Black Dahlia)

• Los Angeles Police Museum – Black Dahlia Resources

• The Black Dahlia (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

🎙️ Next week: Dee and Isla sit down with retired LAPD homicide detective Steve Hodel to discuss the evidence against his father, Dr George Hodel, and what it was like discovering that your own parent may have been one of America’s most notorious killers.