Writing a successful non-fiction feature is based on asking the questions that will get to the facts that help the writer reveal the truth. Then assembling words into a story that is both sensitive and intriguing. This requires good solid information and even better writing. I am an amateur writer and the information available is basically all fabricated but I will do my best to provide some justice for Elizabeth Short.

Only one thing could provide the respect that Elizabeth Short deserves and that would be if the truth about her life and death were brought forth. Her story has yet to be told based solely on facts without sensationalism or inference. There are just not enough substantiated, conclusive evidence available to outline the truth about her life or her death. I have intentionally omitted as much of the post mortem details of Elizabeth's murder as I could. The actual inquest transcript and verdict of the coroners jury is provided below. If you are interested in that aspect of the investigation of her murder any search engine will accomplish millions of results for you. I do aim to provoke you to anger and I hope that you will join me and demand that there be some kind of formal inquiry made to put aside all of the myths and untruths surrounding the life and death of Elizabeth Short. I believe that the evidence to bring closure to this case is not lost, it is still there filed somewhere in some old building in a dark room waiting to be uncovered. Unfortunately, the evidence and archives surrounding this case that are available are inconclusive at best. Not to insult the efforts of the LAPD that investigated Elizabeth's murder but most of what is recorded was so obviously set into place with one intention, to divert the truth, beguile and misguide.

Was Elizabeth merely in the wrong place at the wrong time rendering herself a random victim of a demented serial killer? There was a steady stream of unsolved murders in Southern California, specifically the Los Angeles area in the mid to late 1940’s. Or was she leading a double life and involved with some insidious factor that would eventually serve as her demise? Perhaps those closest to her betrayed her, even a family member. Could she have been a decoder, a secret agent, a spy or an informant? Was she somehow indirectly involved with an extreme religious cult? I will explore this and many things that were taking place in that period of time. Not only in Hollywood, California and Boston, Massachusetts but also Florida, Indiana, Illinois, Colorado and India. The only constants throughout Elizabeth's life of note were that she moved around a lot and she was always somehow associated with the military either through a relationship, a paying job or as a volunteer. However, because of the war neither of the two were a remarkable or outstanding behavior in the 1940's for a woman or a man of her age range. Just like the point made against suspect Dr. George Hill Hodel as his 'history of violence' that he used a razor strap to punish children. Even when I was growing up many parents used razor straps, a belt or a switch to discipline children and not just their own.


In my opinion, the person that did this to Elizabeth was not a surgeon, serial killer or psycho gone berserk because of some childhood hatred towards women. He, she or both were professional... not assassins or mob hit man for hire lost his or her minds from drugs or one too many kills and then gone on a rampage. A very skilled person or persons, the kind that governments train and protect at all costs tortured Elizabeth, yes, conjecture and speculation, I have no new evidence to prove this. However, after weeks of research I conclude this much,

Elizabeth had to of been kept alive on some sort of sedation while she endured days of torture. She died of shock, blunt force trauma to the head and excessive bleeding. Yet the look on her face is not so much of horror when she died, as it is placid. There is no notation that she was dehydrated at the time of her death and there was not evidence of digested food in her stomach. Which indicates to me she was on some sort of intravenous fluids throughout her captivity. Which does not require a medical degree to apply. I can do it myself and I can do it without a tunicate and without a persons arm resting on a hard still surface. For Gods sake she showed signs of being bound but there were no severe lacerations on her wrists or ankles where she was tied with binding of some kind. Which means what? It means that she did not try to escape the restraints used on her wrists and ankles. Why? Why didn’t she fight or try to escape? Perhaps because she was so God damned sedated she couldn’t struggle with her captors even if she wanted to. Besides, no one person would endure this kind of torture unless it was to protect someone dear to them and or they believed it was their duty. I am not saying that she felt no pain, I am sure that she was given a drug used to counter act sedation during torture and then sedated to a semi coma state until the torture resumed. There could have only been one reason for Elizabeth to endure this and it would have had to of meant life or death for someone she dearly loved or to protect information of vital importance or both. Someone dear to her perhaps like her sister, Dorothea Short whom low and behold just so happens that Dorothea enlisted in the service during World War II. She became a cryptologist, someone who is involved with the science or study of the techniques of secret writing, esp. code and cipher systems, methods, and the like. I am not surprised! Was this information noted in the initial investigation or any of the numerous books or findings about Elizabeth's history or life. If not why not, seems relative and extremely important to me.

Elizabeth Short was murdered to send a very clear message to someone. A warning of things to come and of the ability of whomever did this to penetrate and perpetrate such gross, vile and evil darkness if crossed. Elizabeth's body was left for discovery out in the open, in plain sight so as to be quickly found. It was all too precise and the body could not go unsighted for any length of time that would allow extreme decomposition to begin. The body had to be intact so that the message being sent would be received as it was fully intended. This was a crime that the perpetrator wanted to become well known, not just locally but worldwide. These viscous and unspeakable acts to which Elizabeth fell victim protected more then just one person and I can only persist in my believe that it was of vital governmental importance at the highest level. Did it have something to do with the war, possibly. Perhaps even some governmental experimentation that was taking place at that time in the field of aviation. Was Elizabeth protecting the decoders that were being used to decipher intelligence. If so, to the fortune of those being protected Elizabeth never surrendered the information that her torturers were after. One has only to see what was done to her to realize the truth in this. I believe that Elizabeth was set up, used and betrayed by this country and she is owed a debt of gratitude for dutiful services rendered. Will those in the position to come clean with the truth do so while they are still able to, I cannot answer for them. But I can say that if history is used as an indicator of loyalty rewarded by this country to the unknown soldiers, one fact you can sadly be assured of is that the answer to this particular question would be no!

If you believe that the FBI could manage to find Miss. Short' fingerprints in the time they state based on a photo ID and a bogus arrest record when they cannot manage to catch rain with a bucket, I will set up a paypal account and you can make me rich paying me to whisper sweet nothings into your deaf ears.

*TRANSCRIPT OF INQUEST HELD ON THE BODY OF ELIZABETH SHORT AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

JANUARY 22, 1947 At 10:30 A.M.

FREDERICK D. NEWBARR, being first duly sworn, testified as follows;

Q: BY THE CORONER; Please state your name.
A: Frederick D. Newbarr.

Q: What is your occupation?
A: Physician and Surgeon.

Q: And you are the autopsy surgeon for the coroner?
A: Yes, sir, chief autopsy surgeon, Los Angeles County.

Q: Did you perform an autopsy on the body of Elizabeth Short over whom we are holding the present inquest?
A: Yes, sir.

Q: When did you perform the autopsy?
A: January 16, 1947 at 10:30 A.M.

Q: From your examination of the body would you be able to form any opinion as to the date of the death as to whether it was on the 15th or prior to the 15th?
A: It was my opinion that the appearance of the body was such that the death occurred not more than 24 hours previous to the 15th, probably less.

Q: So that the death would have occurred either on the 14th or 15th?
A: Yes, sir.

Q: Will you please state to the Jury either briefly or in full as you like, the result of your autopsy findings, please?
A: The immediate cause of the death was hemorrhage and shock due to concussion of the brain and lacerations of the face. The body is that of a female about 15 to 20 years of age, measuring 5'5" in height and weighing 115 pounds. There are multiple lacerations in the midforehead, in the right forehead, and at the top of the head in the midline. There are multiple tiny abrasions, linear in shape on the right face and forehead. There are two small lacerations, 1/4" each in length, on each side of the nose near the bridge. There is a deep laceration in the face 3" long which extends laterally from the right corner of the mouth. The surrounding tissues are ecchymotic and bluish purple in color. There is a deep laceration 2&1/2" long extending laterally from the left corner of the mouth. The surrounding tissues are bluish purple in color. There are five linear lacerations in the right upper lip which extend into the soft tissues for a distance of 1/8". The teeth are in a state of advanced decay. The two upper central incisors are loose and one lower incisor is loose. The rest of the teeth show cavities. Upon reflecting the scalp, there is ecchymosis in the right and frontal areas of subarachnoid hemorrhage on the right side and small hemorrhagic areas in the corpus callosum. No fracture of the skull is visible. There is a depressed ridge on both sides and in the anterior portion of the neck. It is light brown in color. There is an abrasion irregular in outline in the skin of the neck in the anterior midline. There are two linear abrasions in the left anterior neck. It is light brown in color. There are two depressed ridges in the posterior neck, pale brown in color. The lower ridge has an abrasion in the skin at each extremity. The pharynx&larnyx are intact. There is no evidence of trauma to the hyoid bone, thyroid or cricoid cartilages or tracheal rings. There is a small area of ecchymosis in the soft tissues of the right neck at the level of the upper tracheal rings. There is no obstruction in the laryngotracheal passage. There is an irregular laceration with superficial loss in the skin of the right breast. The tissue loss is more or less square in outline and measures 3 & 1/4" transversely and 2 & 1/2" longitudinally; Extending toward the midline from this irregular laceration are several superficial lacerations in the skin. There is an elliptical opening in the skin located 3/4" to the left of the left nipple. The opening measures 2 & 3/4" in a transverse direction and 1 & 1/4" in a longitudinal direction in its midportion. The margins of these wounds show no appreciable discoloration.

Q: Doctor, I don't believe it will be necessary for you to read all this. It is rather long and I don't think we need to read all of it here. The essential findings with regard to cause of death have already been expressed; and that is the concussion of the brain and the lacerations of the face. The portion of your findings with regard to the chest, would you read that on the second page there, the organs of the chest, were they in a normal position?
A: The left lung is pink in color and well aerated. The right lung is somewhat adherant due to fairly firm pleural adhesions. The lung is pink in color and well aerated. There is calcified thickening of the 9th rib on the right side in the scapular line. The heart shows no gross pathology.

Q: Then the next paragraph with regard to the severing of the body?
A: The trunk is completely severed by an incision which is almost straight through the abdomen severing the intestine at the duodenum and through the soft tissues of the abdomen passing through the intervertebral disk between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra. There is very little ecchymosis along the tract of the incision. There is a gaping laceration 4 & 1/2" which extends longitudinally from the umbilicus to the suprapubic area. On both sides of this laceration there are multiple superficial lacerations. There are multiple criss cross lacerations in the suprapubic area which extend through the skin and soft tissues. No ecchymosis is seen.

Q: Was there evidence of any sexual assault? You might read the last paragraph, and I believe that covers it, on the next page.
A: The stomach was filled with greenish brown granular material, mostly feces and other particles which could not be identified. All smears for spermatazoa are negative.

Q: Is there anything else which would contribute to the medical cause of death?
A: No, sir, I don't think so.

Q: Your finding is that the real cause of death was hemorrhage and shock due to blows to the head?
A: Blows on the head and face.

VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY STATE OF CALIFORNIA, County of Los Angeles In the Matter of the Inquisition upon the body of Elizabeth Short, Deceased, Before BEN H. BROWN, Coroner.

We, the Jurors, summoned to appear before the Coroner of Los Angeles County at room 102, Hall of Justice, Los Angeles County, California, on the 22nd day of January A.D. 1947, to inquire into the cause of the death of Elizabeth Short, having been duly sworn according to law, and having made such inquisition and hearing the testimony adduced, upon our oaths, each and all do say that we find that the deceased was named Elizabeth Short, a female, single, native of Mass., aged about 22 years, and that she came to her death found on the 15th day of January, 1947 at Norton St. Between 39th and Coliseum Drive, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, and that this death was caused by hemorrhage and shock due to concussion of the brain and lacerations of face; and from the testimony introduced we find said injuries to have been inflicted on the deceased by some person or persons unknown at this time to this jury and at some location unknown to this jury; and we find this to be a homicide and recommend that every effort be made to apprehend the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible therefor, all of which we duly certify by this inquisition in writing, by us signed this 22nd day of January, 1947.

Choteau W. Paul, Foreman
Paul I. Todd
Robert Kessler
H. W. LaChat
S. R. Moore
R. W. Rose
Fred Weller
H. E. Brier
F. D. Tucker

*Credit: Mary Pacios

Books and films published that claim to portray the truth about Elizabeth's life and death only portray that which is the most insidious, contemptuous, cumulative behavior that lends itself to nothing more than melodramatic luridness. It did and still does only serve to perpetuate the lies that were meticulously scripted to somehow portray Elizabeth as a willing or naive participant in the circumstances that led to her death on the promise of a Hollywood career as an actress. I have read and seen it all but this really portrays women of that era in the worse possible stereotype. Such shameful behavior on the part of anyone who has been involved with any projects, books or films using this horrid tragedy that Elizabeth endured not for moments or hours but for days to bring attention to yourself or to line your pockets. God help you and at the very least you owe the memory of Elizabeth Short and all she endured an amends. You trespass against the truth and against Elizabeth Short a woman, person, human being not a flower. I only add this because there is no real prove that Elizabeth actually went by 'Black Dahlia'. I love horses but God forbid if anything this heinous or horrific ever happened to me and people tagged me with the alias 'horse or pony' because of my love for anything equine. Continue