Elizabeth Short, later nicknamed the Black Dahlia by the press, was found murdered in Los Angeles in January 1947. The brutality of the crime and the victim’s connection to the city’s entertainment culture made it a national sensation.

An unsolved case

Despite numerous suspects and investigations, no one was convicted of Short’s murder. Newspapers produced sensational theories, helping create a mythology that has lasted for decades.

Explore more in the Hollywood archive.

Imran Siddiqui

See Full Bio