EXCERPTS FROM

INDEX - DIGEST
of LAPD Files
Concerning Elizabeth Short
and connection, if any, of
Leslie Dillon and/or Mark Hansen
and/or Henry Huber Hoffman with
the circumstances of the murder
of Elizabeth Short

Compiled November 28, 1949
Arthur L. Veitch
Grand Jury Legal Advisor
Frank B. Jemison
Investigator



SUMMARY OF THE ELIZABETH (BETH) SHORT MURDER INVESTIGATION

Page 1
This case is better known as the Black Dahlia murder which pseudonym was bestowed upon the victim by the newspapers and was not ever an alias of the victim in life.

At 11:05AM, January 15, 1947, a call was received by the Complaint Board from a woman who did not identify herself that there was a man down in a vacant lot on Norton Avenue between 39th Street and Coliseum in the middle of the block, west side.

At 11:07AM, a radio car was dispatched to the scene, officers F. S. Perkins, #4057, and W. E. Fitzgerald, #3940, who found the body and called the University Detective Division. Officers S. J. Lambert, #2359, and J. W. Haskins, #892, responded to the call.

Capt. Jack Donahoe, Homicide Division was notified. the call car was out on a natural dead body on Westmoreland Avenue so Officer Marty J. Wynn, Homicide Division was dispatched to the scene. Capt. Donahoe then telephoned the address where the call car operated by Sgt. F. A. Brown, #248, and Harry L. Hansen, #859, of Homicide Division, was located. They responded to the call, arriving at the scene at 11:30AM. Upon the arrival of Sgts. Brown and Hansen who were assigned to the case, they found present officers Perkins and Fitzgrald, Lt. Paul Freestone, Det. Lt. Jack Haskins, Sgts. Wynn and Vaughn, forensic Chemist, Ray Pinker, photographer Laursen from Sci. Investigation Division, and representatives and photographers from the newspapers. Pictures had been taken by the newspapers of the body. They were later joined by Lt. Leland V. Jones of the Scientific Investigation Division.

The body was that of a white, female, American, approximately 20 years of age, 5'6" tall, weighing 115#, brown-reddish hair recently hennaed, green eyes, fingernails bitten down to the quick. The body was nude; there was no jewelry on the body. There were no women's clothes found in the vicinity. The post mortem condition of the body revealed no indication of rigor mortis. The body was lying on its back, head to the north and feet to the south on the west side of Norton Avenue, approximately 2' west of the sidewalk. The body was just south of a paved driveway approach to this lot which is the first driveway north of the center block fire plug. The body had been cleanly severed at the middle line and the lower half was about 1' to the south of the upper half, the upper half, the upper half being slightly off line to the west of the lower half. Both parts of the body were lying absolutely flat with protruded entrails of the lower half lying under the buttock. There was marked post mortem lividity on the top side of both parts indicating that the deceased had lain on her front side or face for some time immediately following death. the body was comparatively free of blood stains or smears which indicated it had been washed off some time after death. There were several fibres which were recovered and turned over to Mr. Pinker, which appeared to be bristles from a stiff brush. (later identified as cocoa fibres by Scientific Investigation Division.)....

Page 2
...The mouth was badly slashed approximately 3" each way from the corner and the upper lip was deeply lacerated on the right-hand side. There were strangulation marks on the neck and definite rope or tie marks on both lower legs and arms.

From lack of blood stains around and under the body, it was definitely concluded she was killed elsewhere. Police photographs of the body and measurements were taken by Laursen and Pinker, as well as photographs of a tire track at the curb line at point opposite where body was found.

Upon removal of the body by Coroner's Deputies, it was found that the grass underneath the body was still wet with dew, indicating that the body had been placed there after dew fell in the early morning hours...

Immediately after arrival at the County Morgue, police photographs were made of the body and fingerprints were taken. A search of the records failed to establish identification and a Dead Body Report was made Under Jane Doe #1.

At 7:25PM, January 15, 1947, a description was circulated seeking identity of this girl....

All laundries and cleaners were checked with the request that they look for blood stained clothing, etc. All motels and hotels were checked throughout the city and a broadcast was put out. the Long Beach Police Department and the Sheriff's Office made a search in their areas for a possible location where crime was committed, without success. A thorough canvass was made in the area where the body was found. People were talked to by officers on the beat and officers loaned from other divisions. The area was checked from Washington to 54th Street, from Main Street west to the city limits.

Page 3
If an individual talked to in this vicinity could give any possible identification, a report was made and the reports were checked without success. Many suspects checked in this survey were eliminated. Many pieces of clothing found in storm drains and other places were checked for the possibility of being the property of the victim, without success.

Enlarged photographs of victim's fingerprints were wire-photographed to Washington, D. C. [by Los Angeles Examiner] and as a result the victim was positively identified as Elizabeth Short, Santa Barbara Police, #11419, she having been booked by Santa Barbara Police Department in September 1943 for 700K, W.I.C. (minor drinking in a public place). Identification records revealed that subject was born in Hyde Park, Mass on July 29, 1924; mother's name, Phoebe Short; address 115 Salem Street, Medford, Mass. Mrs. Short was contacted and advised of her daughter's death. She communicated with this department and advised she was leaving by plane immediately for Los Angeles.

An autopsy was performed on January 16 by Dr Frederick D. Newbarr, Chief Autopsy Surgeon, in association with Dr. Victor Cefalu, Assistant Chief Autopsy Surgeon. Present were Ray Pinker of the Scientific Investigation Division and Sgt. Hansen of Homicide Division....

Page 5
.... The cause of death was determined as being loss of blood and shock.

On January 16, 1947, Mrs. Short communicated with this department and stated the victim had been living in San Diego at 2750 Camino Padero Street with a Dorothy French. The San Diego Police Department was contacted and it was learned that she had lived there from approximately December 9, 1946 until January 8, 1947. That she had left the evening of January 8 with a man known as Bob or Red in a Studebaker Coupe....

This man was later identified as Robert Manley, 8010 Mountain View Southgate.... He was taken into custody, statements were taken, and he was booked for investigation of murder. His car was checked with negative results and his whereabouts and actions were investigated. he was also placed on a lie detector. His time was accounted for through the days in question. There is a complete file on him within the file of this murder case, in Homicide Division. this man was released on January 20, 1947.

.... On January 16, 1947 a call was received from Ann Toth and Mark Hansen stating that the victim had lived with Ann Toth at 1624 Carlos Avenue.... They stated that Ann had taken her in to live with her after having met her and understanding she was in financial difficulty. they stated she seemed to be a nice girl.

A lengthy investigation was made of the whereabouts and actions of Mark Hansen and Ann Toth....

Mark Hansen's home was checked by Scientific Investigation Division and no evidence was uncovered to indicate that a crime had been committed at the address of 6024 Carlos Avenue. No witnesses were found who had seen the victim there between the 9th and 15th of January 1947.

Page 6
Through an anonymous telephone call, victim's father, Cleo Short was found.... He stated in effect that the victim, Elizabeth short, had left Medford, Mass. some time in the latter part of 1942, after he sent her $200.00. She came to Vallejo, California where he was working in the navy yards. ...he told her to leave after about 3 weeks. he stated he had not seen or heard from her since then. He was very intoxicated at the time and belligerent. He refused to appear at the Coroner's office and make identification of the body.

Page 8
Mrs. Short, in company with Adrian West and Mrs. West (sister and brother-in-law of the deceased) arrived in Los Angeles and they were requested to make the personal identification of the body.... Later in the evening they were accompanied by Sgt. Brown to the rear of the Coroner's office and they did make the identification without the presence of newspaper photographers or reporters....

The inquest was held on January 22.... INQUEST TRANSCRIPT

On January 24, 1947, approximately at 5:30PM, a phone call was received from Postal Inspector Wood stating that they had an envelope addressed to the Los angeles Examiner and other newspapers, containing some miscellaneous papers and photograps, with printing on the envelope reading "this contains the Dahlia's belongings, letter to follow." These were cut-outs from newspaper lettering....

Page 10
The sender of these articles was evidently the perpetrator of the murder.... Sgt Wheeler attempted to check for fingerprints at the time but it appeared that these articles had been soaked in either gasoline or kerosene as the smell was quite strong and there was a dampness inside the notebook [Mark Hansen address book]. The report from the Scientific Investigation Division indicated that several pages had been cut from this book by a sharp instrument. The names... were run down and interviewed....

The luggage of the victim was located in the Greyhound Dept.... Through a telegram which was included among the items sent in by mail, the victim's trunk was located and two albums were removed therefrom... All acquaintances whose photographs appeared in the albums were contacted for further information. this proved to be of very little value in turning up a suspect. Also, most of these were eliminated as suspects.

During the investigation the case was widely publicized and most of the facts of the investigation were published in local newspapers with the exception of one fact which is not mentioned in this report, that the investigating officers have been able to hold out from the general public. This fact has been kept as a measure of interrogation of suspects, present, past, and future.

Page 13
According to Dorothy French who was a cashier in an all-night theater in San Diego, Elizabeth Short became engaged in a conversation with her on the morning of December 9, 1946.... She stated, as did her mother and brother, that Elizabeth Short lived with them until January 8, 1947. At that time she left with a man known as Bob or Red, a red-headed man. The man was later identified as Robert Manley.

....
Robert Manley carried her suitcases and checked her baggage at the Greyhound Bus Depot, 6th and Los Angeles Streets. At her request he drove her to the Biltmore Hotel where she went to the ladies' rest room to freshen up while he went to the desk and inquired for Mr. Adrian West, for her.... he left her seated in the lobby of the hotel at approximately 6:45 P.M. and reached home around 7:00 P.M. or shortly thereafter. This was verified by his wife.

She was observed alone by employees of the Biltmore until approximately 10:00 P.M., January 9. Mr. Studhome of the Biltmore Hotel stated that he observed the girl get up from the lobby as if she had been signalled by someone on the outside, and walk out of the Olive Street entrance. He last saw her walking south toward 6th Street on Olive, on the west side of the street. Investigators were unable to determine whether she made a phone call while there or not but witnesses state they observed her on several occasions go toward the telephone booths.

In the investigation there were many anonymous phone calls and letters from people who stated they had seen the girl in many places at the same time. Investigation showed that these people could have seen someone who did look like Elizabeth Short. On five occasions individuals were contacted by members of this department who do resemble this girl a great deal. A girl who was last seen in the Santa Monica area was identified as Jean Cyr, and she was contacted. A married woman who lived in the vicinity of Torrance was identified and contacted. She cleared up three different cases of mistaken identity. This lady was contacted and a report is on file. No one reported seen from January 9, at approximately 10:00 P.M. until the body was found by Mrs. Bersinger at 10:30 A.M., January 15 Has been definitely identified as Elizabeth Short.

Page 14
...around the 6th or 7th of January (as near as he could remember the date) he [Mark Hansen] received a call from Elizabeth Short in San Diego.

Miss Toth and Mark Hansen stated that they had not seen or heard from the girl after receiving the telephone call.

In the beginning of the investigation, officers of the Homicide Division worked on the case without assistance from outside divisions for approximately 5 days at which time they received the assignment of approximately 10 men to help run down information on the past history of of the girl and acquaintances. On receipt of the address book and articles of the deceased by mail, other men were assigned, totaling about 30, from the various divisions of the department and they were used in checking the names and addresses that appeared in the address book. The book contained 52 names and addresses within the City of Los Angeles, Hollywood and vicinity, also some in Long Beach. In talking to these people, there were other names that came up of known acquaintances of deceased, who were investigated and questioned.

Page 15
During the time following the first publicity of the case in the papers, numerous phone calls, many anonymous were received. In many cases the caller would name a suspect or would state that they were the killer. Calls came in from both men and women. Many letters were received; some were of the "screwball" variety, rambling, etc. These letters were carefully gone through and checked for possible information. One letter which arrived approximately 3 days after the receipt of the envelope containing the articles belonging to the victim, was extensively checked to determine where it might have been sent from. It bore no stamp and was not cancelled by the postal department. It was addressed to Lt. Donahoe, Hollywood division. The content of the letter indicated the person was of a sadistic and degenerate mind. All letters received, including this letter, that appeared to mention any known facts or possible facts in the case were turned over to the Crime Laboratory and processed for fingerprints, handwriting, etc.

All mortuaries in the city were checked for the possibility of a mortician being involved. Embalmers schools and colleges in the city were also checked for the names of all students. Chiropractor and medical schools and colleges were checked. Names were secured and checked by the Records and Identification Division for records and possible sadistic individuals. Some names did appear in the files and were subsequently investigated..

Page 16
Confessors began to come in to this department and to various police stations throughout the United States to confess to the crime. One notable one was Joseph A. Dumais, a soldier at Ft. Dix, New Jersey.... He was finally eliminated due to the fact he was in the area of Ft. Dix at the time of the murder.
....
One WAC Sergeant stationed in San Diego confessed to the San Diego Police Department. She was eliminated by that department as having been present at her assignment during the time involved. Many arrested persons were checked or eliminated over a period of time by this and other departments.

On March 18, 1947, investigative officers were informed of a Melvin Robert Bailey in custody of the St.Louis Police Department. He had also confessed to the murder of the short girl.... After several days of investigation, he was eliminated as the facts as to how he committed the crime did not check. It was later determined that he was in Detroit, Michigan, at the time of the murder.
....
In the beginning of the investigation, due to the numerous pages and names that would have to be kept in file, it was determined that an index book directory for location of reports was not sufficient to handle. A cross-index card file was therefore made up for this case. This required 2 or 3 months to complete. The officers investigating the case went over the reports and checked all names that did not seem to be completely cleared. In some cases, this required considerable additional investigation. Sufficient information to obtain a complaint has not been found on these suspects.

Due to the lack of stenographers, man reports were not written up until after the investigation was completed. It was also difficult to keep the entries in the card index up to date.

Up until June 1947, approximately 75 suspects had been eliminated. During the following year and until December 1948, the total had reached 192 eliminated suspects.

Page 17
....
There were approximately 200 photographs of different men in her album and possessions. All of these individuals have been identified with the exception of 2 men. These pictures are being used in every instance to attempt identification of known friends.

In the original part of the investigation it was found that due to the wide publicity given this case, many acquaintances and friends of the victim were reluctant to tell all they knew about her.
....
During the 2 years and 6 months of investigation of this case, there has never been a time the investigative work was discontinued....

In 1948, in the October issue of a magazine, there appeared a story of the Black Dahlia murder attempting to connect it with other murders that followed, namely the French, Winters, and Mondragon. In the newspapers, the Black Dahlia murder story was carried as front line copy from the 15th of January on for 30 days. On the 10th of February, 25 days after the Dahlia murder, the French murder was committed. This was not a mutilation murder; it was a brutal beating murder. The magazine article that appeared was written from facts picked up from from newspapers and information that the writer could obtain from talking to various people. Several attempts were made by writers to secure inside information to write the story but they were refused.... All who asked were told that the case was not solved and therefore any information given out might tend to interfere with the investigation or, if a suspect was tied into it, might interfere with the court trial. After this appeared in the magazine, or each time the case ws revived in the newspapers, more letters and names of suspects were received, from people who wanted to help solve the crime or who stated they knew who did it. Some suspects named in anonymous letters were investigated and it was determined that they had enemies who had turned in their name to embarrass them.

Page 18
Abortionists and doctors who were reported as being of a sadistic nature by patients, were checked on as closely as possible. Much of the information was received secondhand from someone other than the victim of the sadistic acts. Many times when the victims were contacted, they would deny the acts.

[Note: The report continues with details of the Leslie Dillon investigation. After an exhaustive investigation, Dillon was cleared because he proved he was in San Francisco at the time of the murder.]