Unsolved Mysteries Day 4: The aspiring actress whose body was cut in half

ON the morning of January 15, 1947 a woman found the naked body of a female in two pieces as she was walking with her young daughter in Los Angeles.

Initially thinking it was a discarded mannequin, Betty Bersinger was horrified to realise she had discovered the dead body of aspiring actress Elizabeth Short, cut in half and posed with her arms above her head and legs spread.

Elizabeth Short's body was found naked, cut in two and posed Getty

The killer had drained the body entirely of blood, washed the corpse and slashed her face from the corner of her mouth to her ears.

Her intestines were tucked neatly under her head and a cement bag full of watery blood was found nearby

– the only clue was a single heel print on the ground amid tyre tracks.

Reporters from the Los Angeles Examiner contacted Short’s mother saying her daughter had won a beauty contest, and only admitted she had been murdered after extracting as much information as possible.

The paper later sensationalised the case, naming her the “Black Dahlia”, an “adventuress” who “prowled Hollywood Boulevard”.

Budding actress Elizabeth Short's murder was never solved Getty

Many people came forward, falsely claiming to be Short’s killer, and her shoe and handbag were later found – but no reliable leads emerged, and nobody was ever charged with the murder.

Remaining one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of the century, dozens of suspects have emerged over time – most recently in 2013 after a recent investigation led them to Dr George Hill Hodel, father of author Steve Hodel who long suspected his dad of the murder.

A police dog detected the scent of human decomposition in several areas of Hodel’s basement and an old recording heard him saying: “Supposin’ I did kill the Black Dahlia. They couldn’t prove it now. They can’t talk to my secretary because she’s dead.”

Over the years there have been 25 viable suspects in the Black Dahlia murder case, including Walter Bayley – a surgeon who lives in a house one block south of the vacant lot Short’s body was found in.

George Hodel remains one of the case's biggest suspects Getty

Detectives suggest the killer was a “top medical man” and “a fine surgeon” and Bayley’s wife alleges his mistress was made sole beneficiary after his death as “she knew a terrible secret”.

Furthermore the facial lacerations indicated personal anger towards the victim – which could have arisen from Short telling Bayley she had a son who had tragically died, a lie she often told.

The case is one of the world's greatest mysteries Getty

Walter Bayley did have a son who was killed by a car age 11, whose birthday was January 13th – two days before Elizabeth’s was discovered.
The case remains open with remaining suspects and is possibly the greatest unsolved mystery of our age.