Steve Hodel Message Board
Becca posts on 10/31/2008 6:18:43 PM
Knowlton is your man. He was born Edwin Burns. Started out as nice jewish kid from New York. Lost his mind after his first wife committed suicide after drowning their infant child in the bathtub. He was hospitalized in a military mental facility and received a medical discharge from the Army. He had served as a medic during WWII. He remarried in L.A. Received disability checks and performed illegal abortions to make extra money. He became a sadistic drunkard. Met Betty Short. Became obsessed. Started calling her his wife. When she said there was no future in it and laughed when he insisted otherwise, he took her to their favorite hotel and tortured her then killed her. The rest is history.
After the murder he faked his suicide by leaving clothing and a note near a pier. Abandoned wife number two after finding out that authorities showed up at their house with his watch asking questions. He hit the road and changed his last name,got a fake SSN#, fake physician's credentials & off to Florida to work for a lucrative abortion provider. Worked there for the rest of of his life. Treated for psychotic disorder. Took Haldol. Used to listen to Rosemary Clooney records. One song in particular "Tenderly" over and over again. He said it was their song. Creepy. Daughter Janice was also emotionally disturbed. Knew family from neighborhood. Grandson was my age. Wasn't allowed to play over their. My Grandfather left all this information with his private letters &
estate papers. It deeply troubled him. He wanted to tell authorities but because of the earlier tragedy of the wife and baby being killed he couldn't bring himself to. He shared most of this tragedy verbally with me when I was in highschool 1980's. He used to warn me before I'd go out on a date, "Rebecca, be careful, people can turn on you suddenly. Be careful of the company you keep!"I knew he was referring to the Burns/Short tragedy.
Ike posts on 5/21/2008 5:07:34 PM
I just finished reading Steve's book and it was great reading and sad about What happened to Elizabeth Short and also the life poor Steve Hodel had to endure I am glad he turned his life around after all he had been thru.
deborah haggard posts on 10/17/2006 5:52:40 PM
I am convinced! In your book you told of one victim that was found alive and is believed to have survived. Do you know for a fact that Viola did survive? If so, did she recover fully? Was a statement taken from her? What ever happened to her? Lastly, Has anyone recognized the picture of "Gloria" from pg. 415 in your book? Sorry- one more quest. Who do you think might be the blond woman that was with the two men?
posts on 10/1/2006 8:21:33 PM
I just finished reading Steve's work. It is an impressive and most compelling piece of detective work. I am also impressed with the mechanics of the writting - grammer, syntax, very well done. I do however find a few issues questionable. E.g., Dr. Hodel's alleged murder of yet another victim just hours after being released from the incest trial seems outside logic - would not a criminal breathe a sigh of relief and lay low for a while? Perhaps such minds do not.
As for Dr Hodel being a genius, I have known two individuals with extremely high I.Q.s. One of 192 the other 226. The first started to become involved in criminal activity while still in high school. The other went on to work for a huge computer company. Back in those days, there was lots of speculation about such intelligence being just a moment from insanity. In the end, Steve seems to suggest the same idea.
Steve seems to have a firm grip on reality but I cannot help but wonder about thoughts that must haunt him from time to time.
One does wonder about Dr. Hodel's behavior in Japan and the Phillipines and in China. Strange how the last wife did not pick up on any abnormal behavior.
A fascinating book and highly compelling argument, especially after reading the prosecutor's assessment.
posts on 10/1/2006 3:30:34 AM
My heart breaks for you..You're book is so sad & it make's me sick that you had to go through this. I cannot imagine you're pain. Prayer's for Beth, She does Rest In Peace now. Peace for you and you're family. Thank you for you're book. Janelle
posts on 9/24/2006 11:17:49 AM
Mr. Hodel, your father was a mediocre photographer at best. I can see how untouchable he was as a specialist in venereal diseases given the stigma of venereal diseases in those days. I bet he had a lot of intimate information about the people in his community. I can, also, see how a man like that, a wannabe, would have committed such a crime in order to raise his status among his "friends". After all, what these surrealist artists did on paper, he did on an actual corpse. I bet he had a swelled head for a great many years after that. In my opinion, he was pathetic. He preyed on a young girl known to be a drifter. She must have been the perfect victim for his perfect crime. I do believe he got away with murder.
posts on 9/17/2006 11:50:54 AM
I saw the Black Dahlia movie, by Brian De Palma. I absoulutely hated it. I find it hard to believe that James Ellroy let his book be betrayed in this fashion. The movie was very dissappointing, the best parts were left out. Mr. hodel I do believe that your father killed the dahlia, it makes perfect sense. Do you think there was also a woman in on it as well? I would like to see a movie baed on your book, that would be a box office smash, instead a flop like the new movie. I think it would have done alot better if it had come out twenty years ago.
posts on 7/27/2006 11:13:47 AM
What role did Lt. James E. Hamilton of the Intelligence Detail play in this case? I know that he was promoted to Captain by his friend Bill Parker.
Dorrit Takach posts on 1/13/2006 10:13:47 PM
Sorry, I don't buy it. The photos look nothing like her, and although Mr. Hodel's father was very strange, so were the majority of men who knew Short. I suspect George Knowlton, a psycho who Short had an affair with for years.
Seridan Burdick posts on 10/10/2005 9:03:44 PM
Mr. Hodel,
After reading your book, I became addicted to the Black Dahlia case and read anything I could find on it. My next question is, has any studio approached you, or have you approached any studio about making your book into a movie?????
Click Here for Messages:
1 - 10
11 - 20
21 - 30
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the posters.
