The Black Dahlia murder site

This is the location where the body of "the Black Dahlia," Elizabeth Short, was found.

It is situated outside 3831 South Norton Avenue in the Leimert Park neighborhood of Los Angeles, California.

At the time, this site was a vacant lot in a developing residential area.

On the morning of Wednesday, January 15, 1947, a local resident named Betty Bersinger was walking past the lot with her young daughter when she noticed what she initially thought was a mannequin.

However, upon closer inspection, she realized it was the body of a woman.

The victim's naked remains had been severed at the waist, drained of blood, cleaned, and then dumped at the location. Her killer had slashed the corners of her mouth to her ears, creating what's commonly referred to as a Glasgow smile. There were also several deep cuts to her thigh and breasts.

The medical examiner concluded that the cause of death was cerebral hemorrhage caused by multiple blows to the head.

The time of death was estimated to be ten hours prior.

The nature of the cuts led to speculation that the killer had prior experience dissecting human remains. He also appeared to have scrubbed the body with a bristled brush.

Bersinger initially mistook the body for a mannequin because the woman had pale skin and had been posed with her hands placed over her head, legs spread apart, and elbows bent at angles.

The victim was identified as 22-year-old Elizabeth Short after her fingerprints matched with an arrest record. Four years previously, she had been arrested for underage drinking at a bar in Santa Barbara.

Short was last seen in public on Thursday, January 9, 1947, six days before the discovery of her remains.

On the day of her disappearance, she had just returned to Los Angeles following a short trip to San Diego.

She went on the trip with a married 25-year-old salesman named Robert "Red" Manley, whom she had been dating. Manley, who passed polygraph tests, said that he dropped Short off at the Biltmore Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles.

There are claims that a doorman saw Short and corroborated Manley's statement. However, news articles from the time make no mention of such a person. Furthermore, the released FBI files contain no reference to the alleged witness.

The nature of the crime drew widespread media attention. Despite a massive investigation involving more than 100 suspects, no one was ever charged.

The origins behind the nickname "the Black Dahlia" remain contested. One theory is that Short was nicknamed as such in real life. Another claims the nickname originated from a combination of her hair color and the title of the 1946 film The Blue Dahlia.

Since the murder, dozens of suspects have been proposed. There have also been theories she was the victim of a serial killer.

The case, which remains one of the most famous unsolved homicides in American history, has been the subject of numerous books, documentaries, and films.