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Black Dahlia
Black Dahlia A mug shot of Elizabeth Short, released after her murder in 1947.

Black Dahlia

American murder victim
Also known as: Elizabeth Short
Written by
Meg Matthias
Meg Matthias is Senior Video Production Manager at Encyclopædia Britannica.
Meg Matthias
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
History

In 1947 the body of 22-year-old Elizabeth Short was discovered in a vacant lot in Los Angeles. The brutal nature of her murder—she was believed to have been tortured, and her body was cut in half and provocatively posed—helped spark a media frenzy. The fact that she was attractive and had recently moved to California added to public interest. She was soon dubbed “the Black Dahlia,” and hundreds of suspects were investigated. However, the identity...

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