Piecing Together the Mystery of The Black Dahlia with Grave Line Tours

Despite the Hollywood glitz and glam that mainstream media likes to boast about Los Angeles, there’s no question that a dark energy also plagues the City of Angels. Grave Line Tours highlights the seedy underbelly of the town, “putting death on the map,” as they describe it. They offer various experiences exposing the tragedies that have occurred here, from the Manson murders to haunted sites. I went on an excursion to retrace the steps of the infamous Black Dahlia, a cold case that continues to mystify the public and remains unsolved.

Our trek began by stepping into a grey funeral Cadillac Fleetwood limousine. Quite a way to explore true crime in Los Angeles! Our guide, Blaze, set the stage with an introduction to Elizabeth Short, the young woman who would later become known as The Black Dahlia. Over the course of the next three hours, she drove us past several locations, retracing the victim’s whereabouts during the final days leading up to the discovery of her corpse.

We made stops at spots where Elizabeth lived, played and tragically died. A few included the Chancellor Apartments, Florentine Gardens, the John Sowden House, The Biltmore, Hotel Cecil, the Herald Examiner and, of course, the crime scene. Since decades have passed, some places have turned into other establishments, but it was eerie to contemplate that Short had walked these streets.

Up until this point, my knowledge of The Black Dahlia had been more rudimentary, and I’m familiar with the more publicized details of the case. However, the tour provided so much information that surprised me. For instance, I assumed Miss Short was an aspiring Hollywood actress, but Blaze disclosed that there aren’t any records of auditions or that she had scored any acting gigs. I also thought she was a more quiet, solitary figure. In actuality, she enjoyed mixing and mingling, frequenting bars, parties and other social gatherings. She was a young woman in her 20s who seemed eager to experience life in a big city.

For anyone who may not know, Short was born in Boston, MA, and moved to California when she was 18 to live with her father. When that didn’t go as planned, she struck out on her own and became estranged from her family.  Unfortunately, in efforts to survive and find a community to belong to, she ended up getting involved with the wrong crowds and less than savory individuals. From what I gathered, it seemed she was taken advantage of and didn’t receive kind treatment from many of the male figures she encountered. This is likely why there were more than 150 male suspects connected to her murder, including actor and director Orson Welles!

Let me backtrack a little to the Hotel Cecil. This place is synonymous with blood, death and murder. Just driving past it gave me the chills; one can’t help but pick up on its ominous energy. It’s a sad, derelict building that now serves as an affordable housing complex. It’s speculated that this is one of the places Elizabeth visited before her death, but that detail has never been verified.

So, where exactly was Short murdered? Where did the gruesome dissection of her body take place? This is one of the many questions that’s never been answered. We visited the Aster Motel, which has an unusual connection. The owners were aghast when one morning, they entered one of their rooms and saw it bathed in blood and fecal matter. They quickly reported the incident. This happened the day Elizabeth’s body was found on January 15, 1947.

Viewing the area where her mutilated remains were discovered was surreal. It’s no longer an empty lot of land and is now the front yard of a home located in an otherwise average-looking neighborhood. The only discreet indication of the horrendous event that occurred there is a patch of grass that’s lighter than the rest of the lawn. That’s the exact spot where Short’s dissected corpse was laid to rest. It appears the grass doesn’t like to grow in that area. Our guide informed us that people captivated with The Black Dahlia show up to take pictures near it. Keep in mind that this is private property, and you have to be careful not to trespass. There is a link that accompanies the tour, which passengers can access. The link has additional information, including explicit images of the murder scene, so proceed with caution if you have a sensitive stomach.

That wasn’t our final destination, however. We had one more stop to make and it was the Murder House from season one of the series American Horror Story. If you’re a fan of the show like I am, then you know what I’m referring to. There is a brief mention of The Black Dahlia made in the episodes and her tragedy is interwoven into the plot. The house definitely exudes creepy vibes and it was amazing to see it up close.

By the conclusion of our journey, I must admit I had more questions than answers, but I believe that’s the point of an experience like this. It got my wheels turning, and I was blown away by all the facts I learned. It was a lot to absorb, but Blaze was an excellent guide and did a wonderful job narrating our expedition.

I also must share that I met Shelby, host of the Scare You to Sleep podcast! We just so happened to have booked the same tour and it was pretty neat experiencing it with a fellow spooky content creator.

The groups are kept small due to the mode of vehicle transportation, so keep that in mind when reserving a slot. Since this tour lasted a few hours, there was a scheduled bathroom stop in case Mother Nature called. Besides The Black Dahlia tour, there are other options available, so you can pick your poison of choice. Be prepared to witness the sins of the City of Angels.

Where to Stalk

Grave Line Tours official website