Elizabeth Short

With her black hair and slim build, Elizabeth Short was often seen in dark clothing, a style that later inspired the name of the crime that made her famous. Born July 29th, 1924, in Medford, Massachusetts, to Phoebe and Cleo Short, she grew up with a passion for movies. When she was five, her father disappeared, and his car was later found near a lake, leading to the belief that he had died by suicide. He returned, but her mother refused to take him back, and he left again for the West Coast.

At 19, Elizabeth decided to visit her father in California. She stayed with him briefly, but he kicked her out for not doing anything with her life and for dating many men. She then traveled to Santa Barbara, where she was arrested for underage drinking and sent back to Massachusetts. In 1946, she returned to southern California. On January 15th, 1947, her body was found cut in half in a vacant lot in Leimert Park. The press dubbed the case "The Black Dahlia murder," mostly because of her dark hair and habit of wearing black clothing.

The murder sparked one of the most intense investigations in Los Angeles history. Police said they had suspects, but no arrests were ever made. The case remains unsolved. Elizabeth was just 22 years old when she died. She had been a model. The mystery of her death continues to fascinate people decades later.