When exactly did the Black Dahlia die?
Elizabeth Short, later known as the Black Dahlia, died on or around January 14–15, 1947. Her body was discovered in the early morning of January 15, 1947, in Leimert Park, Los Angeles. The time of death is not known precisely, but medical examiners estimated she had died roughly 12 to 48 hours before discovery, placing her death in the late evening of January 14 or very early morning of January 15. No credible source supports a different date for her killing.
Key facts at a glance
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Elizabeth Short | Law enforcement records |
| Common name | Black Dahlia | Media and public naming |
| Date of death | January 14–15, 1947 (estimated) | Medical examiner estimate |
| Body discovered | January 15, 1947, about 6:00 a.m. | Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) |
| Location found | Leimert Park, Los Angeles, CA | LAPD reports |
| Age at death | 21 or 22 years old | Background records |
How we know when she died
Investigators inferred the timing of Elizabeth Short’s death from physical evidence and forensic estimates. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s office used standard methods in 1947 to estimate the postmortem interval, concluding she died roughly 12–48 hours before her body was found on January 15, 1947. No surviving death certificate or contemporaneous medical record names an exact minute of death, so the window of January 14–15, 1947, represents the most reliable, evidence-based range available today.
Timeline of discovery and investigation
- Late January 14–Early January 15, 1947: Estimated window of death based on forensic evidence.
- January 15, 1947, about 6:00 a.m.: Elizabeth Short’s body discovered in Leimert Park.
- January 1947: Los Angeles Police Department opens a major homicide investigation that receives national media attention.
- 1949: LAPD closes the case without charges, citing lack of suspects and evidence.
- Subsequent decades: Documented investigative reviews, books, and documentaries reaffirm the original January 1947 timeline of death and discovery.
Clarifying misconceptions about the date
Some sensational or fictional accounts suggest alternative dates or imply the killing occurred much later than January 1947. Law enforcement files, coroner reports, and contemporary news coverage consistently align on a death in mid-January 1947. While new theories occasionally emerge, none have produced forensic or documentary evidence that revises the established timeline. The date of late January 1947 remains the only one supported by primary investigative materials.
Elizabeth Short’s life before her death
Elizabeth Short was born on July 29, 1925, in Hyde Park, Boston, Massachusetts. She moved to Southern California in the early 1940s, visiting briefly in 1943 and then returning around 1946 after time spent in New England and Hawaii. In late 1946 and early 1947, she was living in the Los Angeles area, working as a waitress and maintaining limited contact with family. Her life in that period was marked by financial strain and instability, setting the stage for her highly publicized death months later.
Ongoing legacy and cultural impact
The moniker Black Dahlia emerged in 1947 from media comparisons to the Black Dahlia cultivar and the film The Blue Dahlia. Because no one was ever charged, the case has remained an open investigation and a symbol of unsolved crime in Los Angeles. Over decades, the story has inspired novels, films, and extensive journalistic coverage, yet the core facts about when Elizabeth Short died remain consistent: late January 1947.