Waylon Explains His ‘Scary’ Fascination with the Black Dahlia

Today marks the 67th anniversary of the discovery of the mutilated body of a young woman, and the beginning of the as yet unsolved Black Dahlia murder mystery. In the years that followed, a determined group of people for which I belong, unfortunately labelled "Dahliahphiles," have engaged in the task of preserving her dignity despite the continued distortion of the facts of her life. While the murder remains unsolved, one question can be answered: What became of Elizabeth Short?

The remains of Elizabeth Short, a young woman originally from Massachusetts, who like many others, came to California to make it big in the show business, were discovered January 15th, 1947. That is pretty much the extent of any accurate facts you'll find regarding the case. Falsehoods regarding the murder and her personal history abound.

Since the record will probably never be set straight, and the killer is probably long since dead, it is my belief we should pay our respects to the person, not the crime. In order to accomplish this, five years ago, I embarked on the "Elizabeth Short Research Tour," a self-financed discovery mission dedicated to the memory of the Elizabeth Short.

Elizabeth Short spent the last part of her life in Hollywood, except for a few months in San Diego immediately before her disappearance. Months before her death, evidence suggests she lived in unit #501 at the Chancellor Apartments on Cherokee Avenue in Hollywood. While there is no direct evidence that she in fact resided there, she had received mail at the address.

In case you were wondering... yes, I sunburn very easily. Evidence also suggests she lived for approximately one week at the Guardian Arms Apartments in this unit.

Almost all reports, both official and from the media, have the wrong location for the finding of her remains.  Her body was in fact found on Norton Avenue between 29th and 30th. Be careful when visiting the site -- the current resident does not appreciate looky-loos, and is quick to douse them with his garden hose when he finds them photographing his property.  Please don't ask me how I know this.

For years, various "death tour" companies have been taking the curious to the sites of famous murders in the L.A. area. In the case of the Black Dahlia murder, these tour services have been dropping the sight-seers off at the wrong location.

Most reports list the scene as 29th and Norton. The origin of this address comes from the fact that upon discovery of the body, police and reporters were dispatched to the intersection of 29th and Norton. This was not the actual location of the body, but rather the most significant intersection. Unbeknownst to them, tourists now days are paying good money to visit a site that is a quarter-mile off.

What became of her body? Where is Elizabeth Short's final resting place? At the request of her family, the location of her burial has been kept a secret. However, her family, along with her childhood friend Mary Pacios, author of the book "Childhood Shadows," have entrusted me with the location of her grave. While I cannot divulged the exact location, recent photos of her headstone provide something tangible for those who wish to pay their respects.

This photo does raise one interesting question: If the location of her grave is a secret, and I am the one who placed the flowers at far right on her grave, who placed the other three there?