The Black Dahlia Avenger: The True Story

by Steve Hodel

  The letter "B" is open at the bottom.

  The letter "D" has unusually long horizontal strokes that start and end far to the left.

  Below are two enlarged samples of printing known to be printed by the murder suspect. K5 was a sample written by the suspect in 1949, and K6 was a sample written by him in 1943. It is preferable, when possible, to compare known and questioned printing (such as these) that were printed within a few years of each other. Both known printing samples (K5 & K6) show the unusual "O" that slants to the left.

  Exhibit 45

  A person's handwriting can change over time. This is why it is best to compare known samples of writing that are current with the questioned handwriting.

  The known samples below were printed 50 + years after the questioned printing samples. In spite of the passage of time, all 3 individual characteristics shown in the questioned printing are seen in Kl. The shaky strokes of the printing are due to age, or possibly infirmity, as I am told the printer was 91 years old when he wrote Kl.

  In spite of time, the loss of his manual dexterity, all 3 individual characteristics are seen in this sample and are relevant in identifying him as the author of the questioned printing.

  The K2 sample was printed only one year prior to the Kl sample, and clearly demonstrates his use of the unusual "D." The author still had good motor control as seen in the smooth strokes.

  Exhibit 46

  After having formed the opinion that it was highly probable that the printing on the body, referred to as Q8, was printed by the suspect, who is known to have printed Kl, K2, K5, and K6, I was then asked to investigate if any of the other Questioned printing samples related to the murder investigation had been printed by the suspect. Because I had concluded that Q8 was most likely printed by the suspect, I could then use Q8 as additional material for comparison, along with the Known printing, to determine if other Questioned printing had been printed by the suspect.

  Below is a Questioned printing sample hereinafter referred to as Q2. I concluded that it was highly probable that the same person who printed Q8, Kl, K2,& K5, printed Q2. The "B" at the end of Q2 is open on the bottom as is the case with the "B" in Q8 and on the second and eleventh lines of Kl.

  Microscopic examination and enlargement of the "O" in "NOT" from the third line of Q2 revealed that the letter slants to the left. This matches the "O" in "YOU" in Q8. The similarity of the "O" in Q2 to the highly unusual "O" in Q8 is very significant. This "O" is also seen in Kl, K5, and K6. (Kl is shown below. K5 & K6 may be seen in the following illustrations.)

  Another individual characteristic, though not as significant as the "B" or "O," is the "S" in "SAID" in the sixth line of Q2. The middle portion of the letter is straight, forming an angle on each end of the straight stroke. This "S" is also seen in Kl, K5, K6, as well as Q7 and Q9, which follow.

  Due to the presence of the unusual "O" and "B" present in both the Questioned and Known samples, and the "S" I concluded that it was highly probable that Q2 was printed by the same writer as Q8 and the printer of the Known samples, who is the suspect.

  The use of the initials "B.D." that Q2 and Q8 have in common would be significant for identification purposes, except that the initials had been publicized. Due to the possibility of a copycat, the common initials are not significant in this comparison.

  Exhibit 47

  The printing on Q7 was most likely printed by the same person who printed Q8 and the known printing samples. The letter "P" in "Express" from Q7 has long horizontal strokes that start and end to the left of the body of the letter.

  The letter "D" in "BD" on Q8 has the same long horizontal strokes. This unusual "D" (that is similar to the "P") is also present in Kl & K2, which were shown in the previous illustrations.

  Of secondary significance in identifying the author of Q7, are the two "S's" at the end of "Express." The middle portion of the two "S's" is straight and thus forms a soft angle at each end of the straight line. This is also seen in the samples of the letter "S" in Kl, K5, K6 (below), Q2, (shown previously) and Q9 (which will be shown next). I formed the opinion that the printing sample referred to as Q9 was most likely printed by the same person who printed Q8, Q7, Q2, and the Known printing samples.

  Exhibit 48

  The "O" in "Los Angeles" in Q9 slants to the left which matches the "O" on Q8, Q2, and the Known printing as well (shown in previous illustrations).

  The "S's" in Q9 tend to be straight in the middle portion of the letter, forming angles (some of them soft) at one or both ends of the straight stroke. This is similar to the "s's" seen in Q7 as well as Q2 and the Known printing samples (shown in previous illustrations). The final stroke of the letter "s" is extra long in Q9 & Q7, making for a stronger identification between these two printing samples.

  The "E" in "Express" in Q9 has unusual horizontal strokes. The top horizontal stroke is far to the left, the middle horizontal stroke is slightly to the left of the downstroke. The same pattern is reflected on the right side of the "E" as well. This unusual pattern in the "E" on Q9 is also seen in "Express" in Q7. Because Q7 has been linked (by different handwriting indications) to Q8 and the Known printing, the connections ("S's" and "E" in "Express") between K7 and K9 provide an indirect, yet significant additional link between Q9 and the Known printing.

  The overall appearance of the printing in Q2, Q7 and Q9 looks disguised. Handwriting that is natural (undisguised) usually has a smooth, spontaneous flow, which reflects the unconscious nature of normal handwriting. The printing in Q2, Q7 and Q9 is slowly drawn because the writer is carefully thinking of how to make each letter. Other additional attempts at disguise are evident in Q2 by the poor sentence construction and misspelling of the word "Hearld." The wavy baseline may also be an attempt at disguise in these Questioned samples.

  The presence of the individual identifying characteristics shown in these samples in spite of the author's attempt at disguise, vividly illustrates the unconscious nature of handwriting and printing.

  Another interesting feature about this case is the presence of the individual characteristics evident over a long period of time. A person's handwriting can change over time. But this writer, the suspect, in this case retained his identifying traits over a period of fifty years.

  Exhibit 49

  Exhibit 50

  Questioned Document Samples Q1-Q9

  Questioned document samples Q1-Q9

  After independently verifying that the handwriting in both murders did originate from my father, I asked Ms. McFarland to evaluate the character and personality of the writer.

  As before, she was provided no background or personal information of any kind relating to the author of the samples.

  HANDWRITING CHARACTER ANALYSIS FOR STEVE HODEL APRIL 25, 2000

  The printing samples I examined, dated from 1924 to 1998, indicate that this printer is highly intelligent. With lightning speed, this printer zeros in on the essentials of a matter. Digesting new information comes easily for him. New information does not need to be explained in detail to this printer, since he does well and prefers to figure things out on his own. He excels at problem solving and derives considerable satisfaction from using his mind. His mind is so fast and agile that he readily anticipates several moves ahead. He is a shrewd strategist. This printer is adept at juggling several different projects at once and adjusts easily to changing conditions.

  This printer is impatient for results and is therefore not one to stand back waiting for things to develop. He prefers fast action and does not waste time in reaching his goals. I expect that he understands the importance of details but does not like to get bogged down in them due to being eager to move on to the next step.

  There are indications that this printer has highly developed tastes and is visually sophisticated.

  In dealing with people, this printer can easily be all things to all people if it suits his purpose. Though if someone is slow to catch on and is not essential for his success, then this printer is inclined
to be short and dismissive with another person. He does not suffer fools gladly, nor does he like to be told what to do.

  I expect that this printer's mother or mother figure was emotionally distant due to neglect, stress, illness, accident, or death. The nurturing he received lacked warmth, so that he was not able to properly bond with his mother or main caretaker. This disturbance in the original mother-child bond has resulted in him currently having considerable difficulty in developing close relationships with other people, even though he may function well in casual social settings. He is always aware of the amount of distance between himself and other people.

  This printer knows he has superior intelligence and taste. Consequently, he has a desire to leave his mark. Beneath this exterior of sophistication though, he is not nearly as secure or invulnerable. He takes things more personally than he lets on about. He comes off as cool and objective but is more sensitive than he appears.

  Because I had not had an occasion to use graphology as an investigative tool during my career as a homicide detective, I sent the following reply:

  April 27, 2000

  Dear Hannah:

  Thanks for the report on the character analysis, which I received yesterday.

  Forgive my ignorance on the subject, as this is the first time I have ever required a character analysis from handwriting. Can you tell me if these analyses are readily accepted in the main?

  I guess my question really relates and attempts to address the question for potential subjective analysis through what is written, versus how it is written.

  By example, in your analysis, is the "high intelligence" revealed through his manner of writing or through what is written? Such as the known sample that reads "portrait of a chap suddenly aware of the words of Sigmund Freud." I would not expect that sentence to be written by a plumber in Sedro Woolley, although one never really knows!

  Guess my real question is: Is the source of this analysis strictly coming from the actual mechanics of the writer as opposed to any extraneous outside knowledge or information that might be gleaned from the wording and text of the sample?

  Regards,

  Steve Hodel

  Hodel Investigations

  To which she responded:

  To: Steve Hodel

  From: Hannah McFarland

  Date: May 6, 2000

  Dear Steve:

  Following is my response to your questions.

  You want to know if these analyses (personality assessments) are readily "accepted" in the main. That is a thorny question. If you talk with academic psychologists, they will tend to be skeptical of handwriting analysis. Even though handwriting analysis was developed in the psychology departments at universities in Europe and the U.S., few psychologists are aware of this. Also, most psychologists know nothing about handwriting analysis, so are thus speaking out of ignorance, when they criticize it.

  The general public has an entirely different view of handwriting analysis. Many people are quite receptive to it, and many people are very interested in it. High profile cases (such as the Jon Benet Ramsey case) involving handwriting have been in the news lately, which has brought much more exposure and awareness about handwriting.

  Even though personality assessment via handwriting (HW) also known as graphology is a different discipline from questioned document examination (determining authorship) the public does not differentiate between the two. So, even though the Ramsey case is primarily about who wrote the "ransom" letter, it has also stimulated considerable interest in graphology (personality assessment).

  6,000 U.S. businesses are using graphology as part of the hiring process, according to Inc. magazine. In spite of the lack of conventional psychology's blessing, corporate America has found it to be accurate.

  One reason why graphology has yet to achieve mainstream acceptance, is that there is not a standard licensing available. Anyone can claim to be an "expert" graphologist. Thus there are plenty of amateur types promoting themselves as professional. Their work is inferior as a result and does not improve the reputation of graphology.

  I hope the above makes sense to you, Steve. It's a complicated topic! Your next question was about the source of the analysis. My report was based on the HW only. Knowing that the printer had committed murder, I could have been inclined to write that he was prone to violence. I did not see a lot of signs of propensity toward violence in the printing, so did not report that. The intelligence is seen in the printing, not the content of what is written.

  If you desire, I could also write an explanation of how I arrived at the personality assessment conclusions.

  Sincerely,

  Hannah McFarland

  Ms. McFarland noted an extremely unusual characteristic in the suspect's writing that, to my mind, demonstrates a bridge connecting the psychological orientation of graphology to what I consider the more empirical science of questioned-document analysis.

  Graphological analysis falls within the area of psychological profiling, which has tremendous potential value in possible screening and detection to be used as an investigative tool. However, due to the subjective and highly complex nature of the human mind, its evidentiary value must be viewed with healthy skepticism. In this case, knowing what we do about the writer, we find that the expert was highly accurate in her personality assessment/analysis.

  This bridge between these two branches of handwriting analysis specifically relates to the "Chinese Chicken" sample, K-5, and the printing Father wrote on the drawing in 1949.

  In the sample below, I have enlarged my name, "STEVEN." During her character analysis of the known writing, Ms. McFarland noted a handwriting phenomenon so exceptionally rare that in her examination of documents over many years she had never come across it. This rarity related to the manner in which the three letters "TEV" in "STEVEN" were written.

  As Ms. McFarland explained:

  It appears that all three letters were highly connected. The T bar connects directly to the top of the E. Most people lift the pen at this point to complete the E. But instead, this printer keeps going in order to form the V, and then goes back to complete the E.

  She advised me that to find two connected letters was not particularly rare, but three connected was unheard of, and would indicate the type of exceptionally high intelligence and forethought that might be found in a master chess champion such as a Boris Spassky or a Bobby Fischer. Confirmation of her observation was possible because I possessed the original drawing and was therefore able to verify the three unbroken letters. Thus, in this particular instance, because we were able to view the original document, her analysis of the three connected letters was "positive" instead of highly probable.

  Exhibit 51

  Above is the sample K-5, with an enlargement of the name "STEVEN" demonstrating the printed "TEV" connected and unbroken.

  Here, also, is one final sample (K-10), although it was not used as a submitted known sample to the expert. K-10 is copied from a portion of a contract document and was written and dated by George Hodel on January 11, 1999, just four months before his death. I include it because it demonstrates his consistency in the use of a specific characteristic. Within this limited sample of his printing, where he has printed only five sentences, we find he has written the open-bottomed letter "B" (circled) seven out of the eight times he used it.

  Exhibit 52

  K-10 (1999)

  This open "B" is only one of the four unique and individual characteristics of my father's handwriting that identify him as the author of the Black Dahlia Avenger and Jeanne French notes.

  Hannah McFarland's opinion was confirmed in large measure by two previous handwriting experts in their separate 1947 analyses. Like their modern-day counterpart, both of these earlier experts were a combination of graphologist and questioned-document examiner. Submitting a character analysis of the suspect, they concluded that an unspecified number of the postcards were handprinted by the same person.

  Clark Sellers, the internationally recogn
ized handwriting expert who provided forensic testimony that resulted in the conviction and execution of Bruno Hauptmann for the murder of the Lindbergh baby, was requested to examine the Black Dahlia evidence. He told the police and public that, in his opinion, "It was evident the writer took great pains to disguise his or her personality by printing instead of writing the message and by endeavoring to appear illiterate." But, he added, "The style and formation of the printed letters betrayed the writer as an educated person."

  In examining the Black Dahlia documents, handwriting expert Henry Silver told the police, "The sender is an egomaniac and possibly a musician. The fluctuating base line of the writing reveals the writer to be affected by extreme fluctuations of mood, dropping to melancholy. The writer suffers from mental conflict growing out of resentment or hatred due to frustration of sex urge."

  George Hodel's profile includes all three of these characteristics: he was highly educated, a musician, and an egomaniac.

  Based on the accumulated evidence, there can be no farther doubt: my father was the sadistic psychopath who killed both Elizabeth Short and Jeanne French.

  However, it's also important to examine the "why" behind the crimes and to establish whether or not George Hodel, and in all likelihood his partner Fred Sexton, were responsible for the deaths of other lone women during the 1940s and '50s in and around Los Angeles. Was it possible that George Hodel had not only killed Elizabeth Short and Jeanne French but others as well? Had he, as I now began to fear, been a serial killer?

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  More 1940s L.A. Murdered