The Murder of Georgette Bauerdorf

[JonathanVonErich]

Georgette Elise Bauerdorf, born on May 6, 1924, was a twenty-year-old oil heiress who was strangled in her home at the El Palacio Apartments on 8493 Fountain Avenue, West Hollywood, California. To this day the identity of her murderer remains unknown and the case is still open.

THE CASE

On October 12, 1944, in Los Angeles, Georgette Bauerdorf was murdered. Her case baffled police from the beginning—it was one of those L.A. killings with an abundance of evidence but no suspects. Bauerdorf lived in a landmark apartment complex called El Palacio, where knew many of her neighbors, and worked as a hostess at the Hollywood Canteen, a famous nightspot where she met many people each evening. The night of her murder she left work and arrived at El Palacio around midnight. Sometime within the next three hours her killer subdued her, strangled her, and left her body in her bathtub. Everything about the Bauerdorf case was a puzzle. Neighbors heard nobody enter the apartment, but an automatic nightlight outside her door had been unscrewed, presumably by the killer, to prevent witnesses from seeing him. The building janitor lived downstairs and heard her walking around her kitchen, but was not able to confirm the presence of a second person. And finally, another neighbor heard her scream around 2:30 a.m., “Stop, stop! You’re killing me!” That neighbor, inexplicably, rolled over and went back to sleep. Bauerdorf’s job at the Hollywood Canteen made for plenty of suspects, but none that were promising. She had a boyfriend, but he lived out of state and his alibi was airtight. Witnesses at the nightclub had seen her have difficulty with a soldier earlier that night, but that wasn’t unusual in a place where people drank, and the man was located and cleared of wrongdoing. Bauerdorf’s friend Rose Gilbert provided a tantalizing tidbit of testimony to police, saying that Bauerdorf had asked her to spend the night at her apartment earlier that evening—seemingly the request of person worried about their safety. But after work Bauerdorf went home alone.

THE CRIME SCENE

A maid found Bauerdorf's body, face-down in a bathtub. It is believed that she was attacked by a man who was lying in wait for her. Los Angeles County sheriff's Inspector William Penprase said that an automatic night light over the outside entrance of the apartment had been unscrewed two turns so it wouldn't go on. The murderer was thought to have stood on a chair to reach the light bulb nearly eight feet from the floor. Fingerprints were found on the bulb. Bauerdorf put up a great struggle. An examination by Los Angeles County Autopsy Surgeon Frank R. Webb found abundant bruises and scrapes. The knuckles on Bauerdorf's s right hand were smashed and bruised. There was a large bruise on the right side of her head and another on her abdomen, perhaps the result of blows from fists. She had been strangled with a piece of towel stuffed down her throat. Webb said her right thigh showed the bruised imprint of a hand "even to the fingernail marks piercing the skin."

A SUSPECT AND CONNECTION TO ELIZABETH SHORT ?

In his book Severed author John Gilmore claims that there is a great possibility that Georgette and Elizabeth Short, The Black Dahlia, were killed by the same man. Some people even claims that Georgette and Elizabeth knew each other, however there is no evidences that this is true. A man, who identified himself as Arnold Smith, came forward with details about the Black Dahlia case. He named the killer as Al Morrison, and described the grotesque manner in which Morrison slapped a board across a bathtub and then laid the Black Dahlia's body across it while he proceed to saw her in half and drain all her body fluids into the tub before first washing and then dumping her body. He also commented on "that other one who was found in a bathtub," possibly referring to Georgette Bauerdorf. Details of the two murders quickly overlapped. A bathtub had been utilized in the two cases, and both women had had something stuffed in their mouth (The Dahlia's panties were shoved in hers, according to Smith). Additionally, they were both around the same age with dark hair and similar features. However: The man Arnold Smith identified as the Dahlia's killer, as it turns out, never existed. There was no such person. Police suspected Smith and Morrison were one in the same, but they would never be able to charge him. He accidentally burned to death after falling asleep with a lit cigarette, shortly before he was supposed to be interviewed by L.A. officers. Gilmore have recorded interviews he conducted with Smith and Gilmore is convinced that Smith, aka Morrison, was indeed the murderer of Elizabeth Short and possibly the killer of Georgette. Sadly with Smith's death there's no way to know for sure and both cases remains unsolved.

LINKS

Georgettebauerdorf.com, A site dedicated to Georgette

TruTV: Connection between Georgette and Elizabeth Short

Wikipedia: Georgette Bauerdorf

[JonathanVonErich]

Another very interesting link between Georgette and suspect Arnold Smith:

A man whom Bauerdorf had dated - a tall man who walked with a limp - couldn't be found. Bauerdorf's murderer fled in her car, which was abandoned near 25th and San Pedro. A week after the murder, Herald Express newspaper reporter Aggie Underwood received a tip that a tall, thin man walking with a limp was seen walking away from 25th and San Pedro. Smith was a thin alcoholic who stood around 6'4" and walked with a limp.

I am almost convinced that Smith, alias Morrison, was indeed the killer or both Georgette Bauerdorf and Elizabeth Short. I wrote an email to Mr. Gilmore and asked him if anything new have come up since the last time the book was released. Hopefully I'll get an answer soon.

Edited August 7, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

[Antilles]

Another very interesting link between Georgette and suspect Arnold Smith:

A man whom Bauerdorf had dated - a tall man who walked with a limp - couldn't be found. Bauerdorf's murderer fled in her car, which was abandoned near 25th and San Pedro. A week after the murder, Herald Express newspaper reporter Aggie Underwood received a tip that a tall, thin man walking with a limp was seen walking away from 25th and San Pedro. Smith was a thin alcoholic who stood around 6'4" and walked with a limp.

I am almost convinced that Smith, alias Morrison, was indeed the killer or both Georgette Bauerdorf and Elizabeth Short. I wrote an email to Mr. Gilmore and asked him if anything new have come up since the last time the book was released. Hopefully I'll get an answer soon.

Have you heard anything back from Gilmore? It's an interesting case. Donald Wolfe posits there was a connection between Georgette and the Black Dahlia because he says they both worked at the Hollywood Canteen together. Reckon that's true? Why the tall man is mentioned is because he could have reached up to unscrew the light bulb above the victim's door. If he was 6"5 then it's possible he could have done that without having to find something to stand on.

[JonathanVonErich]

Have you heard anything back from Gilmore? It's an interesting case. Donald Wolfe posits there was a connection between Georgette and the Black Dahlia because he says they both worked at the Hollywood Canteen together. Reckon that's true? Why the tall man is mentioned is because he could have reached up to unscrew the light bulb above the victim's door. If he was 6"5 then it's possible he could have done that without having to find something to stand on.

No, nothing back, I guess no new evidences were found. I think mr. Gilmore is done with both cases, he is 100% convinced that he have found the murderer of Elizabeth Short and perhaps also the murderer of Georgette.

True, some people claims that Georgette and Elizabeth Short knew each other and that they were friends or worked together at the Cantine, sadly we have no evidences that they indeed knew each other. In Severed a man claims that one night he saw Georgette and Elizabeth together in a bar, but after second thought he wasn't really sure that Elizabeth Short was one of the girl, he was positive about Georgette but wasn't about Beth, so again we can't tell if they knew each other. Georgette's murder happened more than 2 years before the murder of Elizabeth and at no point did Elizabeth said anything about her friend Georgette being murdered. Elizabeth never said a word to anybody about Georgette and I'm sure, if indeed they knew each other or simply worked together at the Cantine, that she would have said something about the murder to her mother or her sisters.

I'm almost 100% convinced that Arnold Smith, aka Al Morrison, was the killer of both Beth and Georgette. The fact that Georgette dated a tall man who walked with a limp, description who fit Smith perfectly, is very strong evidence that Smith knew Georgette. The way Smith described how the murder of Beth happened, even describing all the conversations between her and her killer before she died and how he severed her body in the bathtub after placing her body on a board was so accurate and so vivid that there is no questions that he was at least on the crime scene when it happened. At one point during one of the interview he gave to Gilmore Smith said that Morrison was probably the killer of "that other girl found in a bathtub", talking of course about Georgette. He was always calling Beth "her", was not able to say her name or nickname and was always very nervous when he was talking about the case. I think he committed both murders.

Edited August 21, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

[Billyf]

wow, this is really interesting.ive never heared of this case. i have always been interested in the elizabeth short case and figured the guy must have done it before.the fact that he died soon after makes sense, i always thought if the guy who killed beth had not died or been caught he most certinly would have commited more crimes in a similar fashon.

[libstaK]

No, nothing back, I guess no new evidences were found. I think mr. Gilmore is done with both cases, he is 100% convinced that he have found the murderer of Elizabeth Short and perhaps also the murderer of Georgette.

True, some people claims that Georgette and Elizabeth Short knew each other and that they were friends or worked together at the Cantine, sadly we have no evidences that they indeed knew each other. In Severed a man claims that one night he saw Georgette and Elizabeth together in a bar, but after second thought he wasn't really sure that Elizabeth Short was one of the girl, he was positive about Georgette but wasn't about Beth, so again we can't tell if they knew each other. Georgette's murder happened more than 2 years before the murder of Elizabeth and at no point did Elizabeth said anything about her friend Georgette being murdered. Elizabeth never said a word to anybody about Georgette and I'm sure, if indeed they knew each other or simply worked together at the Cantine, that she would have said something about the murder to her mother or her sisters.

I'm almost 100% convinced that Arnold Smith, aka Al Morrison, was the killer of both Beth and Georgette. The fact that Georgette dated a tall man who walked with a limp, description who fit Smith perfectly, is very strong evidence that Smith knew Georgette. The way Smith described how the murder of Beth happened, even describing all the conversations between her and her killer before she died and how he severed her body in the bathtub after placing her body on a board was so accurate and so vivid that there is no questions that he was at least on the crime scene when it happened. At one point during one of the interview he gave to Gilmore Smith said that Morrison was probably the killer of "that other girl found in a bathtub", talking of course about Georgette. He was always calling Beth "her", was not able to say her name or nickname and was always very nervous when he was talking about the case. I think he committed both murders.

If fingerprints were found on the light bulb in Georgette's murder and Smith was known to police am I to understand that no circumstances ever presented whereby his fingerprints were placed on any record? I wonder what the odds are of any of his personal effects lying around with a relative untouched but with his prints still on them? Has everything really been absolutely exhausted?

Just curious ...

[Antilles]

If fingerprints were found on the light bulb in Georgette's murder and Smith was known to police am I to understand that no circumstances ever presented whereby his fingerprints were placed on any record? I wonder what the odds are of any of his personal effects lying around with a relative untouched but with his prints still on them? Has everything really been absolutely exhausted?

Just curious ...

Good point. Smith/Morrison whatever he called himself would definitely have had a police record. It's such an old case it's hard to be sure but if the cops dusted for fingerprints on the light bulb then they could be matched with Smith's. But....there's always a but. A lot of the stuff from the Black Dahlia case has gone missing which is was more high profile than Bauerdorf. Besides, no-one if I'm right was looking for Smith at the time of the murders so why try to match his fingerprints to anyone else's.

[JonathanVonErich]

Fingerprints were found on the light bulb but like Antilles said back then Smith was not a suspect in the case, he became a suspect more than 20 years later, in the 60's, after John Gilmore interviewed him. Then officer John St. John tried to match Smith's fingerprints to the prints found on the bulb, but sadly the fingerprints were lost when the case went cold. Back then, in the 40's, police departments had the habits of throwing evidences away when a case was in a dead end, amazing but true, that's what I have read and it seems like it happened in the case of Georgette.

[JonathanVonErich]

More about the possibility that Georgette knew Elizabeth Short:

Booked into the sheriff's property was a diary in which Georgette described her meetings with servicemen and celebrities at the Hollywood Canteen. She made notes about her friends, dates and acquaintances. Georgette wrote that in the summer of 1944 she met a "Beth", and that she also met her in September, one month before she was murdered. Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, wanted people to call her "Beth" because it sounded more adult. This could be good evidence that they knew each other.

It's not clear that Elizabeth really worked at the Canteen, all we know is that she'd met several guys there. A woman who worked at the canteen told the authorities that a man called Arthur Lake "once talked to both of the murdered girls" one night at the Canteen. Lake was immediately contacted and admitted that he may have talked to Georgette and Elizabeth and that the two girls were sitting together. He was shown pictures of Elizabeth and said that "maybe it was the other girl" but wasn't sure. He was convinced that Georgette was one of them but was not sure that the girl who was with her was Elizabeth. Lake said that somebody told him that the girl with Georgette was a bit players in the movies; if this is true then it could not have been Elizabeth, since Beth never played in any movies.

The detectives also spoke to some of the girls who worked with Georgette at the Canteen back in 1944 but none of them was able to say if Georgette was friend with Elizabeth, none of them remembered seeing the two of them together.

Edited August 27, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

[soundofwhite]

wow this is fascinating, i am familiar with the the black dahlia case, but never have heard of Georgette. wow thats crazy if they actually knew each other, i reckon they did. and i think the killer is the same. the way the bath was used. and the stuffing of something in there mouth, its very similar

[JonathanVonErich]

wow this is fascinating, i am familiar with the the black dahlia case, but never have heard of Georgette. wow thats crazy if they actually knew each other, i reckon they did. and i think the killer is the same. the way the bath was used. and the stuffing of something in there mouth, its very similar

Yep, fascinating case.

I'm not convinced that Beth and Georgette knew each other, but I am convinced that both of them were killed by Arnold Smith, aka Jack Anderson Wilson.

Like you said there's many similarities; the way the bath was used, the stuffing of something in there mouth. Plus, of course, the LAPD have tapes of interviews made with Wilson, where he gives all the details of Beth's murder, and where he also talks about "that other girl who was found in her bathtub", talking about Georgette.

Edited October 28, 2011 by JonathanVonErich

[JonathanVonErich]

Here's a picture of Jack Anderson Wilson, aka Arnold Smith:

Author John Gilmore is convinced that he is the killer of Elizabeth Short, also the killer of Georgette. I agree with him.

I'm trying to find Wilson's "rap sheet", from the LAPD.

[Antilles]

More about the possibility that Georgette knew Elizabeth Short:

Booked into the sheriff's property was a diary in which Georgette described her meetings with servicemen and celebrities at the Hollywood Canteen. She made notes about her friends, dates and acquaintances. Georgette wrote that in the summer of 1944 she met a "Beth", and that she also met her in September, one month before she was murdered. Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia, wanted people to call her "Beth" because it sounded more adult. This could be good evidence that they knew each other.

It's not clear that Elizabeth really worked at the Canteen, all we know is that she'd met several guys there. A woman who worked at the canteen told the authorities that a man called Arthur Lake "once talked to both of the murdered girls" one night at the Canteen. Lake was immediately contacted and admitted that he may have talked to Georgette and Elizabeth and that the two girls were sitting together. He was shown pictures of Elizabeth and said that "maybe it was the other girl" but wasn't sure. He was convinced that Georgette was one of them but was not sure that the girl who was with her was Elizabeth. Lake said that somebody told him that the girl with Georgette was a bit players in the movies; if this is true then it could not have been Elizabeth, since Beth never played in any movies.

The detectives also spoke to some of the girls who worked with Georgette at the Canteen back in 1944 but none of them was able to say if Georgette was friend with Elizabeth, none of them remembered seeing the two of them together.

What do reckon Jon? Possible the 2 girls knew each other?

The only thing I'd say against it is that they moved in very different circles. Bauerdorf was a lot more 'upper' class than Beth.

But it is an interesting idea. Let's face it, it's a tantalising idea because it would place us one step closer to knowing who killed the Black Dahlia.

[JonathanVonErich]

What do reckon Jon? Possible the 2 girls knew each other?

The only thing I'd say against it is that they moved in very different circles. Bauerdorf was a lot more 'upper' class than Beth.

But it is an interesting idea. Let's face it, it's a tantalising idea because it would place us one step closer to knowing who killed the Black Dahlia.

Thanks for asking Antilles.

I believe it's possible that they knew each other, but to me there's nothing solid showing me that it might be the case.

Both Beth and Georgette knew so many people, had so many "friends" that it's highly possible that they might have met, but again I never read real proof that this might be true.

Georgette came from a rich family, but her friends were mostly middle class people. Her apartment was not what you would expect from a girl who have lots of money, she was down to earth and friendly to anybody, most of her friends were like Beth, young people trying to have a career in Hollywood.

My favorite suspect, Jack Anderson Wilson, gave every details possible about the murder of Beth, but never gave much details about the murder of Georgette. However a man was seen on the crime scene of Georgette's murder, and it fits exactly Wilson ( very tall, walking with a limp ), and Wilson once dated Georgette. He gave no details about Georgette's murder, but still talked about it, talking about "that other girl who was found in her bathtub". I have read Severed 5 times, and I'm convinced that Wilson ( aka Arnold Smith ) is the killer of both Georgette and Beth. I only wish we had more evidences against him, other than the interviews he gave to John Gilmore ( now property of the LAPD ) and the fact he dated Georgette.

What do you think ??

[Antilles]

Obviously Smith was a bad dude and it's more than likely he was involved in Bauderdorf's death.

I think it's pushing it for him to be considered as a suspect in both deaths.

http://www.johngilmore.com/interviews&reviews/deadbeat.html

In the enormous and enormously old world of homicide, Arnold Smith ranks as one of its most unique characters, if only because he came tailor-made for the Black Dahlia story. Shedding light on Smith - a thin alcoholic who stood around 6'4", walked with a limp, had a five-page rap sheet and a dozen different aliases, imbues the Black Dahlia story with even more intensity than it already possessed. Smith is the mysterious shadow who lurks throughout the SEVERED book, whom police could never quite pinpoint. While Elizabeth Short was still alive, rich socialite Georgette Bauerdorf(an acquaintance of Short's) was murdered and left in her bathtub; police investigated all leads except one. A man whom Bauerdorf had dated - a tall man who walked with a limp - couldn't be found. Bauerdor's murderer fled in her car, which was abandoned near 25th and San Pedro (see map). A week after the murder, Herald Express newspaper reporter Aggie Underwood received a tip that a tall, thin man walking with a limp was seen walking away from 25th and San Pedro. Many, many years later, Arnold Smith emerged as a suspect in the Black Dahlia case only because he related the story to an informant who in turn gave him enough money to stay loaded. However, Smith explained that he wasn't responsible for the murder; an acquaintance of his - one Al Morrison (who never existed) - had murdered Short in a house on East 31st by San Pedro and Trinity, and later told Smith.

In a taped interview given to the LAPD by the informant, Smith related details about the murder that only the murderer could have known. Interestingly, just like with Georgette Bauerdorf, a bathtub had been used in Elizabeth Short's murder - in this case to drain away her blood. Hot to nail him (and certain that Al Morrison was just a decoy to protect the real killer - Smith himself) the LAPD and Detective Badge Number One, John St. John, managed to arrange another meeting between the informant and Smith, at which time they would finally have their man.

In the case's most astonishing twist, Smith nodded off while smoking only days before the meeting, and died in a fire in his tiny room in the Holland Hotel near downtown L.A.

As you say jon, it's possible both girls knew each other but if they did, IMO it would have been only in a very superficial way.

What links both cases?

Both died in LA within 3 years.

Both supposedly worked at the Hollywood Canteen but I've never come across anything definitive about BD's involvement there.

Both were roughly the same age and goodlooking.

One was found dead in a bath tub, the other was supposedly cut in half over a bathtub to drain her blood.

And that's it as far as I can tell.

Bauerdorf was raped and murdered by someone she met at the Hollywood Canteen.

Short was brutalized by someone who wanted to send a message.

[JonathanVonErich]

Thanks for sharing details about Smith Antilles.

This is a nice summary you posted, but people should read Severed, the book is full of interesting informations about Smith, very detailed. Gilmore goes as far as sharing most conversations he had with Smith, word for word. Very interesting read.

As you say jon, it's possible both girls knew each other but if they did, IMO it would have been only in a very superficial way.

What links both cases?

I agree 100% with you Antilles, If they knew each other ( and it's a big If ) I agree that it would have been only in a very superficial way. Both of them had met so many different people when they were in L.A. that it's impossible to really know if they met. We know for sure that Beth didn't had any close firneds in L.A., so right there it eliminate the possibility that her and Georgette were close friends. I have read that the name "Beth" was found in Georgette's book where she wrote the names of everybody she met, but it could be anybody, Beth or Elizabeth were very popular names back then, to me it's not solid evidence that they knew each other.

You are right about Beth's involvement at the Canteen. We have no solid evidence that she once worked there. If she did I believe it was for a very short time, way before Georgette worked there. We know for sure that Beth went numerous times to the Canteen, to meet men, but as far as her having a job there we have no evidence.

What links both cases ?? Smith.

We know Smith dated Georgette. Like you said in both murders a bath was involved, but it's not a very solid evidence that both girls were murdered by the same killer, I agree.

In the interviews he gave to Gilmore,( recorded on tapes, now property of the LAPD ) Smith gave so much details about Beth's murder that he had to be there. He was either the killer or accomplice of the killer. All the details are in Severed. Gilmore always felt that Smith needed to confess so he could clear his conscience. The details he gave are so detailed that I don't think he could have created the story. He told everything; how they met, how he brought her to his place, all the discussions between they had, how she was sitting on the edge of the couch when he first hit her, all the details about the mutilations, how he dumped the body, why he dumped the body in this particular place ( and how it remainded him of a woman's vagina )etc. Of course Smith said that a man called Morrison was the murderer, and shared details about Morrison to Gilmore, but after an investigation LAPD found that Morrison never existed, and that logically Morrison was just another alias for Smith.

Smith talked about the Dahlia's murder, but also talked about the murder of Georgette, but never shared much details about it.

I don't have much time right now ( I'm writing this from my Campus ), but I'll share parts of Severed here, Smith's account of Beth's last moments are so detailed that yes, I am convinced that he killed her. I know we need more evidences, but the interviews are enough for me. I'll share more details soon.

[Antilles]

When you get the chance to share what you know, I'll read with interest.

I know this is off topic about Bauerdorf, but I believe there was a doctor involved in Short's murder. Well, actually, 2 peopele. The one who mutilated her, killed her and dumped her body. And the one who performed the abortion on her and cut her in half. Like a surgeon.

[JonathanVonErich]

I know this is off topic about Bauerdorf, but I believe there was a doctor involved in Short's murder. Well, actually, 2 peopele. The one who mutilated her, killed her and dumped her body. And the one who performed the abortion on her and cut her in half. Like a surgeon.

Don't worry, it's not off topic.

It's possible. I am convinced that Smith is the killer, but I can be wrong, anything is possible.

Like I said earlier Smith described the murder of Beth in details, almost second by second, and the way he described it the killer didn't needed surgical knowledge to cut her in half. In fact just about anybody was capable of doing it, most expert agree that the way she was mutilated don't show any sign that the killer might have had medical knowledge, that he was a surgeon.

From what I have read I doubt that the rumors about the abortion are true.

I have downloaded a documentary on my Macbook, an interesting look at the Dahlia case. In this part a researcher share his research about the case, and his suspect is....a doctor. Interesting facts link him to the murder, but I have read about this guy and I don't think he is as credible as John Gilmore, he seems to forget many details that doesn't fit his suspect and seems to only remember the facts linking his suspect to the case. And again: in my opinion Smith gave way too much details about the death of Beth, he must have been involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyWjnFY858Y

[Antilles]

Don't worry, it's not off topic.

It's possible. I am convinced that Smith is the killer, but I can be wrong, anything is possible.

Like I said earlier Smith described the murder of Beth in details, almost second by second, and the way he described it the killer didn't needed surgical knowledge to cut her in half. In fact just about anybody was capable of doing it, most expert agree that the way she was mutilated don't show any sign that the killer might have had medical knowledge, that he was a surgeon.

From what I have read I doubt that the rumors about the abortion are true.

I have downloaded a documentary on my Macbook, an interesting look at the Dahlia case. In this part a researcher share his research about the case, and his suspect is....a doctor. Interesting facts link him to the murder, but I have read about this guy and I don't think he is as credible as John Gilmore, he seems to forget many details that doesn't fit his suspect and seems to only remember the facts linking his suspect to the case. And again: in my opinion Smith gave way too much details about the death of Beth, he must have been involved.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyWjnFY858Y

Never seen that before. Thanks for posting it.

Dr Walter Bayley. He actually fits what I would think the doctor involved would be like. But I don't think he killed Short. A surgeon like him cut her in half.

http://www.bethshort.com/bd/2006/09/16/walter-bayley/

Walter Bayley

LA Times Reporter Larry Harnisch presents a theory by a different approach, relying on archived property records and certified documents.

Although by ‘46 he had been experiencing financial strain, Bayley had previously been chief of staff at the Los Angeles County Hospital, as well as an associate professor of surgery at the Universty of So. Cal.

Bayley resided at 3959 S. Norton Avenue - a block from the lot where Beth’s body was found.

In October of 1946, now in a relationship with Dr. Alexandra von Partyka, Walter left his family, and filed for divorce.

Bayley died in 1948. His death certificate states he had a condition which involved shrinkage of the brain.

Harnisch doesn’t think he’s solved the case, but he does feel quite confident of his findings. He outlines a connection between the Bayley and Beth - Bayley’s daughter knew Beth’s sister and brother-in-law. He believes Beth may have reached out to Bayley in her first months in LA.

[JonathanVonErich]

Sorry, I didn't had time to share parts from the book yet, with my classes and everything else.

I just wanted to share this picture, showing Georgette's ID card for the Hollywood Canteen.

(Courtesy: http://www.georgettebauerdorf.com)

And this article about Georgette's death.

This case is very "Underrated", everybody should try to learn more about it.

[JonathanVonErich]

After researching/ reading more about both the Black Dahlia case and the murder of Georgette Bauerdorf, I am convinced more than ever that Jack Anderson Wilson, aka Arnorld Smith, was indeed the killer of Georgette. I'm now less convinced that he was the killer of Elizabeth Short however, but I still believe that he was involved in her death or that at least he was there when she was killed. He just knew too much about the murder, he had to be there.

What's special about the case of Georgette is that just about everybody who wrote books about the Black Dahlia case believe that Georgette and Elizabeth Short were killed by the same man. John Gilmore and Steve Hodel don't see eye to eye about who killed Elizabeth, however both agree that Elizabeth and Georgette were killed by the same man. However the fact remains that we have no evidence that Elizabeth and Georgette knew each other.

More about the life of Georgette: http://www.georgettebauerdorf.com/

[Antilles]

Well, they gotta sell their books somehow I guess.

That ID photo doesn't look like Georgette. Just saying.

One thing about Georgette's killer. He unscrewed the lightbulb in front of her door so he had to be tall. I agree with that. But Wilson wasn't the only tall man in LA in 1946. Just one who suits writers trying to link both murders to the same killer.

Georgette's murder was a sex crime. I don't think there's any doubt about that. She wasn't a prostitute or into anything illegal that we know about. So whoever killed her was after sex.

Would a girl from a well to do family honestly have had anything to do with Wilson voluntarily? I don't think so. Whoever killed her worked himself up into a rage.

BD was tortured for a week I think it's fair to say. There was nothing accidental or a sudden rush of blood to the head about her murder. So I agree with you Jon that the 2 murders aren't linked. Unless the murderer radically changed his MO and I don't think so.

[JonathanVonErich]

One thing about Georgette's killer. He unscrewed the lightbulb in front of her door so he had to be tall. I agree with that. But Wilson wasn't the only tall man in LA in 1946. Just one who suits writers trying to link both murders to the same killer.

Of course Wilson ( aka Smith ) wasn't the only tall man in L.A. in 1944 ( Georgette was killed in 1944 ). The fact he was tall enough to unscrew the lightbulb is only one of the reasons why I believe he did it. Remember that:

- Wilson and Georgette were seen together on numerous occasions at the Canteen. In fact they dated each other. We don't know for how long, but we know they went on a date at least once ( Georgette liked to date soldiers, and Wilson's gimmick was to pretend he was a soldier )

- Reporter Aggie Underwood received a tip that a tall, thin man walking with a limp was seen walking away from 25th and San Pedro shortly after the murder. We know that the killer fled in Georgette's car; her car was abandoned near 25th and San Pedro. Wilson was a tall, thin man and he walked with a limp.

- Authorities wanted to interview Wilson in the weeks following the murder and they thought he would be at some point at the Canteen. Seems like Wilson never went back to the Canteen after the murder of Georgette, which is strange since we know he liked to hang out at that place.

- While being interviewed by John Gilmore about the Dahlia case, Wilson gave details about "that other girl found in her bathtub", no doubt talking about Georgette ( he indeed talked about the piece of cloth Georgette had in her mouth when she was found dead ).

We know she dated Wilson at some point. People working at the Canteen and friends of Georgette offered good evidence that the two dated at least once. Georgette dated a lot of soldiers when she worked at the Canteen, and Wilson pretended to be a soldier ( he was dressed as a soldier but wasn't ). And it's well documented that Georgette liked to hang out with anybody she met at the Canteen. She came from a very rich family, true, but she liked to hang out with middle class people, soldiers, low lifes, anybody really. She was down to earth and very independent, it seems like she wanted to stay away from the life of the rich and famous, wanted to stay away from her family, their money, etc.

Usually I'm the kind of the guy saying "Show me the evidence, we need strong evidence to accuse somebody of being a killer". But in this case I think we have very good evidence that Wilson, aka Smith, killed Georgette. That's how I feel.

Edited July 18, 2012 by JonathanVonErich

[The Mule]

Interesting stuff Jon...I need to check out more of this stuff....the "died while falling asleep smoking" sounds fishy to me. Too easy an answer.

[JonathanVonErich]

Interesting stuff Jon...I need to check out more of this stuff....the "died while falling asleep smoking" sounds fishy to me. Too easy an answer.

You're welcome Mule.

I agree. The timing of his death is suspicious, that's for sure. He died shortly after Gilmore told a newspaper that he was going to interview his suspect ( Wilson ), he died shortly before the big interview with Gilmore.....Gilmore made a mistake by giving the information to the newspaper, or at least that's what some people think. It's possible that Wilson was murdered because he knew too much. My opinion: I feel like it was anccident. If my memory is correct there were at least 4 fire at Wilson's room in the last 3 years of his life ( he was always drunk and was falling asleep with a cigarette in his mouth ). But who knows ?? Maybe he was murdered. The timing of his death seems to be more than a strange coincidence, I agree.