Supported by the Short Family, “Deconstructing Dahlia” Follows Investigation in Real Time, Unearthing New Evidence Pointing Toward a Primary Suspect and Proving the Location of the Murder, Among Other Revelations
Global production company Talestorm announced a new docuseries in development, “Deconstructing Dahlia,” chronicling its real-time investigation that is on the cusp of solving one of the most infamous murders in American history: the 1947 killing of Elizabeth Short, widely known as the Black Dahlia. The Deconstructing team behind the project has uncovered a series of startling new leads, including a primary suspect and evidence proving the location of the murder, and is currently pushing the Los Angeles Police Department to release key pieces of evidence that have been withheld for nearly eight decades.
The family of Elizabeth Short has also shown their support of the investigation and docuseries, backing Talestorm’s LAPD petition as this ongoing investigation nears the truth.
“As family members of Elizabeth Short, we have lived for years without knowing what happened to our daughter, sister, and aunt. We respect the work Talestorm has done,” said the Short family.
The docuseries follows a unique team of filmmakers, investigators, and retired law enforcement officials who have been embedded in the case for five years, including former Los Angeles County District Attorney Steve Cooley, investigator and retired US Marshal Commander Lenny DePaul (History Channel’s “Hunting Hitler,” CBS’s “Hunted”), former White House Chief Information Officer Theresa Payton, and New York Times bestselling author and retired LAPD detective Mike Rothmiller, among many others.
Their work uncovering evidence, tracking down new sources, and reconstructing key moments surrounding the murder has led to the discovery of a suspect, a significant bloodshed event, and the location of the murder.
“There is finally enough evidence in the Black Dahlia case to qualify for a grand jury indictment against a suspect,” said Cooley. “What came before would not even be circumstantial, a lot of it’s just pure speculation or pure fiction. This team’s efforts brought it to a much higher level of confirming who actually killed the Black Dahlia.”
“We came into this without a preconceived suspect and started from the ground up, reviewing case files across multiple sources and, for the first time, comparing them side by side,” said DePaul. “As that work deepened, a clear picture began to emerge. After nearly 80 years, this investigation brings a level of clarity the case hasn’t seen before. It speaks to what’s possible in cold cases, and why there’s still reason for families to believe answers can come.”
Among the new findings uncovered in the series are:
– The discovery of a major bloodshed event and a concealed, walled-up room at a location tied to the investigation.
– Evidence suggesting the original crime scene was altered.
– New witnesses who never came forward, including the families of Elizabeth Short and the suspect.
– Official reports that have not been seen, accessed, or examined in almost 80 years.
– The confirmation that significant evidence and portions of files have disappeared from official agencies.
– New information from old LAPD informants, including one from former LAPD intelligence.
“We embarked on this project after receiving an unprecedented case tip containing details that were never made public and never referenced in any known case materials, including the still-unreleased LAPD file,” said director Jeff Thomas VII. “At that point, walking away was no longer an option. What began as a single lead quickly evolved into a full-scale investigation. As our work progressed, we were granted extraordinary access to protected files connected to the original investigators, materials we were told may have vanished from both LAPD and LADA records following the Grand Jury proceedings of 1949 and 1950.”
“Our mandate was simple: follow the evidence,” said producer Kimberly Lupini. “As we re-examined protected materials across multiple sources, we began uncovering mountains of information and interviewed sources never interviewed in the original investigation. This was all evidence that we believe could solve this case. While the investigation is ongoing, it is clear that we don’t have another never-ending Dahlia theory. Long-overdue closure is finally within reach for the Short Family.”
Currently, at the center of the investigation is the Deconstructing team’s effort to obtain crucial evidence in Short’s case file, including the only full, unredacted autopsy report that’s been withheld by the Los Angeles Police Department for almost 80 years. The document is critical to finally bringing closure to this case and the Short family. The Deconstructing team at Talestorm is actively petitioning for its release.
The Black Dahlia case has long occupied a singular place in American true crime lore, spawning countless books, films, and theories. Talestorm’s series aims to shift that narrative, grounding the case in newly surfaced evidence while documenting the effort to unlock what may be its most significant remaining pieces of evidence.
About Talestorm:
Founded in 2016, Talestorm is a global production and publishing company producing visionary and innovative storytelling that radically inspires the world and changes history. Talestorm’s film and publishing projects span feature films, documentaries, episodic television, animation, educational programming, music, scripts, and books. True crime filmmaking and publishing are a large component of its core work.
The company is currently developing “Deconstructing Dahlia,” a true crime docuseries investigating one of the most infamous murders in American history: the 1947 killing of Elizabeth Short, widely known as the Black Dahlia.
Talestorm’s previous slate includes reality series such as “Rhythm with Views,” “Ana’s Angels,” “Chesnutt’s Road Dogs,” “American Gem Trackers,” “Road Rangers,” “Golf: The Rabito Way,” and “DMF Bait.” Additional credits include the feature films “Sidewalk Singer” and “Fallen Angels,” as well as music videos including FirstRush’s “The Road Less Traveled” and Kylie Frey’s “Rodeo Man.”
Formed through the merger of 4 Sight Productions and JTM Media, Talestorm was built with a mission beyond storytelling. Every Talestorm production or publication centered on a cold case helps financially support its sister nonprofit, The Justice Cannot Be Silenced Foundation 501(c)(3), providing critical investigative resources for cold cases where time, manpower, and financial support are too often limited.
For more information visit www.JusticeCBS.org and www.talestorm.com.
