Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder - Part Two: Becoming Elizabeth

Broken: The Black Dahlia Murder - Part Two: Becoming Elizabeth

Before she became The Black Dahlia, Elizabeth Short was simply Beth — a young woman with big dreams, an open heart, and a longing for something beyond the ordinary. In Part Two: Becoming Elizabeth, we step back in time to uncover the story of the woman behind the legend.

From her childhood in Medford, Massachusetts, through family tragedy, illness, and the Great Depression, we follow Elizabeth’s journey into adolescence — a girl fascinated by Hollywood glamour and determined to create a better life for herself.

We trace her adventures from the frozen streets of New England to the sun-drenched beaches of Florida and the military bases of California during World War II. Along the way, we meet the men who loved her — and the heartbreaks that would shape her fate.

This episode explores the making of Elizabeth Short: the beauty, the dreamer, and the woman who walked fearlessly into a world that would one day remember her by another name.

About This Series

BROKEN: The Black Dahlia Murder is a six-part Once Upon a Crime original series.

Through extensive research, historical records, and firsthand accounts, Esther Ludlow uncovers the truth behind America’s most infamous unsolved murder, separating fact from fiction to rediscover the real woman behind the myth.

Sources & References

  • Los Angeles Police Department and FBI case archives and reports.
  • “Black Dahlia: Murder, Monsters, and Madness in Midcentury Hollywood” by William J. Mann, Simon & Schuster, (Advanced Reader Copy), Publication date: January 13, 2026.
  • “Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder” by John Gilmore.
  • Historic articles from the Los Angeles Times and The Examiner (1947). (Accessed on Newspapers.com.)


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✈️ Travel with Us to Mexico City! 🇲🇽

We’re taking Once Upon a Crime on the road—and you’re invited! In March 2026, join us for a fun, fabulous 4-day group trip to vibrant Mexico City. Explore incredible sights, savor delicious food, and connect with fellow true crimefans on an unforgettable adventure.

Reserve your spot today with just 25% down—but hurry, space is limited and will sell out fast!

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Love Triangles: A Deadly Affair - Candy Montgomery

Love Triangles: A Deadly Affair - Candy Montgomery

In this week’s episode, Lorena joins me to discuss another true crime that resulted from a love triangle. Betty Gore was brutally murdered with an axe in the summer of 1980 in her small town of Wylie, Texas.  The community would initially be terrified that a psychotic axe murderer was on the loose.  But the reality would shock them even more when it was discovered a respected and well-liked member of the local church choir had wielded the axe, killing Betty Gore with 41 whacks.  This is the case of “A Deadly Affair: Candy Montgomery.”   Resources Cited:  Candy (2022) - A Hulu Original Show -  https://www.hulu.com/series/candy-2ce80ed9-7ab6-44de-8434-f7dadb6ec11b Love and Death (2023) - Love and Death can be streamed on Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, and YouTube.   Movie: A Killing in a Small Town (1990)  People Magazine Investigates: Candy and Betty - https://www.investigationdiscovery.com/video/people-magazine-investigates-investigation-discovery/candy-and-betty Book: Evidence of Love: A True Story of Passion and Death in the Suburbs (reprinted 2016), by John Bloom and Jim Atkinson, Open Road Media.  Links:  Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Website - www.truecrimepodcast.com  YouTube channel - www.youtube.com/@OnceUponACrimePodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

24 Juli 20231h 31min

Love Triangles: The Case of the Killer Clown

Love Triangles: The Case of the Killer Clown

In this episode, two people in committed relationships become infatuated with one another.  When one of their spouses is murdered, investigators quickly zero in on the star-crossed lovers.  However, investigators will find it challenging to prove who killed Marlene Warren due to the baffling description of the attacker.  Sources:  A Clown At The Door | A Court TV Special Michael Warren Now: Where is Marlene Warren's Ex-Husband Today? Update (thecinemaholic.com) What happened to Marlene Warren? | The US Sun (the-sun.com)  True Crime: Clown killer accused of murdering Marlene Warren (palmbeachpost.com) Killer clown: Key players in the murder trial of Marlene Warren (palmbeachpost.com) Wellington clown murder case: Defense says state hid possible suspect (palmbeachpost.com) Killer Clown suspect Sheila Keen-Warren pleads guilty (WPTV West Palm Beach) https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/wellington/sheila-keen-warren-plea-deal Son of Killer Clown victim ‘relieved’ following Sheila Keen Warren’s plea deal (WPTV West Palm Beach) https://www.wptv.com/news/region-c-palm-beach-county/wellington/son-of-killer-clown-victim-relieved-following-sheila-keen-warrens-plea-deal Links:  Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

10 Juli 202331min

Revisiting “The Staircase”: The Owl Theory

Revisiting “The Staircase”: The Owl Theory

In this episode we’ll revisit the Michael Peterson case aka “The Staircase Murder”.  My guest, author Tiddy Smith, will discuss an alternate theory to explain the death of Kathleen Peterson detailed in his new book Death by Talons.  Links:   Tiddy Smith’s Author Page: https://wildbluepress.com/death-by-talons-tiddy-smith-true-crime/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/SmithTiddy https://www.patreon.com/OnceUponACrimeSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

3 Juli 202347min

The Long Con - The Murder of Mee Kuen Chong

The Long Con - The Murder of Mee Kuen Chong

On June 10th, 2021, an elderly woman vanished without a trace from her own home in Wembley, London. 16 agonizing days later, and a staggering 200 miles away, visitors exploring the seaside town of Salcombe stumbled across a horrific scene. There amidst the beauty of the coastal landscape, lay a headless body. Join us to unravel the mysteries surrounding this gruesome case.  We're pleased to offer you this special episode in collaboration with the amazing and very popular true crime podcast Minds of Madness!  Esther and Tyler co-host this episode to unravel the mysteries surrounding this gruesome case from the U.K. Research&Writing: Nicole Colin & Katherine Thomas - Epigram Literary Group Editing: Aiden Wolf Sources: en.wikipedia.org 1 en.wikipedia.org 2 en.wikipedia.org 3 en.wikipedia.org 4 theguardian.com theguardian.com 2 cbsnews.com bbc.com 1 bbc.com 2 abc.net.au dailytelegraph.com.au 1 dailytelegraph.com.au 2 dailytelegraph.com.au 3 lbc.co.uk metro.co.uk devonlive.com vice.com birminghammail.co.uk aol.com thechronicle.com.au dailymail.co.uk kilburntimes.co.uk standard.co.uk news.sky.com judiciary.uk youtube.com 1 youtube.com 2 youtube.com 3 youtube.com 4 Links: Patreon - www.patreon.com/onceuponacrime Minds of Madness - https://mindsofmadnesspodcast.com/listen/ CrimeConversations - https://www.crimecon.co.uk/crimeconversation See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

11 Juni 202344min

7 Case Updates from 7 Years of Once Upon a Crime

7 Case Updates from 7 Years of Once Upon a Crime

We’re celebrating our 7th anniversary of the podcast by bringing you 7 case updates of crimes we’ve covered since 2016. Thank you all so much for making this crazy true crime ride possible! Episodes referenced: Episode 1: Lost and Found: Jaycee Dugard Date released: June 9, 2016 Link to episode:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-072-the-12-crimes-of-christmas-laci-peterson-part-2/   Episode 71 & 72: The 12 Crimes of Christmas: Laci Peterson Date released: December 18, 2017 Links to episodes:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-071-the-12-crimes-of-christmas-laci-peterson-part-1/ https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-072-the-12-crimes-of-christmas-laci-peterson-part-2/ Episode 83: Unusual Criminal Defenses: The Affluenza Defense Date released: March 26, 2018 Link to episode:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-083-unusual-criminal-defenses-the-affluenza-defense/ Episode 126: Bad Sports: Sally “Killer” McNeil Date released: April 8, 2019 Link to episode:  https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-126-bad-sports-sally-killer-mcneil/ Episode 158: Bad Seeds: Leslie Arnold Date released: February 24, 2020 Link to episode: https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-159-bad-seeds-leslie-arnold/ Episode 168 & 169: Last Dance: The Pelley Murders Date released: May 11, 2020 Links to episodes: https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-168-last-dance-the-pelley-murders-part-1/ https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-169-last-dance-the-pelley-murders-part-2/ Episode 238 & 239: The Ties That Bind: The Crimes of Shelly Knotek Date released: April 12, 2022 Links to episodes: https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-238-the-ties-that-bind-the-crimes-of-shelly-knotek-part-1/ https://www.truecrimepodcast.com/episode-239-the-ties-that-bind-the-crimes-of-shelly-knotek-part-2/ Other links:  CrimeCon UK - www. Crimecon.co.uk - use my discount code ONCEUPON for 10% off your tickets!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

5 Juni 202328min

Dead Woman Walking: Shawna Forde

Dead Woman Walking: Shawna Forde

In this series, I share true crime cases that resulted in women being sentenced to Death Row.  In 2009, a woman victimized by a childhood of abuse and violence becomes immersed in anti-immigrant vigilante groups.  Her zeal and dedication to this cause result in a home-invasion plot that results in the murders of a Hispanic man and his young daughter.    Resources: https://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/news/shwna-forde-kid-killing-minutewoman-sentenced-to-65-years-in-prison-in-addition-to-death-sentence-6637423 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murders_of_Raul_d_Brisenia_Flores https://murderpedia.org/female.F/f/forde-shawna.htm https://caselaw.findlaw.com/az-supreme-court/1655105.html Links:  CrimeCon UK - www.crimecon.co.uk - The ultimate true crime weekend will take place on June  9th and 10th in London.  Come out and meet me and all your favorite true crime podcasters, documentary filmmakers, authors, investigators, and more.  Use my offer code ONCEUPON to claim your discount at registration. You can meet me on Podcast Row and attend my live show with Tyler from Minds of Madness Podcast!  Subscribe to Once Upon a Crime’s YouTube Channel!  - https://www.youtube.com/onceuponacrimepodcast See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

29 Maj 202337min

Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 2

Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 2

This Mother’s Day, join Shane Waters on a chilling adventure featuring 14 podcasters (including Once Upon A Crime)  as they share sinister stories of motherhood. Mother’s Day is typically a time to honor the love and sacrifices of mothers, but today we’ll be exploring the twisted tales that lurk behind the shadows.  Part 2: Once Upon A Crime [https://www.truecrimepodcast.com] PNW Haunts & Homicides [https://www.pnwhauntsandhomicides.com] The Trail Went Cold [https://www.trailwentcold.com] Coffee & Cases [https://tinyurl.com/pc25pzzs] Already Gone [https://www.alreadygonepodcast.com] Twisted and Uncorked [https://www.twistedanduncorked.com] Mystery Inc [https://www.itsmysteryinc.com] If you enjoyed this holiday collaboration special, check out the other collaboration specials: Deceptions & Resurrections [https://tinyurl.com/3a9d7yrf], Bloody Valentine [https://tinyurl.com/e6ynmzpr], and A Nightmare before Halloween [https://tinyurl.com/52jeh66d]. Until our next adventure, stay safe and stay vigilant.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

22 Maj 20231h 13min

Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 1

Deadly Devotion: Motherhood and Mayhem, Part 1

This Mother’s Day, join Shane Waters on a chilling adventure featuring 14 podcasters (including Once Upon A Crime)  as they share sinister stories of motherhood. Mother’s Day is typically a time to honor the love and sacrifices of mothers, but today we’ll be exploring the twisted tales that lurk behind the shadows.  Podcasts are listed here in order of appearance: Part 1: Foul Play: Crime Series [www.itsfoulplay.com] Music City 911[https://musiccity911.com] Crimes from the East [https://tinyurl.com/37sx22bt] Cults, Crimes, Cabernet [https://www.cultscrimescabernet.com] A Nefarious Nightmare [https://tinyurl.com/y5nuezs5] Crimelines [https://linktr.ee/Crimelines] The Asian Madness Podcast [ https://tinyurl.com/5n8nv6aySee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

22 Maj 20231h 7min

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