Here’s Boxie and I with this month’s “Ask Me Anything” on George Hodel.

In this session, I discussed Steve Hodel’s dismal attempt at handwriting analysis and bizarre claims that a woman named Romayne Goldsmith sold the Sowden House to George Hodel.

The handwriting that Steve Hodel laboriously analyzed regarding a letter sent to the Degnan family of Chicago after the 1946 murder of Suzanne Degnan is actually that of Emma J. Vreeland, the registrar who filled out the draft registration card in 1940 for George Hodel.  The only example of  George Hodel’s writing on the card is his signature. Notice Vreeland’s signature on the back of the card.

Steve Hodel’s purported seller of the Sowden House, Romayne Goldsmith, lived with her sister, Leatrice, and brother-in-law, Leo Goodman, at 459 N. Orange Drive throughout the 1940s, and later at 3235 Barbara Court.

According to the 1940 federal census, she worked as a secretary at a movie studio, earning $1,200-$1,300 per year (the handwriting is a bit hard to read), which is $27,251.57, when adjusted for inflation. In contrast, George Hodel was earning $3,000 annually ($68,128.92, adjusted for inflation), according to the 1940 census. According to the 1950 census, Goldsmith was working in a beauty salon doing electrolysis. There is absolutely nothing in the public records to connect her in any way with the Sowden House.

We also talked about:

–Does the October 1948 issue of True Detective “prove” that the original investigators believed the murder of Elizabeth Short was a serial killing?
–Did anyone check George Hodel’s car?
–Was George Hodel Sr. a real estate speculator?
–Is Steve Hodel still saying that his father’s photos show Elizabeth Short?
–George Hodel’s relationship with Duncan Hodel.
–Is there anything to link George Hodel to Elizabeth Short?
–Was George Hodel really suspected of killing his secretary?