August 15, 2023
Birch Bay, Washington
This is the third time in as many days that I have had the same question from readers.
Q: “Mr. Hodel, Is there any truth to the rumor that your grandfather owned Sowden house and just rented it to your father?
Apparently, one or more of the naysayers is out there spreading “rumors” (think deliberate lies) in an effort to create one of the many “smoke screens.” The simple truth is there will always be fantasists with other theories or simply just want the crime(s) to remain “unsolved” and they become angry with their, “Don’t Mess With My Myth” attitude. No matter how much hard evidence and proof is presented they are simply incapable of changing their beliefs–“No, the world IS FLAT.”
The short answer to the above question is: NO, No truth at all to the “rumor.” George Hodel was the sole owner of the Sowden property.
That is not to say that his father, George Sr. may not have helped with the downpayment, though I even doubt that. Considering the residence was purchased by my father for a whopping $37,500 in 1945. If he had to pay even 20% down ($7500) with monthly payments of around $200 a month, I’m sure as Head of L.A. County V.D. Control, he could have easily swung it by himself. Add to that the fact he bought it from “friends,” Dr. and Mrs. Mazur, who likely gave him liberal financing.
George Sr. and his short-lived second marriage wife, a French music teacher, did live there a short time while GHH went to China with UNRRA after joining in late 1945, but moved out on his return in ’46.
I have seen the sales documents and it was just the reverse. GHH’s father and wife were temporary tenants and lived (likely rent-free) at their son’s Sowden House. I have seen the signed, sales documents and they showed George Hodel Jr. as the sole owner of the property. Below is GHH’s clever sales brochure for the property which he sold in 1950, to pay for his defense attorney, Jerry “Get Me” Giesler to represent and help him beat the ’49 Incest charge. Then he gets bugged at the Soweden House, confesses to multiple murders, and “got out of Dodge just ahead of the Sheriff” so to speak.
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I provided the above-pictured sales brochure from my father’s personal papers and it was published in Mark Nelson and Sarah Bayliss’ book, Exquisite Corpse: Surrealism and the Black Dahlia Murder (2006)
GHH on his desk at his Franklin House 1950
The post Liars and Tigers and Bears-Oh My!- Sales Documents Prove Dr. George Hill Hodel was Sole Owner of the Sowden/Franklin House appeared first on Steve Hodel.