November 12, 2026
Birch Bay, Washington
In my past publications, including Black Dahlia Avenger, I have mentioned that I am not a big fan of handwriting analysis.
It has been my experience that QDE (Questioned Document Experts) can be hired and testify to the exact opposite findings. “Yes, that is the defendant’s handwriting”, and “No, not the defendant’s.” That is not science.
That said, I do believe a QDE handwriting analysis can be considered as corroborative evidence.
For example, I hired a court-certified QDE, Hanna McFarland, to examine and compare the handwriting of my father, Dr. George Hill Hodel, to known handwriting samples sent in by the “Black Dahlia Avenger.” The results of her comparisons were “positive.” It was her expert opinion that George Hodel wrote many of the Avenger notes. (To date, some twenty-three years later not one QDE has come forward to challenge or refute her findings.)
As many of my readers know, I attribute the 1945-6 Chicago “Red Lipstick Killer” crimes to George Hodel. As summarized in the three chapters in Most Evil (Dutton 2009), I present a strong, compelling case. As “corroborative evidence,” take a look at the handwriting graphic below prepared by my editor, Robert J. Sadler, novelist (mystery and true crime) and retired Dallas PD police officer.
The comparison is George Hodel’s 1942 handwriting on his draft registration card to the known handwriting of the Degan child murderer who in 1946 addressed and sent a human ear to the victim’s mother, claiming, “Your ear will be next.” (Reporting of the day indicated the ear was “pickled” and believed stolen from a Chicago area medical laboratory.) In the below graphic, note how unusual and identical are the letters D and M to those of Dr. George Hill Hodel.
Again, standing alone and by themselves, this handwriting is not definitive but rather strong corroboration when added to my overall investigative findings.
November 21, 2025- Update
I have just this morning been informed by a reader that the GHH WWII Draft card has a back portion (not found by me) that indicates that some of the cursive HW on the card, including the samples shown in comparison to the “M” and “D” letters were written by the witness who received the document and not George Hodel. If this is accurate, then it all the more goes to prove my distrust in HW comparisons, absent additional strong compelling corroborative evidence. In the above graphic, none of the lettering was used by my QDE (Questioned Document Expert), Hannah McFarland, to link George Hodel’s HW to any criminal activity. Her analysis and linkage focused on Elizabeth Short, Jeanne French, L.A. Lone Woman Murders, and Zodiac.
The post Handwriting Comparison of Chicago’s 1946 “Red Lipstick Killer” who Sent Package Containing a Human Ear, with Message “You Will Be Next” to Parents of Their Murdered Child, Suzanne Degan to Known 1942 Handwriting of Dr. George Hill Hodel (Black Dahlia Avenger) appeared first on Steve Hodel.