11 episodes

When Elizabeth Short, also known as The Black Dahlia, was brutally killed in 1947, it gripped the entire country. More than 70 years later, it remains America's most infamous unsolved murder. Many believe Dr. George Hodel was the killer, thanks to an investigation by Hodel's own son. But murder is just part of the Hodel family story, one filled with horrifying secrets that ripple across generations. Now, through never-before-heard archival audio and first-time interviews, the Hodel family opens up to reveal their shocking story. In this eight-part documentary series, sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile, the great grand daughters of George Hodel, take a deep dive into their family history to try to figure out what really happened, and where do they all go from here? Root of Evil is the companion podcast to TNTs limited series I Am the Night. Inspired by the true story of the Hodel family, the series stars Chris Pine and comes from acclaimed Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.

Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia TNT / Cadence13

    • True Crime
    • 4.7 • 542 Ratings

When Elizabeth Short, also known as The Black Dahlia, was brutally killed in 1947, it gripped the entire country. More than 70 years later, it remains America's most infamous unsolved murder. Many believe Dr. George Hodel was the killer, thanks to an investigation by Hodel's own son. But murder is just part of the Hodel family story, one filled with horrifying secrets that ripple across generations. Now, through never-before-heard archival audio and first-time interviews, the Hodel family opens up to reveal their shocking story. In this eight-part documentary series, sisters Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile, the great grand daughters of George Hodel, take a deep dive into their family history to try to figure out what really happened, and where do they all go from here? Root of Evil is the companion podcast to TNTs limited series I Am the Night. Inspired by the true story of the Hodel family, the series stars Chris Pine and comes from acclaimed Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins.

    Saved By The Ghetto

    Saved By The Ghetto

    Fauna Hodel, a biracial girl living in Sparks, Nevada, finds out the truth about who she really is, where she came from, and her terrifying family history.

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    • 46 min
    A Skilled Surgeon

    A Skilled Surgeon

    Former LAPD Homicide Detective, Steve Hodel, explains the identity of the Black Dahlia, the circumstances of her murder in 1947 Los Angeles, and how the LAPD's profile of her killer fit Steve's own father, George Hodel.

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    • 40 min
    George's Gift

    George's Gift

    A deeper look into the life of George Hodel and his children; his interests, his parties, and the horrifying incident in 1949 that would reshape the Hodel family forever.

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    • 43 min
    The Minotaur

    The Minotaur

    Steve Hodel receives a phone call that pulls him out of retirement to investigate the Black Dahlia, a murder that had been ice cold for more than 50 years. The deeper Steve gets, the more he comes to accept his father was a sadistic killer.
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    • 47 min
    Traumatic Reenactment

    Traumatic Reenactment

    The vicious cycle of family trauma continues as George Hodel's daughter, Tamar becomes a mother. Her children tell the heartbreaking story of growing up in a shockingly toxic environment.

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    • 57 min
    Supposin' I Did Kill The Black Dahlia

    Supposin' I Did Kill The Black Dahlia

    Steve Hodel uncovers a pile of evidence connecting his father, George Hodel, to the Black Dahlia murder.
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    • 1 hr 8 min

Customer Reviews

4.7 out of 5
542 Ratings

542 Ratings

Goldlion_x ,

Amazing but also the most disturbing thing I’ve ever listened to

I listened to this when it first came out (a few. years ago now surely) and I still unfortunately think about it from time to time to this day. Horrifying and very very very dark but brilliant.

JMDMCM ,

You couldn’t make this up!

This is a brutally brilliant true crime podcast like nothing I’ve heard before. It’s a spiderweb of one family’s story of multigenerational abuse and their survival; but it’s also about LAPD corruption and/or incompetence and their absolute unwillingness to investigate multiple crimes despite much evidence. The show also demonstrates humanity at its finest as the adult descendants of the abuse break clear and end the cycle of abuses and the resulting trauma.

Hannahmaymurray ,

In its own league.

I listen to a lot of true crime, but this one is different. Had a quick read through the other reviews, I can see why others might have found it hard to follow and going off the main plot of the crime, but this is what I found most compelling.

It’s not often you get to hear first hand the impact having a family connection to a crime such as this has on a family, and how far it reaches through generations.

There are so many layers to the story, I couldn’t stop listening.

Grateful that the family were able to share their deeply personal stories in such an open and honest way.

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