Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia
5.0/5
Critic Rating
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...
Critic Reviews
Score: 5
Gregg Stockdale • The Podcast Geek • Mar 12, 2023
"Both sides are very well researched, and no punches are pulled. This was a grueling listen in a similar vein to Hunting Warhead. The fact that one man’s evil deeds can impact so many generations of his family is unbelievable, it should be unbelievable anyway. Unfortunately it isn’t. The final episode was both heartwarming and heartbreaking, as the grandchildren met up for the first time in decades to discuss how they have tried to rebuild their lives in the face of terrible life experiences."
Score: 5
Zach Johnston • Uproxx • Sep 16, 2021
"Through Hodel’s great-granddaughters, we get a deep look into a disturbing man and his family. While there is a sense of story building towards a climax, a good place to get a taste is with episode six, Supposin’ I Did Kill The Black Dahlia. "
Score: 4.9
Mr. Hipster • Mr. Hipster Blog • Apr 3, 2019
"So, I started off on this podcast series and immediately grew concerned that it would follow the TV series and become just an audio version of that show. Luckily, it became a much more intimate peek into the Hodel family and how one really, really fucked up dude can almost doom an entire lineage to lives of horribleness. It’s a nice cap (although pretty brutal in parts) to give us all some hope that there is life after apocalyptic dysfunction."
