Black Dahlia

Short was buried in Oakland's Mountain View Cemetery in a quiet ceremony attended by six family members. A handful of cops was also there, on the odd chance that the killer would appear to say one last scornful goodbye to his victim.

Short's headstone

On a recent trip to the cemetery, Short's gravesite would have been impossible to locate without the help of detailed instructions downloaded from the Internet. Mountain View Cemetery is large and rambling and offers sweeping views of the San Francisco Bay.

After half an hour searching a steep hillside, her plot was found. The modest pink marble headstone marking it was overgrown with crabgrass, and the words engraved on it were simple: "Daughter, Elizabeth Short, July 29, 1924 — January 15, 1947."

Because in the end, she is more than the enigmatic Black Dahlia, more than the unflattering reputation that has dogged her for six decades, more than another tragic Hollywood story. She was someone's sister, and someone's daughter.

Elizabeth Short, rest in peace.