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

This is the deepest, darkest, most disturbing story I’ve heard in podcast format. It is so well done, I was hooked immediately. It’s been almost 2 years since I finished it, but it lingers. Surrealism is almost entirely ruined for me, not that it was something near and dear to my heart anyway. The mention of Dali or Man Ray and my stomach churns. Might not be for everyone, but this was a 10/10 for me.

Overall, this was a riveting podcast. I do believe George Hodel is the person who murdered Elizabeth Short. I don’t think he was the zodiac killer, but I would also believe Elizabeth Short was not the only time he killed someone. But even if neither of those things were true, he is still one of the most horrific types monster one can imagine. Pure evil. And to learn about the hedonism that is justified by nonsensical, pretentious philosophy and is rampant within elite circles was sickening. I think one reviewer here has not been able to accept the dark influences many of the most famous surrealist artists had. Surrealism in general is not a dark genre, but you can’t deny that the most famous surrealist artists and their art were public about being heavily influenced by disgusting ideas. It’s well known, it was never a secret. A superficial search on how much famous surrealists admired Marquis de Sade (whom sadism was named after) and his ideas, and who Marquis de Sade is will explain the ties. The most famous surrealist artists were openly and deeply inspired by sadism and the most dark/hedonistic interpretation of nihilism. It is upsetting. However, some of the logic in this podcast troubles me. If George Hodel is evil (which he is), then Tamar Hodel is evil, as well. However, if one says “we have to understand the nuance that Tamar Hodel was a victim, and her father’s abuse is what caused her to become an abuser. She is not just a monster” (which I also agree with on a fundamental level, to a certain extent), then we also have to say “George Hodel is not just an evil monster. Someone/something caused him to become an abuser. Who put these ideas in George’s head? What was his childhood like (aside from being a genius musician)? Was he traumatized?” To be honest, I don’t really care to know. It wouldn’t change how I feel about him, the same way Tamar’s background doesn’t change how I feel about her. It only adds context and horror to the story. I do agree that this is an uncomfortable truth about the potential effects and longterm outcomes of abuse. Victims can become the most vile abusers. But I don’t think having a history of trauma makes you any less of an evil monster if you do things that are truly horrific and victimize other people. Tamar’s children are examples of the fact that even if you have scars and issues from the worst type of abuse imaginable, you do not have to become a monster. I can’t really understand the logic of being happy to accept one person is simply an evil monster, and another person as a complicated, nuanced victim who perpetrated abuse. At the end of the day, it’s likely both things for both people. It’s l very interesting, but it doesn’t change the evil either of them did. Tamar was on track to pass down the curse of being tormented by your own parents to her own grandchildren by tormenting her children for years in unspeakable ways. Truly evil. Tamar’s children broke the cycle. I can understand that I probably shouldn’t expect a logically sound perspective from family members. My mom is very abusive and unstable, and for most of my life I felt compelled to protect and defend her. I told my husband she was like a “little broken bird”. I certainly understand it’s difficult. But I see people who are not related to Tamar using the same logic, and I see that logic in many other places. People arbitrarily decide who is simply evil and the root cause of all of the evil things that go on to happen, and who is a complicated victim-turned-abuser.

This was the first podcast series I ever listened too. I was absolutely captivated by the story. I don’t know that there will ever be one as good. You may have come here for the black dahlia connection, but you’ll stay for the story. Brilliant job guys.

You might start this podcast because of the Black Dahlia connection, but you’ll keep listening for the Hodel family’s haunting story. What makes Root of Evil unforgettable isn’t the murder — it’s the generational trauma that followed. It’s raw, disturbing, and deeply human, showing how one or two twisted lives can scar an entire family for generations.

I listened to the entire series and it gave me pause. Episode 4, Minotaur, presumes some wildly inaccurate themes of surrealism as an art movement. Surrealism has nothing to do with reducing women to objects or debasing them in any way; I looked it up to double check because I have a degree in art history and everything the podcast took away sounded bizarre. I don’t know what sources were used for episode 4, but please don’t believe this podcast at face value. It’s an entertaining pod, I don’t think I can take it as factual or well researched based on what I know.