Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder section with many never before-published photos from the life of Elizabeth Short and from the case, including graphic crime scene and postmortem police photos. The book was well-received upon publication, receiving praise from publisher Larry Flynt, as well as David Lynch, who optioned the book for film rights in 1995; the film eventually fell through. Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder Severed: The True Story of the Black Dahlia Murder is a 1994 American historical true crime book by John Gilmore. The book details the life and death of Elizabeth Short, also known as "The Black Dahlia,"
Emma Elizabeth Smith With the exception of Walter Dew, who said he thought that Smith was the first victim of the Ripper, the police suspected it was the unrelated work of a criminal gang. Smith either refused to or could not describe her attackers, possibly because she feared reprisal. Prostitutes were often managed by gangs, and Smith could have been attacked by her pimps as a punishment for disobeying them, or as part of their intimidation. Emma Elizabeth Smith Emma Elizabeth Smith (c. 1843 – 4 April 1888) was a prostitute and murder victim of mysterious origins in late-19th century London. Her killing