The Root of Evil Podcast takes a two-way approach to the talk about Black Dahlia. The 70-plus-year-old infamous unsolved murder has brought about ongoing hypotheses, but the name George Hodel is the renowned one, a man liable for the ferocious mutilation. If you’re a true crime enthusiast, you might hear of the cold case of Black Dahlia. In 1947, the brutally-killed body of Hollywood hopeful Elizabeth Short was discovered.
Because of the crime’s barbaric nature, along with the woman’s enigmatic history. The notorious Hodel Family Story has been widely broadcasted on multiple channels. Although the podcast digs into the Black Dahlia murder, the actual thread is on Hodel and his bloodline— past, present, and future. With Hodel’s great-granddaughters, we have an in-depth breakdown into a morbid man and his lineage.
About The Root Of Evil Podcast
In 1947, the entire country was captivated by the brutal murder of Elizabeth Short, also referred to as the Black Dahlia. The crime remains a mystery to this day, and one of the main suspects was George Hodel, a well-known surgeon. After Hodel passed away in 1999, his son, Steve Hodel, who formerly worked as a homicide detective for the Los Angeles County Police Department, sought to understand more about his father’s past. In his quest, Steve stumbled upon details that led him to suspect his father was indeed the Black Dahlia’s murderer. Today, previously unheard archival audio and debut interviews tell the tale, as the Hodel family opens up to share their shocking story.
This eight-part podcast series thoroughly investigates and analyzes one of America’s most horrendous murder cases in history — The Black Dahlia case. What’s striking about this show is that it contains statements from blood relatives of the suspect, Dr. George Hodel. Contrary to most true crime podcasts with a detective/investigator or crime junkie host, ‘Root Of Evil’ is hosted by the great-granddaughters of George Hodel. Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile dissect the case and forage over pieces of evidence.
Deeply brooding over their family history to resolve everything that had happened and question what should be done next. However, the murder is only a fraction of the Hodel family anecdote, full of dreadful mysteries that resonate from generation to generation. Throughout the podcast, Gentile and Pecoraro interview their relatives and share some never-before-heard archival audio. The two even talked about 70 years of family records, exposing many secrets over eight episodes.
Plus, they describe the case’s impact on the family, how the Hodels adjusted after the murder, and the intergenerational trauma trickled down, the load that the Hodel name harbors.
Since its debut in February 2019, it has been consistent at #2-5 as the top podcast in the United States and reached the #1 spot in April 2019. It was also nominated at the 2020 iHeartRadio Podcast Awards for “Best Crime Podcast” but failed to bag the trophy.
What Makes This A Thrilling Podcast?
Most crime series depend on old reports, rumors, and news excerpts. But this series presents a pile of old recordings of phone conversations and journals as the primary source of evidence. With that, it conveys a vivid sense of realism and offers another backing to the thought-provoking story of the Root of Evil. The family’s uprightness in telling their lives. As a member as the podcast proceeds and at the end as one entire family, has given me transparency, insight, understanding, and acceptance on many aspects of my life.
The Root of Evil offers you a rollercoaster ride and reveals the process and their perspective behind sentencing George Hodel as the primary suspect. The resolution of the sisters to look further and deeper. It’s not simply a narrative around the crime itself, and a remarkable one at that. But the way it impacted the family. Their courage and power of spirit prevail during the final episode.
The story’s evolution from a crime novel to a winding family tale is concluded at the end. The fact that this family has gathered delivers a more moral aspect to this podcast. And it’s a good wrap to show us a positive outcome even after a tragic dysfunction.
What’s Not So Great With Root Of Evil Podcast?
Root Of Evil hosts are good, and I learned new facts circling the Black Dalia’s murder. But the story only revolves around the family as their source. The pacing is agonizingly slow in some episodes. Listening to the hosts talk about themselves for two hours was unbearable, telling unnecessary general facts. And it’s excessively figurative just for the sake of terror.
A Few Episodes Snippets
Saved By The Ghetto
Fauna Hodel, a biracial girl living in Sparks, Nevada, uncovers the truth about her identity, her origins, and her terrifying family history.
A Skilled Surgeon
Former LAPD Homicide Detective, Steve Hodel elucidates how his father, George Hodel, fits the profile of the Black Dahlia’s murderer as established by the LAPD. He thoroughly expounds the circumstances surrounding her murder in Los Angeles in 1947, and how the manner in which the killer fit Steve’s description of his father.
George’s Gift
A more thorough examination into the existence of George Hodel, his progeny, his hobbies, the glamorous gatherings he used to host, and the terrifying happenings of 1949 that would permanently change the course of the Hodel family forever.
The Minotaur
A phone call yanks Steve Hodel out of his retirement to probe into the Black Dahlia case, a murder mystery that had remained unsolved for over half a century. As he delves deeper into the investigation, he gradually confronts the disturbing reality that his father was a brutal murderer.
The Traumatic Reenactment
George Hodel’s daughter, Tamar, perpetuates the seemingly endless cycle of family trauma when she becomes a mother. Her children reveal the heartbreaking stort of being raised in an alarmingly harmful atmosphere.
Final Verdict: Binge-Worthy Podcast
Rasha Pecoraro and Yvette Gentile are great examples of being indestructible and not allowing their family history to describe them. Their love, compassion, conviction, and spirit are an inspiration. If you enjoy true crime or want a show that will keep you listening from start to end, give Root of Evil Podcast a listen. It might become the best true-crime podcast you’ll ever listen to.
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