Dostie and Buster

Dostie and Buster

Over the weekend, NBC National News aired a story that confirmed the accuracy of a local dog’s nose for cadavers.

Former Mammoth Police Officer Paul Dostie and his Cadaver Dog Buster were called in to sniff out evidence related to the Black Dahlia case in the 40s. Buster alerted on an area around the former house of a Dr. George Hodel. His son, Steve Hodel, is a retired LAPD detective. He believes his father was a serial killer and had buried bodies near their former home.

In 2012, Buster indicated a scent of human decomposition at several areas around that house. According to NBC, a soil sample was taken in the alley late last year and checked out. The forensic anthropologist, Arpad Vass, who analyzed the soil said it came up positive for human remains. He estimated the death occurred 20 to 100 years ago.

NBC’s report said the chemical analysis cannot help determine the cause of death or even if it were homicide. However, Vass was quoted as saying that his findings are consistent with Steve Hodel’s theory of homicide victims buried in shallow graves 70 to 80 years ago.

The NBC report said that an actress had gone missing near the Hodel home in 1949. The report also said that records long stored in the LA District Attorney’s office confirmed that Dr. Hodel “had come under suspicion in the Dahlia case.” His house had been bugged by police.

NBC reported that the LAPD has given the case a pass because it’s too old and cold.

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