LOS ANGELES — 1922 · Unsolved Case
The Murder of William Desmond Taylor
William Desmond Taylor, one of the best-known directors of the silent-film era, was shot dead on the night of 1 February 1922 in his bungalow in the Westlake district of Los Angeles. When he was found the next morning his death was first thought to be from natural causes, but it soon emerged that he had been shot in the back. Together with other Hollywood scandals of the time, the murder fuelled sensational and often fabricated press coverage, and several well-known figures were questioned. No one was ever charged. The case is seen as a turning point that intensified moral pressure on Hollywood, and it remains among the LAPD's unsolved files.
- Date
- 1922
- Place
- California, USA, Los Angeles, US
- Category
- Unsolved Case
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 34.0567, -118.2800 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 1 February 1922Taylor was shot dead in his Westlake home.
- 2 February 1922His body was found; death was first assumed natural, then ruled a homicide.
- 1922Many people were questioned amid sensational press coverage.
- TodayNo one was ever tried; the case officially remains unsolved.
Sources
- HISTORY — Director William Desmond Taylor is found murdered history.com ↗
- EBSCO — Director Taylor's Murder ebsco.com ↗
- Wikipedia — William Desmond Taylor en.wikipedia.org ↗
- HISTORY
- EBSCO Research Starters
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.