Black Dahlia House For Sale

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A house with ties to the famous Black Dahlia murder case is for sale.

Known as the Sowden House, the Mayan-themed house was designed by Lloyd Wright, Frank Lloyd Wright's son. Built in 1927, it has endured many controversies, renovations and ghost hunters. Some sleuths have speculated that Elizabeth Short, the "Black Dahlia," was tortured and murdered in the home, which was owned for many years by Dr. George Hodel, a suspect in the unsolved case.

"Whatever the truth of Hollywood history, the architecture is a stunning tribute to the interplay of shadow and light, nature and civilization, and the ancient Mayan temples by which it was inspired," according to the Web site for the house.

Mr. Lloyd Wright was known for his work with natural stone and Mayan themes. Elements of nature are incorporated throughout the open floor plan, which clusters five bedrooms, six bathrooms around a long, narrow center courtyard. The 5,600-square-foot house is sometimes called the "Jaws House," since some believe the entrance resembles the mouth of a great white shark.

The house, priced at $4.888 million, was used in the film Aviator and the series "Californication." Current owner Stephen Finkelstein has also rented out the house for photo shoots and events.

"It earns enough to pay for itself," Mr. Finkelstein told the Los Angeles Times.

Finkelstein bought the house in 2011 for $3.85 million from longtime owner Xorin Balbes, who did extensive renovations to the house from 2002 to 2009 to accommodate modern living, according to the listing. 

After owning the house for less than two years, Finkelstein listed the property as demand for high-end historic homes rises, the paper reported.