Hooray for Hollywood? Actually, this time Hollywood is cheering for TAPS as they come in to solve some age-old mysteries in famed haunted locations. The season 9 opener starts at The Sowden House. This is the site of the Black Dalia murder. They meet Steve Hodell, whose surgeon father was the original suspect in the vicious attack. This is L.A.'s most infamous murder, where Elizabeth Short was surgically cut in half, and both halves were carefully posed on the side of the road. George believes his father murdered 9 other women in the basement. His sister, Rita, saw apparitions in the basement. Rita's experiences include seeing shadows in the night, hearing voices and other strange sounds- including chains being dragged. Everyone wants to know who these spirits are and what they want. An intensely personal request, which is what TAPS does best. Big news!! Michelle Tate, runner up from Ghost Hunters academy, is now joining the team. Everyone is excited to see her, and Jason reminds her that professionalism is key, and she needs to remember that not every noise is paranormal. During the investigation, K.J. and Britt monitor the cameras and notice a figure walking halfway across the room and then returning to the bathroom that was likely the murder scene. What is that?? It looks like half a human being, and Elizabeth Short was cut in half! Jason believes that whether the ghost haunting the house is the spirit of George Hodell or one of his victims, they would be more apt to reach out to Michelle. So she's alone in the bathroom, and hears footsteps and pacing. In the basement, K.J. and Britt mix the shadow detector and the laser grid technologies. They see odd movements and hear strange noises. Later, Michelle and Adam hear a woman's voice in the hallway. Analysis revealed that the footsteps Michelle heard in the bathroom were from someone outside, and the figure that Britt and K.J. saw turned out to be a crew member. Bummer! That w