The Unsolved Murder of Marina Habe
On New Year’s Day in 1969, 17-year-old Marina Elizabeth Habe was found dead in a remote ravine near Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles. She had been viciously attacked—stabbed multiple times, her throat cut, and her body showing signs of severe blunt force trauma. More than half a century later, Marina Habe’s tragic death remains a mystery that continues to raise chilling questions.
Follow a deep investigation into Marina Habe’s murder, dissecting evidence, timelines, and suspects—including details drawn from coroner records, old newspaper reports, and other sources. The goal: uncover what’s been missed in one of Los Angeles’ most haunting cold cases.
By carefully sifting through the layers of time and unanswered questions, this investigation aims to provide a comprehensive look at an enduring mystery—one that still casts a long shadow over a city known for both dreams and darkness.
Key Figures
These individuals are most closely connected to Marina Habe and the events surrounding her murder: her family and the last person known to have seen her alive.
Marina Habe
Daughter of actress Eloise Hardt and author Hans Habe, Marina was 17 years old when she was murdered in Los Angeles in late December 1968. She had just returned home from her first semester at the University of Hawaii. Born in Germany and raised in California after her parents’ separation, Marina had a quiet, artistic personality shaped by two vastly different households—her mother’s world of Hollywood and her father’s life in Europe. Her murder remains unsolved.
Eloise Hardt
A working actress in Hollywood and a friend of director John Huston, Eloise Hardt was Marina’s mother and primary caretaker. She raised Marina in Los Angeles following her separation from Hans Habe. Known as “Cherokee” among friends, Hardt had a long career in film and television and was connected to the entertainment world throughout her life. Read more about Eloise Hardt in her full biography.
Hans Habe
An anti-Nazi journalist, novelist, and war correspondent, Hans Habe was born in Hungary, fled Europe during World War II, and became a naturalized American citizen. He served in U.S. Army psychological warfare units during the war before returning to Europe. Despite living abroad, Hans and Marina maintained close contact, with Marina regularly visiting him at his villa in Switzerland. Read more about Hans Habe in his biography.
John Hornburg
At 22 years old, John Hornburg was the last known person to see Marina Habe alive. The son of Charles and Grace Hornburg, his father owned Hornburg Motor Cars, a well-known Los Angeles dealership that sold luxury vehicles. The Hornburg family moved in celebrity circles, socializing with movie stars and prominent figures in the city. In 1968, the year Hornburg graduated from college and Marina started her freshman year, the two went on a date—one that would end with Marina’s disappearance and death.
Explore the Case
Part 1: The Abduction
To understand what happened to Marina Habe, we must first retrace her final known hours—the night she vanished in December 1968. It was a night that began ordinarily but ended in mystery.
Part 2: Inside the Autopsy
In this section, we closely examine Marina Habe’s autopsy report to explore key questions: When was she murdered? Was she sexually assaulted? Had she been fed during her captivity?
Part 3: The Suspects
In the suspects section, we explore the individuals and groups linked to Marina Habe’s case: the last known person to see her alive, a suspected Co-Ed serial killer, and a violent outlaw biker.
Part 4: The Manson Family
This section examines the Manson Family’s possible connection to Marina Habe’s murder. Striking parallels and geographic proximity raise serious questions—Hornburg lived near the Family, and one of Sharon Tate’s killers resided close to Marina. These overlaps warrant deeper investigation.
Part 5: Marina’s Family
Marina Habe came from a remarkable and complex family. Her mother, Eloise Hardt, was an actress with deep ties to Hollywood, including a close relationship with director John Huston. Her father, Hans Habe, was a war hero, journalist, and trained in psychological warfare. Despite their divorce, both parents remained deeply involved in Marina’s life.
1960s News Archive
These original newspaper clippings from 1968–1969 provide first-hand coverage of Marina Habe’s disappearance, the discovery of her body, and the early investigation. Each article has been carefully transcribed and archived for historical reference.
