You've probably seen them. Those glowing, fluttering pieces of paper tucked under a park bench or hidden in a dusty corner of a construction site. Most players just drive past. Honestly, if you’re just trying to hit 100% completion in Grand Theft Auto V, these things are basically the bane of your existence. There are 50 of them. Fifty. Scattered across the entire expanse of Los Santos and Blaine County like confetti after a parade nobody wanted to attend. But here is the thing: the GTA 5 letter scrap locations map isn't just a checklist for a Trophy or Achievement. It’s actually the key to one of the darkest, most disturbing side stories Rockstar Games ever wrote.
If you haven't started hunting yet, you're looking for the confession of a killer. Specifically, the person who murdered an actress named Leonora Johnson back in the 1970s. It’s a clear nod to the real-world Black Dahlia case, and the details get pretty grim once you start piecing the letter together.
Why the GTA 5 letter scrap locations map is so frustratingly necessary
Look, Los Santos is massive. You could spend three hundred hours roaming the streets and still miss that one scrap sitting on the giant "O" of the Vinewood sign. Without a solid GTA 5 letter scrap locations map, you are essentially looking for a needle in a haystack, except the haystack is the size of a digital Southern California and the needle is a piece of paper that only makes a faint flickering sound when you're close.
Most people give up after finding ten. They get bored. I get it. But the payoff is more than just a percentage point. Once you collect all fifty, the letter becomes readable. It reveals Peter Dreyfuss, a pretentious Vinewood director, as the killer. This isn't just world-building; it unlocks a secret mission called "A Starlet in Vinewood." You get to confront him. Whether you let him run or put a bullet in his head is up to you, but most players find a certain satisfaction in the latter.
The scraps show up for all three protagonists—Franklin, Michael, and Trevor. However, only Franklin can actually trigger the final confrontation with Dreyfuss. It’s kinda weird how that works, but that’s Rockstar logic for you.
The layout of the hunt
The distribution is surprisingly even, which is both a blessing and a curse. You’ll find some in the high-density urban sprawl of South Los Santos and others on the peak of Mount Chiliad.
- The City Scraps: These are often on rooftops or inside accessible buildings like the airport or the movie studio.
- The Wilderness Scraps: These are the real killers. Think sea caves, the ends of long piers, and the middle of the desert.
If you’re doing this properly, you need a helicopter. Seriously. Don't try to do this in a Cheetah or a T20. Grab a Buzzard or a Maverick. Being able to land on top of a bridge pylon or a skyscraper saves you hours of frustration.
Navigating the most difficult spots on the map
Some of these locations are just mean. Let’s talk about the one at the Los Santos International Airport. It’s not just sitting in the lobby. No, it’s on the circular structure near the entrance. You have to land a chopper perfectly or parachute down onto a tiny ledge. If you miss, you’re looking at a long walk back to a spawned vehicle.
Then there is the one at the Port of South Los Santos. It’s on the very top of a crane. Not just any crane, but one of the massive green ones. If you have a fear of heights in video games—which is a real thing, by the way—this one will make your palms sweat.
And don't even get me started on the sea cave. There’s a scrap located in a cave on the Pacific coast, north of the city. You have to swim in. It’s dark, it’s cramped, and if you don't have a jet ski or a boat, it takes forever to reach from the highway. Most GTA 5 letter scrap locations map guides will point you to the general area, but finding the actual entrance to the cave is a test of patience.
Does the order matter?
Not at all. You can pick up the scrap at the top of Mount Chiliad as your first one or your last. The game tracks them individually. However, I’ve always found it easier to sweep the map from south to north. Start at the airport, clear out the docks, move through the city, and then head into the mountains. It feels more organized.
The letter itself is a rambling, ego-filled mess. Dreyfuss wrote it to his friend, bragging about the murder. He thought he was an artist. Reading the scraps as you find them is actually pretty chilling because you see his descent into madness. Or rather, his lack of any moral compass from the start.
Real-world parallels and the "Black Dahlia" connection
Rockstar didn't just pull this story out of thin air. The murder of Leonora Johnson is a direct homage to Elizabeth Short, the Black Dahlia. Short was found murdered in Los Angeles in 1947, and the case remains one of the most famous unsolved crimes in American history.
In the game, the Leonora Johnson mystery was supposedly "solved" by the police, but the scraps prove they got the wrong guy—or were paid off. It adds a layer of cynical realism to the game. Los Santos isn't just a playground; it's a city built on old blood and cover-ups.
When you use a GTA 5 letter scrap locations map, you're basically acting as a cold-case investigator. It’s one of the few times the game asks you to engage with the history of the world rather than just blowing things up.
Tracking your progress
If you're signed into the Rockstar Games Social Club, there’s a checklist that shows you exactly which ones you've found. This is a lifesaver. There is nothing worse than having 49/50 scraps and having no clue which one you missed. You'll end up re-visiting every single location on the map, which is a specialized form of torture.
- Log into the Social Club.
- Go to the "Checklist" tab for GTA V.
- Scroll down to the map.
- Filter for "Letter Scraps."
It will show you white pins for the ones you haven't found and colored pins for the ones you have. If you aren't using this, you are playing on hard mode for no reason.
The final payoff: Meeting Peter Dreyfuss
Once that 50th scrap is in your pocket, a green "mystery" icon appears in Vinewood Hills. This is where Franklin meets Dreyfuss. The guy is old now, doing yoga by his pool, completely unbothered by the fact that he mutilated a young woman decades ago.
The dialogue is sharp. Dreyfuss is exactly the kind of pretentious, "spiritual" fraud you'd expect to find in the hills. When Franklin confronts him with the letter, the guy bolts.
This is your moment. You can let him go, but why would you? Most players find that a sticky bomb or a heavy sniper rifle provides the closure the Johnson family deserves. Killing him doesn't give you a massive cash reward—it’s mostly about the 100% completion stat and the satisfaction of finishing the longest scavenger hunt in the game.
Common misconceptions about the scraps
Some people think the scraps only appear at night. Not true. They are there 24/7. They do glow, though, so they are slightly easier to spot when the sun goes down.
Another myth is that you need to be playing as a specific character to find them. Again, nope. Michael can find them while he's out for a jog. Trevor can find them while he's in the middle of a desert rampage. Just remember that only Franklin can finish the quest line.
Also, don't worry about "failing" the mission if you die after picking one up. The game saves your progress the moment you grab the scrap. You don't have to reach a save point or finish a mission to lock it in.
Why bother in 2026?
You might be wondering why anyone is still hunting for these in a game that's over a decade old. Honestly, it's because GTA V is one of the few games where the "collectathon" actually feels rewarding because of the narrative attached to it. It’s not like the hidden packages in older GTA games that just gave you weapons at your safehouse. This tells a story.
Plus, with the level of detail in the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions (and the inevitable PC mods), the world looks better than ever. Exploring the nooks and crannies of the map to find these scraps lets you see parts of the environment the main missions completely ignore. You’ll find yourself in weird back alleys in Textile City or on tiny islands off the east coast that you'd never visit otherwise.
Actionable steps for your hunt
If you're ready to knock this out, here is the most efficient way to do it.
First, get a Buzzard Attack Helicopter. You can buy one, but it's easier to just steal one from the government facility or the N.O.O.S.E. headquarters on the east side of the map. It’s small enough to land in tight spots but fast enough to cross the map quickly.
Second, pull up a high-resolution map on a second screen. Don't try to alt-tab or switch apps on your console constantly. Having a static image of the GTA 5 letter scrap locations map allows you to plan your route. Start at the bottom of the map and work your way up in a "snake" pattern—west to east, then move north and go east to west.
Third, cross them off as you go. Use a digital tool or even just a piece of paper. There is nothing more soul-crushing than finishing a three-hour session and realizing you missed one somewhere in the middle.
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Lastly, check your Social Club stats regularly. If the map says you have 25 but your game says 24, you know exactly when you messed up.
The Leonora Johnson mystery is one of the best "Easter eggs" in gaming history. It’s dark, it’s gritty, and it rewards the player for actually paying attention to the world around them. Happy hunting, and try not to crash your chopper into the Vinewood sign. It's a long climb back up.