The Grim Sleeper

Damn straight it's because they're poor & black. If the killer was targeting UCLA students or working-class whites, the cops'd be all over it and holding conferences...and CNN would've picked it up...etc etc etc.

I've gotten far too cynical. Pardon me while I go read the comics for perspective...DAMN, hit Doonesbury -- !@#$%!@##%#%!@#

I agree that this serial killer has probably recieved so little attention, because the victims were poor, women, and black. The fact that most of these women and girls seemed like they were desperate, or spitting distance from desperation, most likely didn't help motivate the detectives and politicians either. We may be cynical for thinking this, but if we're right, just think how cynical the detectives and politicians must be to let something like this go on for so long without making much of an effort to stop the killing. I would say that the fact that they (detectives, etc.) let the parents go for years without telling them the truth about their daughter's murders demonstrates how callous and inhumanely they operate.

Well it's getting the press now. I saw segments about it twice on CNN headline news today. There was also another serial killer caught today, who had killed Aston Kuecher's former girlfriend and two other women. She was white and dating a famous person and I never heard of that either. I think local government do not want people to know they have a serial killer. They had a task force for a long time but no press. Think about East Area Rapist/ Original Night Stalker. in California, killed at least 11 raped 50 women.. all white and some rich. The guy is STILL out there but you never hear any more about that case either. These killers are hard to catch and the cities don't like that bad press, no matter who is getting killed.

"These killers are hard to catch and the cities don't like that bad press, no matter who is getting killed."

True enough (at least the part about cities not liking bad press) . I think that the, "hard to catch", factor can be greatly affected by the attitude, available resources, political atmosphere, misconceptions, etc., of the other people involved in the investigation to a great extent, so much so that it becomes a which came first, chicken or the egg, scenario at times. Does the murderer not get caught, because they are clever/canny/lucky, or because the investigators are inept/misguided(pressured)/unlucky

I had a friend who made regular trips to the city dump in San Francisco as part of his job (landscaper), so he had friends who worked at the dump. One day he told me that his friends who worked at the dump had found dead women placed in trash cans in our neighborhood. That story never made the news and really made me question the amount of propaganda that is involved in the media - especially if tourism might be affected.

if you do a little research in the l.a. weekly, you will see that the author, christine pelisek, has been writing about this serial killer of black prostitutes for a few years now. not only were we not informed about this one, killing girls along western avenue, we were not told anything about another serial killer who was killing girls along figueroa street... all within the same years.

silence is obviously deadly.

i want to thank the publishers of this story in the true crime report for referencing the l.a. weekly's article. all those reporting the ashton kutcher story have completely ignored it.

Actually you're wrong on two things. One of the victims was a man, and one person survived. Just wanted to say that. ^^

There's a new website for The Grim Sleeper case here:
http://thegrimsleeper.com

It's not my site but you can click my name to go there.

FOLKS I HONESTLY BELIEVED THAT IF THE INVESTIGATORS LOOK HARD THEY WILL HAVE SOLVED THIS CASE AFTER THE FIRST VICTIM
TRY LOOKING IN THEIR DEPARTMENT/THERE ARE SOME GUYS THAT ARE FOUL LOOK AT RODNEY KING ITS TIME FOR THE BIG BLUE LINE TO BE EXPOSED FOR WHO THEY REALLY ARE. FOLKS LETS LOOK AT THIS FOR REAL LOOK AT THE LAPD. MOST COPS THERE ARE WHITE AND MOST OF THEM BECAME COPS SO THEY CAN BECOME MORE RACIST AND HAVE THE LAW BEHIND THEM SO THEY CAN DO THEIR DIRT AND HIDE BEHIND THERE BADGE. SO ITS LEGAL FOR THEM TO HATE BLKS MORE AND DO THERE DIRT. SO OFFICIALS PLZ IN YOUR DEPT SOMEONE THERE IS FOUL. LOOK HARDER IT MIGHT BE YOUR WHITE BUDDIE JOE THE PLUMBER

To bigpoppadog. How do you know "...most of them became cops so they can become more racist."? Did you go to them and ask? Are you really arguing that they joined the LAPD with the sole intent to increase their hatred of blacks? I'm sorry man, but that is just childish. I also hate to tell you this, but it is not illegal to hate. Whites can hate blacks legally, and blacks can hate whites legally. Hell, you can even hate your mother. As to your comment about how the case could have been solved with the first murder; according to scienceblog.com, there was a study at the Ohio State University that found a 70% capture rate for murders in black areas, and a 79% capture rate for white areas. Based on interviews with detectives, the researcher (Lundman)concluded the difference is because blacks do not trust the police as much as their white counterparts, and therefore will provide less information to the investigators. Detectives are judged on how many cases they solve, and that includes cases where blacks are the victims. Racism goes in all direction. For example, did you know Ghandi was racist? With that said, I think your post is incredibly racist and offensive.

To begin my post let me say….there is only one race (the human one). Racism is a misnomer. Honestly, I do believe that the first victim was not as thoroughly investigated as one might hope because she was poor and maybe because she was black. The second victim is probably similar. I think it has more to do with the poor than with the black and even more to do with the female than the black. Once the victims were linked and it became apparent that this was a serial killer I am certain that some effort was put it…it is unreasonable to think otherwise. In response to the policeman became policeman so they could hate blacks… um, really? You sure? I believe that there are many bigoted policemen just as there are many bigoted butchers and auto-mechanics. Hating isn’t a crime, nor should it be. If you want to live in a free country then freedom to hate is included. Many policemen become policemen because they want to fight crime. That is no to say that many don’t become policemen just so they can bully citizens around…that is rampant, as well. Back to the main point…. Someone saw these victims abducted or dumped. Stop thinking this is someone else’s problem and step up and report what you saw. If not just to be a good citizen then do it for the ½ million reward.

Has anyone considered the "sleep" period may have been a time that the killer may have been in jail? I just now became aware of this case adn have not had time to review the available details, but in the case of the Zodiac killer, the only times the killing stopped is when he was in jail. Just my opinion, but had these killings happened in a more afluent area I think we would have heard about them alot more quickly and action demanded more swiftly, but I certainly hope and pray that justice is served for the loss of these ladies and one gentleman, I know they are in a better place, but may this maniac be brought to justice soon, my thoughts and sincere prayers go out to the each od these folks families

No its not cause the victims are poor and black- its because the killer is christian, influential and black. Thats why the trail goes dry at that church. The members scattered around the country and they continue to operate churches that spew hate. Look it up.

In my opinion, the Grim Sleeper (most likely) parades as a devout Christian and (secretly) believes that he is on a mission to "clean up" the streets of prostitutes, drug addicts and other "sinners". He obviously has an encyclopedic knowledge of South L.A.'s geography (locations of churches and alleyways too) and knows how to gain the trust and confidence of his victims. He probably has a split personality and his family is totally unaware of his double life. Like most serial killers, he probably acts and looks perfectly normal in daily life (case in point: the one victim who survived claims he was "well-dressed and clean-cut") and looks like the typical everyday man on the street(i.e, doesn't stand out from the crowd).

Maybe they just linked them all by DNA evidence and wanted to keep it quiet to try to bring him out of hiding.

i think that the so called "grim sleeper" may have even posted on a newsite like this?

Do you recall Henry Lee Lucus? The Texas Rangers would take him out of his jail cell, buy him a hamburger, fries and a shake at McDonalds, take him to a crime seen, and coach him on a confession. Cases were solved from Florida, the south, all over Texas, and even New Mexico in the same fassion.
It seems L.A. police chose denial of the problem as an approach. This is probably not uncommon but it would seem to be the least effective if the goal is to catch the killer.
I live in Lubbock, Texas where there is a population of 200,000. We had aserial killer in the 70s that was stalking females. Lucas cofessed to some of them but in fact, one of the cases was discovered by a reporter to be a false confession. This was where the Texas Rangers were discovered about the confessions. The real killer was never caught.
We have a current serial killer that is stalking prostitutes and the count is at about 7. It is going on everywhere. There is a person of interest.
The Killing Fields: Harvest of Women by Diana Washington Valdez is an incredible book about the 400 plus serial killings in juarez. Two thousand more are missing. If you want to see bad police work, check that book out. It will make you appreciate what we have. This is not in any way an attempt to make light of the irresponsible work and follow through of Los Angeles' mayor, police chief, and others acting in those position in the past. It will give you an idea of how societies look at victims and judge them.
The attorney general could do a very good thing by going into the DNA bank but as everything is, it will be politically timed and driven.
I have a question though, could the male voice call to 911 be the only male victim in the case. I have not researched the call date to his murder date.

To say thet the police isn't working on this case because the victims are poor and black is an unfair and racist comment. Look at how long it took for the police to catch the greenriver killer and they were all white. It has more to do with man power and work load than it does with skin color.

Henry Lee Lucas?? Are you kidding? He said he killed over 300 people. He made it all up He didn't have facts about most of the crimes he confessed to and it became clear it was inpossible for him to kill some of the people he said he did. So buying a serial killer a hamburger might get you confessions but not facts. Real police work takes money and time.

The murder of my neice was pinned on Lucas and Toole and closed case.The murder was also confessed to by another individual.The two detectives were known as case closers.They were only interested in closing the cases and not in finding the killer.The true killer was caught after my neices siblings got involved years later.He was caught with dna evidence when picked up for theft.So much for good detective work by dedicated detectives.My neice and two other young women were white and the killer is black.

On this dna data bank(codis) .Does anyone know if dna is collected on every prisoner or if only on serious offences?What I am getting at is would it be possible for a person jailed on less serious offences to fly under the eye of codis.Could a person be in prison for fourteen years and never entered into codis?Codis was started in 98 so he could have spent 10 years in prison before it was started.If a person was already in jail in 98 would they have added him to codis if he was in for drugs or a similar arrest.Is it possible to be in prison for 13 years and never give a dna sample ?

The detective work in this case has been inafective..This purpartrator is not a thug..He stopped because he was identified..He has a life worth protecting..He may have no record..He has a shroud of respectability,this is why he has not been flushed out..He kills with a gun and his hands,which indicates some technical training .His politics are conservative and he is disgusted by drug users and prostitutes.He may be killing while on vacation from his occupation.His emotion is rage and he is not interested in press.He behaves in a quite and reserved manner until he explodes with rage.

that's weird

I've also lived in Lubbock most of my life and never knew there was a serial killer in the 70's, but did realize there are unsolved murders from back then that are never mentioned in the local updates or newspaper. I also believe there is a serial killer of prostitutes here. Two murders were said to have some dna link to a Hispanic male but nothing more said. I tried to report a very odd older man who seemed obsessed with me, but was threatened by one LE with arrest if I did not quit complaining about this man. I don't have much faith in Lubbock female murders really getting solved very quickly with this attitude. Probably a universal attitude somewhat that affects middle aged housewifes all the way to prostitutes. Females of any race are not deemed that important in my opinion.

Vi, my email is pokettenz@yahoo.com. Lets talk...

Lonnie D Franklin Jr is alleged to be the Grim Sleeper. Profiler Pat Brown apparently had him pegged. Let's hope he is indeed the guilty party and soon he will be sent to Death Row where he will die of old age. California hasn't taken it's own laws seriously for quite a long time. It only mocks the victim's families.

h t t p : //thegrimsleeper.com/

Hey "BIGPOPPADOG"

1) Turn off the Caps Lock
2) Learn to spell and write complete sentences
3) Learn the difference between "Their" and "There"
3) Read a book or two. Your ignorance and Black Liberation theology is showing...

And what a crush to BigPoppaDog's black racist credo: the serial killer is black, just like his victims. Sooooo, like I said about Anthony Sowell, being a serial killer is an equal opportunity, not exclusive to "whitey." Simply not true, though simply under-reported by the overly compensating for self-assessed guilt liberal mass media.

"More than 30 cold cases get fresh look in Los Angeles after arrest in 'Grim Sleeper' case"
Published July 09, 2010 | Associated Press
LOS ANGELES

"Investigators believe they have connected "Grim Sleeper" suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr. to 10 murders.

"Now they are trying to tie him to dozens more.

"More than 30 cold case files dating back to 1984 are getting a new look in light of Franklin's arrest, Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said Friday.

" "Now that we know who he is, where he lives, the cars he drove, have people to interview, we will go over all those old cases and look for connections," Beck said.

"Investigators will upload Franklin's DNA profile into a national database to see if it matches other samples where the DNA had degraded and scientists only were able to get a partial sample, Beck said.

"Franklin was dubbed the Grim Sleeper after a string of murders of young black women had south Los Angeles on edge in the mid-1980s. Then the killings suddenly stopped, only to resume again 14 years later.

"Now, investigators say they have possibly uncovered the reason for the long respite: He may have been spooked by a near miss by police in 1988.

"Franklin was arrested Wednesday on 10 counts of murder and other charges at his lime-green house, just three doors down from a home that was searched extensively by police 22 years ago after the killer's only known survivor led cops there.

"Beck also noted that billboards plastered with a $500,000 reward and the suspect's police sketch were posted just eight blocks from Franklin's house and he drove by them every day.

" "Either he became more careful or he stopped his behavior for a number of years. That's an evolving theory," Beck said. "It's going to be difficult to be absolutely certain absent his confession."

"Franklin was arrested at least 15 times for car theft, burglary, assaults and other crimes, but avoided prison despite calls by law enforcement officials for tough sentences, according to Los Angeles County court records released Friday and obtained by the Los Angeles Times.

"Franklin faced up to three years in prison in 2003 after pleading no contest to receiving stolen property, He was sentenced to 270 days in jail and released in May 2003, more than four months early, the records showed. Two months later, the body of one of Franklin's alleged victims was found.

"Franklin's public defender, Regina Laughney, said she was still reviewing materials in the case and it was too early for her to comment.

"Law enforcement said despite more than two decades of old-fashioned police work, they were finally able to crack the case using a new and disputed technique of "familial DNA."

"In early June, the state Department of Justice ran newly submitted DNA through a database of 1.5 million samples.

"The database found no identical matches, but did find a "familial" match to a convicted felon whose DNA indicated he was either a brother or the son of the killer. An earlier search in 2008 had found no familial matches, but Franklin's son was added to the database in recent months for a felony weapons conviction.

"State investigators alerted the LAPD of Franklin's identity on June 30 after verifying the match through birth certificates and other records.

"But police still needed a sample of Franklin's DNA to definitively match it to what was found on the victims.

"An undercover officer pretending to be a waiter in Los Angeles collected tableware, napkins, glasses and pizza crust at a restaurant where the suspect ate, allowing detectives to obtain a DNA match.

"Franklin made a first court appearance Thursday on the murder counts as well as one count of attempted murder and special-circumstance allegations of multiple murder that could lead to the death penalty or life in prison without possibility of parole.

"His arraignment was postponed until Aug. 9 at the request of his attorney.
___

"Associated Press Writer Thomas Watkins contributed to this report."