The Grim Sleeper

1. A Serial Killer Preys on Vulnerable Women in South Central

Against that backdrop, Debra’s murder, sadly, held no distinction.

Amidst urban chaos. In the mid-1980s, South Central Los Angeles was ravaged by the crack cocaine epidemic, gang violence, and a high murder rate, making the death of a young black woman like Debra Jackson tragically common and often overlooked. Debra, Henrietta Wright, Barbara Ware, Bernita Sparks, Mary Lowe, and Lachrica Jefferson were among the early victims, all young black women struggling with drug addiction, found shot with a .25-caliber pistol and dumped in alleys. Their vulnerability made them easy targets for a predator who knew the area and exploited their marginalized status.

Signature methodology emerges. As more bodies were discovered, detectives noticed chilling similarities in the killings.

• Victims were primarily young black women.
• Bodies were often partially clothed or nude.
• Bodies were dumped in alleys or dumpsters, often covered with debris.
• Most victims were shot at close range with a .25-caliber pistol.
• Saliva was found on many victims' breasts.
• Identification was often missing.

An invisible population. These women, many involved in prostitution to support their drug habits, were largely invisible to mainstream society and, often, to the media, making their murders less likely to generate public outcry or sustained investigative pressure compared to cases in more affluent neighborhoods.

2. Early Police Efforts Struggle Amidst Overload and Mistrust

The obvious difficulty in working these cases is nobody cares.

Overwhelmed and understaffed. In the 1980s, LAPD homicide units in South Central were severely understaffed, with detectives juggling multiple cases simultaneously in a city averaging hundreds of murders annually. The sheer volume of crime, particularly gang-related violence, diverted resources and attention from cases involving marginalized victims like prostitutes.

Community relations strained. A history of mistrust between the LAPD and the black community in South Central, exacerbated by incidents like the Watts Riots and aggressive policing tactics, made residents reluctant to cooperate with investigators or come forward as witnesses. Activists like Margaret Prescod criticized the police for not prioritizing the murders of black women as they did high-profile cases like the Night Stalker.

Task forces face hurdles. Despite the formation of the Southside Slayer Task Force, which initially investigated multiple serial murder patterns including the .25-caliber killings, progress was slow.

• False leads and unreliable witnesses complicated investigations.
• Lack of forensic technology limited connections between cases.
• Internal police politics and resource allocation issues arose.
• The task force eventually downsized and disbanded without solving the .25-caliber series.

3. The Killer Appears to Go Dormant for Over a Decade

What added to the mystery was the block of time when the serial killer seemed to have stopped murdering.

A puzzling hiatus. After the attempted murder of Enietra Washington in November 1988, the series of .25-caliber killings abruptly stopped. This created a perplexing thirteen-and-a-half-year gap in the timeline, leaving investigators to wonder if the killer had died, been incarcerated, moved away, or simply stopped killing.

Unanswered questions linger. The long period of inactivity fueled speculation among detectives and the public.

• Was the killer in prison for another crime?
• Did he join the military and kill elsewhere?
• Did he stop killing due to the encounter with a survivor?
• Were there other unidentified victims during this period?

Cases go cold. With no new victims and leads exhausted, the .25-caliber murder cases, like many others from the chaotic 1980s, went cold. Families were left without answers, and the killer faded into the background, seemingly having escaped justice for his crimes.

4. A Dedicated Cold Case Unit Takes On the Unsolved Murders

The department would soon become renowned worldwide for its skill in using DNA to solve crimes by taking biological samples—such as semen found on a blanket or saliva traces on a beer bottle—to create a profile of a suspect that could be compared against a database of felons.

New hope through technology. In the early 2000s, advancements in DNA technology and a state grant to clear cold case backlogs revitalized investigative efforts in Los Angeles. The LAPD established a cold case unit, led by veteran detectives like David Lambkin and Cliff Shepard, specifically tasked with reviewing unsolved murders for available forensic evidence.

Reviewing the past. Detective Cliff Shepard, who had patrolled South Central during the 1980s crime wave, took a particular interest in the unsolved Southside Slayer cases, including the .25-caliber series. He meticulously reviewed old murder books, searching for evidence that could be subjected to modern DNA testing.

Connecting the dots. Shepard's work led to DNA testing on evidence from the Mary Lowe, Bernita Sparks, and Barbara Ware cases. This effort paid off in December 2004 when DNA from Mary Lowe's case matched DNA found on a recent murder victim, Valerie McCorvey, killed in July 2003. This confirmed the killer had resurfaced.

5. Familial DNA Provides the Crucial Breakthrough

California Governor Jerry Brown had recently approved the controversial test, which would allow police to broaden a DNA search to include a close relative of a crime-scene suspect.

A new investigative tool. Facing a killer whose DNA was not in existing felon databases, the LAPD's 800 Task Force turned to familial DNA searching, a cutting-edge technique recently approved in California. This method allowed investigators to search the state's DNA database for profiles that partially matched the crime scene DNA, indicating a potential relative of the suspect.

Ethical considerations debated. The use of familial DNA was controversial, raising concerns about privacy and potential bias, particularly impacting minority communities whose members were disproportionately represented in the DNA databases. However, the severity and long duration of the Grim Sleeper case led authorities to approve its use as a last resort.

The search yields a hit. After the initial familial search in 2008 came up empty, a second search was conducted in 2010 as the database grew. This time, the search identified a partial match to Christopher John Franklin, whose DNA was in the system due to a felony firearms conviction. This led investigators to his father, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., as a potential suspect.

6. The Killer is Identified as a Longtime Local Resident

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., 57, and his wife, Sylvia, lived at 1728 West 81st Street since 1986, the epicenter of where the Grim Sleeper murders took place.

A suspect emerges. The familial DNA hit pointed investigators to Lonnie David Franklin Jr., a seemingly ordinary resident of South Central. His address on 81st Street was remarkably close to where many of the victims were found and where the sole survivor, Enietra Washington, was attacked.

Fitting the profile. As detectives delved into Franklin's background, they found he fit aspects of the killer's profile.

• He was a black male in the age range.
• He lived in the core area of the murders.
• He had a history of arrests, though not for murder or sexual assault that would have put his DNA in the system earlier.
• He had worked as a mechanic and garbage collector, jobs that could explain knowledge of alleys and vehicles.

Covert surveillance begins. To confirm the link, a surveillance team was assigned to follow Franklin discreetly and collect discarded items containing his DNA. After several attempts, they successfully obtained DNA from a discarded pizza slice and napkins at a birthday party, which provided a definitive match to the Grim Sleeper's profile.

7. The Survivor's Testimony Haunts the Killer

But instead, he let me live, so I still get to haunt you because I am still here.

A crucial witness. Enietra Washington, the sole known survivor of the .25-caliber killer's attacks, became a pivotal figure in the investigation and trial. Her ability to describe her attacker and the circumstances of the assault provided invaluable details that corroborated other evidence.

Facing her attacker. After decades of living in fear and silence, Enietra bravely came forward to share her story with journalist Christine Pelisek and later testified in court. Her powerful testimony directly addressed Lonnie Franklin Jr., recounting the terrifying night in 1988 when he shot, sexually assaulted, and left her for dead.

Details corroborate evidence. Enietra's description of her attacker and his orange Ford Pinto with racing stripes, though initially met with skepticism by some, aligned with later evidence. Her account of being photographed during the assault was supported by the discovery of a Polaroid photo of her, taken that night, in Franklin's garage. Her survival and willingness to testify provided a living link to the killer's past crimes.

8. The Trial Reveals a Disturbing Double Life

Franklin maintained a public persona as a doting father, and, later, grandfather, and as a kind and thoughtful neighbor who helped needy and elderly people with their car problems.

The facade crumbles. Lonnie Franklin Jr.'s arrest shocked his neighbors and acquaintances, who knew him as a friendly, helpful mechanic and family man. The trial exposed a chilling double life, revealing a man who was simultaneously a respected community member and a serial predator.

Evidence of depravity. Testimony and evidence presented at trial painted a disturbing picture of Franklin's private activities.

• Discovery of hundreds of sexually explicit photos and videos of unknown women, many nude or in compromising positions.
• Testimony from a friend about Franklin bragging about sexual conquests with prostitutes and showing off photos.
• Finding women's underwear hidden in his garage and camper.
• Possession of multiple firearms, including the murder weapon.

Exploiting vulnerability. The prosecution argued that Franklin used his knowledge of the streets and the women's drug addictions to lure them, often offering drugs or money for sex. His seemingly harmless demeanor and local reputation likely helped him gain their trust before the attacks.

9. Overwhelming Scientific Evidence Links the Killer to Victims

The conclusion, the prosecution underscored for the jury, was the scientifically substantiated fact that it was only Franklin’s unique profile that was repeated from victim to victim to victim.

DNA is key. The prosecution's case heavily relied on irrefutable DNA evidence linking Franklin to multiple victims. Advanced forensic testing revealed his unique genetic profile on seven of the ten murder victims and the sole survivor.

Statistical certainty. DNA analysts testified to the incredibly high probability of the matches, stating the likelihood of finding another person with the same profile was in the quadrillions or quintillions, effectively ruling out coincidence.

• Saliva DNA on victims' breasts (7 cases).
• Touch DNA on a zip tie used to bag a victim (1 case).
• Sperm DNA (1 case).

Ballistics confirm the weapon. Firearms examiners provided crucial ballistics testimony, confirming that the same .25-caliber handgun was used in seven of the murders and the attempted murder. The murder weapon for the last victim was found in Franklin's home, linking him directly to that killing and, by extension, the earlier ones.

10. Victims' Families Fight for Justice Amidst Delays

I just hope I live long enough.

A long road to trial. After Franklin's arrest in 2010, the victims' families faced years of frustrating delays before the trial finally began in 2016. Pretrial hearings were frequent but often brief, leaving families feeling that the case was not progressing and that justice was being denied.

Enduring pain and loss. The delays compounded the decades of grief and uncertainty the families had already endured. Many older family members worried they would not live to see the trial conclude or a verdict reached. They attended court hearings religiously, seeking closure and ensuring their loved ones were not forgotten.

Speaking out for justice. Frustrated by the slow pace and perceived lack of transparency, families, often supported by community activists, spoke out publicly and in court. They used Marsy's Law to demand a speedy trial and expressed their anger at the defense's tactics and the system's delays, emphasizing that the victims' lives mattered regardless of their circumstances.

11. The Killer's Past Reveals a Pattern of Violence

When you commit a horrific crime, don’t leave the victim alive to turn you in.

Early signs of deviance. Lonnie Franklin Jr.'s criminal history began in his teens with theft and burglary arrests. However, a more disturbing pattern emerged during his time in the U.S. Army in Germany in the early 1970s.

A chilling precedent. In 1974, Franklin was convicted in Germany of the rape and kidnapping of a 17-year-old girl and the attempted kidnapping of another. This case shared disturbing similarities with his later crimes:

• Luring young women into a car.
• Using a weapon (knife in Germany, gun later).
• Sexual assault.
• Taking photos of the victim.

Learning from mistakes. Franklin's conviction and prison sentence in Germany, where the victim survived and identified him, may have taught him a grim lesson: leaving a victim alive posed a significant risk of capture. This could explain why his later victims in South Central were murdered, with the exception of Enietra Washington, who miraculously survived.

12. Science and Persistence Bring the Grim Sleeper to Justice

Science is the only thing that stopped the serial killer.

A relentless pursuit. Despite decades of dead ends, police overload, community mistrust, and a long period of inactivity by the killer, a dedicated team of cold case detectives, later forming the 800 Task Force, never gave up on solving the Grim Sleeper murders. Their persistence, combined with advancements in forensic technology, ultimately led to the killer's identification and arrest.

The power of DNA. The development and application of familial DNA searching proved to be the critical tool that cracked the case, providing a lead when traditional methods failed. This innovative technique, though controversial, allowed investigators to bypass the killer's absence from the direct DNA database by identifying a relative.

Justice finally served. Lonnie David Franklin Jr.'s arrest in 2010, based on the familial DNA hit and subsequent confirmation, brought an end to his reign of terror. The overwhelming DNA and ballistics evidence presented at his trial, along with survivor testimony and evidence from his home, led to his conviction, bringing a measure of closure to the victims' families after decades of waiting.

Last updated: May 13, 2025