Homicide Report > Grim Sleeper killings: Suspect arrested by LAPD
Grim Sleeper killings: Suspect arrested by LAPD
Lonnie David Franklin Jr., a 57-year-old black man, was arrested Wednesday, July 7, on suspicion of murder in connection with a string of killings in South Los Angeles dating back nearly three decades. His arrest came after what authorities described as the landmark use of "familial DNA" to track down a suspect.
![Map shows location of Franklin's home [purple marker] and locations where Grim Sleeper's victims were found [in red]. Click for more details.](http://www.latimes.com/includes/projects/homicide_report/grim_sleeper_home_map.jpg "Map shows location of Franklin's home [purple marker] and locations where Grim Sleeper's victims were found [in red]. Click for more details.")
Franklin, a former LAPD mechanic and city trash collector, lived in the heart of the neighborhood where the killings had occurred, but was never detected.
Three weeks before the arrest, state justice officials made the initial DNA hit. Concerned about privacy violations and getting the results right, they then spent two weeks retesting results and going through the legal checks and balances.
On June 30, they made the call to Los Angeles Police Department headquarters – letting local officials know there was an urgent need to talk.
As LAPD officials realized the gravity of the news, Chief Charlie Beck kept the circle tight. No one was to know about the DNA hit until police had a game plan for how to proceed. No information would leak out, not even deputy chiefs were in the loop.
Within hours of meeting, undercover surveillance officers began watching Franklin. These were round-the-clock teams – 14- to 16-member teams from the Special Investigations Section and Narcotics Surveillance – monitoring every move.
Franklin spent most of his daylight hours indoors, sources said. He left his house on 81st Street only to run a few mundane errands — to an auto parts store, nothing that would allow detectives to retrieve any DNA samples.
At night, Franklin became more active. But even those evenings proved fruitless. He would take long, seemingly pointless drives through the city. On some occasions, he drove along Western Avenue, an area known for prostitution. If Franklin picked up a prostitute, police planned to arrest him immediately, fearing that he could potentially strike again.
But he never did.
Their big break came Monday when Franklin stopped for pizza near Buena Park, discarding some crust, a fork, napkins and a drinking glass. Detectives moved in quickly, collecting eight items.
Authorities felt a surge of excitement – and apprehension. Was there enough saliva to extract usable DNA? What if this was another dead end?
The items were immediately taken to the LAPD's DNA lab, where analysts were put to work. The analysts were not told what case they were working on. But they were given explicit direction to rush the job without cutting any corners.
Then, authorities could only wait.
On Tuesday night, the analysts delivered their first news. They had extracted enough DNA to run a test.
At 7 a.m., the results were in. DNA matched evidence found at the crime scenes.
At 9:20 a.m., Franklin walked out of his house in the 1700 block of 81st Street in the Manchester Square neighborhood of South Los Angeles to move one of his cars. Two detectives approached him, identified themselves and quickly whisked Franklin away in an awaiting vehicle.
At 1:47 p.m., Franklin was booked at the downtown Los Angeles jail. He was charged with 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Franklin was a garage attendant at the LAPD's 77th Street Division station in the early 1980s, according to city and police sources. He worked as a garbage collector for the Los Angeles Department of Sanitation during the years that the first eight killings occurred. The string of slayings began with the death of Debra Jackson, a 29-year-old black woman, on Aug. 10, 1985, and ended with the death of Alicia "Monique" Alexander, an 18-year-old black woman, on Sept. 11, 1988.
Franklin has at least four prior convictions, two for felony possession of stolen property in 1993 and 2003, one for misdemeanor battery in 1997 and one for misdemeanor assault in 1999, according to court records. He was sentenced to a year in jail for the first stolen-property charge and 270 days for the second one.
— Joel Rubin
Top photo: Mug shots of Lonnie David Franklin, Jr. over the years. Credit: LAPD Map: Shows location of Franklin's home and where Grim Sleeper's victims were found. Click for more details.
30 reader comments
If the victimes were white, the black users would be on here posting that they put in extra time and effort to solve the murder because they were white, but this time the victims and the suspect were all black. No one else to blame this time.
July 9, 2010 at 4:53 p.m.
— me .... thats one of the more bizarre statements I've read here.
Are you insinuating that the LAPD didnt work this case as hard as they should have because the victims were black?
July 9, 2010 at 7:19 p.m.
It is a fact that these homicides were not worked as hard because the victims were black!
The case became top priority when the LA Weekly called BS on the LAPD and gave the serial killer his nickname.
Had 10 white women on the Westside been killed in a similar manner, the response would have been tenfold!
Another ignorant comment from the racist and ignorant troll known as syscom3.
July 10, 2010 at 7:47 a.m.
Could this case be related? It was featured on the homicide report about a month ago.
http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/local/los_angeles&id=7444923
Black female victim and the 105 freeway is not far from this sickos home. I won't be surprised if they link him to several more murders.
BTW, I'm a supporter of the familial DNA technique. It's time to run a search on everyone and get these people off our streets.
July 10, 2010 at 12:18 p.m.
Sorry Bobby, but the facts don't support your views.
First of all, since 1980, there has been 38,725 homicides in Los Angeles alone. The homicide division cannot spend all their resources on a single case, and eventually if it isn't solved soon enough, it goes into the "cold case file"
Second; these woman were engaging in high risk activities in a city that was already experiencing a historically high homicide rate. They were simply "a couple of murders among thousands".
Third, you are making the rookie mistake of projecting today's technology into the past, for when it didn't exist. Want to debate that point?
Fourth; This guy was so good, he left no evidence that was traceable to him .... until the advent of familial DNA.
And finally, did you know it was mostly liberals and civil libertarians who fought tooth and nail against this DNA technique? Funny how the very people you vote for come back to mess up your neighborhoods. Funny isn't it?
Now if you still want to discuss the racial aspects of the case, continue to do so, because every one of your conspiracy theories and beliefs can easily be debunked.
As for me being a troll? Hardly. Many people call me names, but in the end, I am usually right.
July 10, 2010 at 3:34 p.m.
debunked?
How more about that its your opinion... and nothing else.
So what you are quoting some different terms and different numbers... but that don't mean you right.
You ever thought about that?
July 10, 2010 at 7:49 p.m.
@ Syscom3, Your NEVER right!. But you are always talking!!!.
July 10, 2010 at 9:14 p.m.
syscom3 very true indeed.....
July 10, 2010 at 11:57 p.m.
@ Concerned Citizen,
i thought the same thing even before knowing who or where the man lived. seemed odd. i commented about that in that post when it first happened.
July 11, 2010 at 2:43 a.m.
syscom3
It was poor taste to bring up race to begin with. What was your point? Oh, I know...the web is the only way you can truely "express" yourself. Don't worry, we all see the white sheet on your head through the computer.
Good Day
July 11, 2010 at 3:06 a.m.
google map the 1700 block of w. 81st...I think thats him in the jump suit in the drive way talkin to a guy on a bike.....he was workin on a lincoln town car......he can go to hell
July 11, 2010 at 8:32 a.m.
It is so scary a killer was free for so many years. That's why he killed so many people. Im sure theres more cases like this right now. He was out like nothing and we probably came across a killer. Good job LAPD! Too bad theres many killers out there on the lose. People don't trust anyone that you known for a while. Be careful when youre out because you can be next. We & the police should focus more on tracking down these killers than those small crimes.
July 11, 2010 at 10:46 a.m.
— Bobby and — Twin Davis ..... explain to everyone on what evidence the police missed that would have allowed them to arrest the accused at an earlier date?
According to your theories, even though the DNA profile of Mr. Franklin was never in a database; you proclaim that its irrelevant. The authorities should have used psychics (from an "800" number no doubt) to divine just exactly who's DNA it was.
And amazingly, the very people you probably vote for, would have never allowed the police to use this DNA technique that they eventually used.
As for me wearing a "white sheet"; that's just a politically correct statement you're making to let everyone know you cant argue the facts, thus you have to use incendiary language to deflect attention away from you.
Sorry, those techniques don't work anymore.
— Sadden; just exactly where am I wrong? Many people say things like that, but no one ever comes up with facts to prove I am wrong.
July 11, 2010 at 12:59 p.m.
i pray for the families in hopes they can find some closure now. it's too bad it took all these years and all these other victims. they were all just babies.
July 11, 2010 at 8:15 p.m.
syscom3-correct from a Justice/law enforcement standpoint. And often times the public does not know many undertakings of the police, simply because they choose to keep certain things confidential. Rather than a race issue, it could have been that the LAPD did not want media whores: a) ruining any investigation (by knowing facts that only the killer should know,so if arrested the LAPD would be able to discriminate him/her as the true killer)or b) didn't want the media frenzy causing a riot (which Angelinos love to start)if they didn't solve the crime!!!!! People often speak before knowing or thining of all the facets.
July 12, 2010 at 10:49 a.m.
Dinkom3: No one has to prove you wrong...YOU have to prove you're right. Which you never can do because you have no facts to speak from.
You can B.S. the fans, but you can't B.S. the players...player.
July 12, 2010 at 11:56 a.m.
Ok syscom3 since I got tired of reading your post and so fourth let me tell you what you keep asking...The evidence they had to convict this man was his prints since he had been in trouble before, 2. He used the same gun on many of the victims.
Now why many believe that race played a part: Nationality played because the women were looked at as just another person dead in a time when cocaine & gang violence was high with blacks. In case you haven't noticed by the many that live in those neighborhoods the LAPD & Sheriffs don't care too much about black people. Let me give you a little information, I know the survivor, she isn't nor wasn’t a prostitute or a drug addict as the police keep putting it. She was simply walking to a party and was offered a ride that she did reject but because of the manners and whatever else she took the ride that could have been her last. Now it brings me to this ask yourself why do you think it wasn't important to work on a case of a woman being sexually assaulted and shot to death? Oh that’s right because they keep describing the women as black drug addicts and prostitutes.
July 12, 2010 at 2:26 p.m.
— just say'n ..... so what if they police had fingerprints (if they had them in the first place)? If the prints were not in a national database, just how do you determine whom they belong too?
If they had the evidence a long time ago, they would have nailed him then and there.
As for ballistics; again ..... all the ballistics proves is the bullet came from the same gun. It doesn't prove who has the gun if the identifying characteristics are not in any database.
July 12, 2010 at 7:01 p.m.
Why didn't they have DNA from the suspect from his previous arrests?
July 12, 2010 at 11:54 p.m.
— syscom3
"If they had the evidence a long time ago, they would have nailed him then and there."
Again that is the question and why so many believe what they believe because how is it that they had some evidence but it wasn't important enough to continue their investigation oh that’s right because they are easily saying it is just another "black" "Drug Addict" or "Prostitute". Key words to why this investigation didn't go any further. See you are seeing it from a whole other perspective. Are you a cop or have worked close with them because you are really looking at it that way?
"so what if they police had fingerprints (if they had them in the first place)? If the prints were not in a national database, just how do you determine whom they belong too?"
Really "so what"? That’s another thing why do they have to have the print in the national database all crimes where performed in Los Angeles it only needed to be in their data base in order to catch him since he was arrested on many other occasions. Oh yeah again not important. Come on are you serious! You really don't know much do you. Smdh. (in case you don't know what that means-Shaking My D@mn Head)
July 13, 2010 at 9:28 a.m.
— just say'n
What part dont you understand; "The suspect's DNA was not in any national database. There was no way to match the profile with a suspect".
Same with fingerprints (if they had them). "The fingerprints are not matchable to any print in the national database. There was no way to match the profile with a suspect".
According to your logic, the police must arrest every possible suspect (hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of people) and test for their DNA so we will know who did it.
July 13, 2010 at 12:05 p.m.
It is the way we see it. It is sad but we (many, not all) black people see that when the crimes are against us it is very low priority. The fact that the victims were all suppose to be "drug addicts & prostitutes made them even lower. The time it took to find and arrest this killer is what bothers most people. If these women were working class women maybe it would have been solved sooner but then they still were black so it still would have been a low priority case. History has proven that black people who are victims of crime hardly ever get top priority. I don't remember the date but on 20 /20 or Dateline they had a special on the difference in media coverage of missing white (kids, women or men) and missing black kids, women or men. The coverage is very minimal when trying to get the word out when black people are missing.
July 13, 2010 at 1:20 p.m.
— syscom3
What part of fingerprints & ballistics do u get DNA?
Look all I am saying is that had it been any other race, any other neighborhood, or any other case outside of what the police keep pointing out (black, prostitute, drug addict & woman) the case would have actually been investigated more thorough. That’s all that most are trying to express to you. Unfortunately u can't see past your white picket fence to know what it is truly like.
July 13, 2010 at 2:31 p.m.
— Wizzard; ever consider that so many crimes are committed in black and latino neighborhoods, its impossible for the police to solve them all, simply because there are so many.
And just what do you mean "working class"? Are you saying that the non working people are in your neighborhoods and not mine?
— just say'n, you still haven't answered my question. This case was never going to be solved until the killer was arrested and had his DNA put into the crime database. No matter how much resources were committed, it wasn't going to be solved until the DNA technique they used, was perfected.
And if it wasn't for the liberals who represent these area's, it could have been solved years earlier.
July 13, 2010 at 4:31 p.m.
It's so funny to see how someone is using my screen name'just say'n' to blog on this site, and voice views that I totally don't agree with; and it would be nice if they would create their own blogger screen name, to make their points known.
July 14, 2010 at 8:51 a.m.
Hi
My twin sister was stabbed to death ( over 50 stabbed wounds) in 1983 and thrown in a dumpter on 32nd and Main street (south central) for some reason I think he did it but now I am reading that the women he targeted were prostitues or drug addicts and she was neither one of them. I thought I was about to get some type of closures. I would have to agree that the Police Department give low priority to the black communties vs. the other races or status. So when do I get my justice for my twin sister death?
July 14, 2010 at 12:19 p.m.
Syscom3, regardless if you're right or not, take it down a notch; you sound pompous.
July 14, 2010 at 2:32 p.m.
@ — The Real "Just Say'n"
Really didn't realize there was another person with that "name" and I do apologize for the inconvenience. But the reality of it really I was just say'n.
@— syscom3
"This case was never going to be solved until the killer was arrested and had his DNA put into the crime database."
So what your say'n is that plain old police work just wasn't good enough until they perfected the DNA database right? Come on the reality of it is that "everything" wasn't done in a proper manner nor time frame. Some of these killings could have been prevented had some good ol’ police work been done. I am not sure what you question is…but I have been on both sides of the fence and I do know the difference in police work.
Let me ask you this why do you think that with so many police roaming and "protecting & serving" those areas why do you think that crime is still high in those areas? Please don’t say that it is because of how high the crime is because technically it has always been high just never controlled. It has to make you wonder how so many police still to this day can't get control over the same blocks they patrol every 10 minutes in comparison to every hour (just generalizing not actual time in other places.
Look I am not arguing about how they found him but you do have to see that the police already gave their excuse before the question even came up on why it took so long...black, prostitute, & drug addicts. The only reason why it is an obvious excuse is because most weren’t prostitutes & drug addicts, not say’n that the others couldn’t have been.
July 14, 2010 at 4:51 p.m.
Brenda, sorry for your loss. I can only imagine the pain you must have felt after losing your other half. There is a chance that this sick man could have been responsible for your brothers death. The media has been saying that most of his victims were prostitutes and drug addicts, but a lot of family members have gotten on here and said that is not true. My prayers are with you and your family.
July 15, 2010 at 9:27 a.m.
— the mistaken just say'n now just LDM
As I said above, "since 1980, there has been 38,725 homicides in Los Angeles alone.".
There isnt enough police resources to investigate every single homicide in that city. And if the murderer is good enough (or lucky) in that scant evidence is left behind, then theres nothing that can be done untill evidence is obtained.
Just what do you think the police should do? Tell the relatives of homicides being commited today to "wait your turn, were still handling cases from 20 years ago"
And do you not agree that prostitutes and drug abusers are at high risk for being murdered, by engaging in a lifestyle that is dangerous to begin with? Just by engaging in those two activites means these woman were going to get into cars with unknown men and driven to quiet areas with no witnesses.
July 15, 2010 at 11:22 a.m.
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