Serial Killer Database Wiki

Welcome to the Serial Killer Database. Check out our Youtube, and Reddit. And please look through the guidelines, page structure, Help and Policy pages, as well as the Manual of Style before you start contributing.

READ MORE

Serial Killer Database Wiki
Don't have an account?
Register
Serial Killer Database Wiki
Register
Serial Killer Database Wiki
SKdb - For students and researchers
7,235
pages
in: Identified Serial Killers, Dead Serial Killers, Male Serial Killers,
and 13 more

FRANKLIN Lonnie David Jr.

Edit
SKb
This article does not cite any sources
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Further details may exist on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (July 17, 2024)
Find sources: "Lonnie David Franklin Jr." – news · books · scholar · JSTOR

ProfileGalleryQuotes

Biography[]

Early life[]

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., also known as the "Grim Sleeper," was born on August 30, 1952, in Los Angeles, California. Raised in the city, Franklin had a relatively unremarkable early life, and little was known about his background until his criminal activities came to light.

Military Service[]

Franklin served in the U.S. Army during the 1970s and was stationed in Germany. His military service did not provide any early indications of the violent crimes he would later commit.

Criminal Activities[]

Lonnie Franklin's criminal activities became widely known when he was arrested and charged with a series of murders and sexual assaults spanning several decades. The crimes occurred in South Los Angeles, and Franklin's modus operandi earned him the moniker "Grim Sleeper." The nickname originated from a belief that he took a hiatus or "sleeper" period between his known murder sprees.

Arrest and Trial[]

Franklin was apprehended on July 7, 2010 after the Los Angeles Police Department employed familial DNA searching, connecting him to crime scene evidence. His arrest brought closure to a series of unsolved cases dating back to the 1980s.

In 2016, Lonnie Franklin stood trial for ten counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. The victims, primarily young African-American women, were targeted in a string of homicides that spanned from 1985 to 2007. Franklin was found guilty on all counts, and in 2016, he was sentenced to death.

Death[]

Lonnie Franklin died on March 28, 2020, at the age of 67, while on death row at San Quentin State Prison. The cause of death was reported as complications related to cardiovascular disease.

Franklin's crimes and the subsequent trial highlighted systemic issues in the handling of serial crimes in Los Angeles, particularly those that disproportionately affected marginalized communities. The "Grim Sleeper" case underscored the importance of advancements in forensic technology in solving cold cases and bringing perpetrators to justice.

Belize Ripper[]

Main article: Belize Ripper

There has been suggestions and potential circumstantial connections between Lonnie Franklin and a series of unsolved crimes in Belize City. Franklin's marriage to Sylvia Castillo, who was from Belize, and other circumstantial evidence, such as the matching of his 14-year break with the murder spree and the discovery of a van used in one of his confirmed killings in Belize, raised suspicions.

However, it's crucial to note that these were suggestions and potential links made by law enforcement, and Lonnie Franklin was never formally charged or prosecuted for the Belize City crimes. The absence of formal charges indicates that, at least legally, there was insufficient evidence to directly connect him to those specific crimes in Belize.

Victims[]

Confirmed victims[]

Name Age Disappeared Body Found Location Cause of Death
Debra Jackson 29 August 10, 1985 Vermont-Slauson, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Henrietta Wright 35 August 12, 1986 Hyde Park, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Barbara Ware 23 January 10, 1987 Central-Alameda, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Bernita Sparks 26 April 15, 1987 Gramercy Park, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Mary Lowe 26 October 31, 1987 Gramercy Park, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Lachrica Jefferson 22 January 30, 1988 Westmont, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Alicia Alexander 18 September 11, 1988 Vermont Square, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Princess Berthomieux 15 December 21, 2001 March 19, 2002 Inglewood, Los Angeles, California Strangulation
Valerie McCorvey 35 July 11, 2003 Westmont, Los Angeles, California Strangulation
Janecia Peters 17 January 1, 2007 Gramercy Park, Los Angeles, California Shootin

Survivors[]

Name Age Date of Attack Location Method of Attack
Enietra Margette Washington 30 November 20, 1988 Gramercy Park, Los Angeles, California Shooting

Suspected victims[]

Name Age Disappeared Body Found Location Cause of Death
Sharon Alicia Dismuke 21 January 15, 1984
Thomas Sylvester Steele 36 August 14, 1986 Harvard Park, Los Angeles, California Shooting
Inez Elizabeth Warren 28 August 15, 1988 Shooting
Georgia Mae Thomas 43 December 28, 2000 Shooting
Ayellah Gbo Dzata Marshall 18 February 1, 2005 Never been found
Rolenia Adele Morris 31 September 10, 2005 Never been found

Possible murders[]

Name Age Disappeared Body Found Location Cause of Death
Edwinta Hereford 19 May 15-16, 2010 Paramount, Los Angeles, California Bludgeoning
Cathern Davis 32 June 9, 1982
Rosalind Giles 26 January 10, 1991
Lisa Renee Knox 28 May 11, 1993
Anita Yolanda Parker 37 November 17, 1998

Timeline[]

Timeline Missing
This article has a Missing Timeline. You can help Serial Killer Database Wiki by expanding it.

Bibliography[]

Literature[]

Articles[]

Documentaries[]

Television[]

YouTube Documentaries[]

Podcasts[]

In popular culture[]

Film adaptation[]

Related Articles[]

See also[]

Links[]

Notes[]

References[]

  1. ↑ Tales of the Grim Sleeper Trailer on YouTube


Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.