Los Angeles detectives assigned to the Grim Sleeper serial killer case say they are investigating two additional homicides that may be the work of suspect Lonnie Franklin Jr., according to an aide for an L.A. councilman in whose district some of the killings took place.
The detectives also said there are four missing persons cases that may be related to the overall investigation, the aide told CNN.com Thursday.
In July, 57-year-old Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was arrested and charged with 10 murders and one attempted murder related to slayings that date to 1985. He has pleaded not guilty. In 2009, CNN.com published a special cold case interactive on the decades-long hunt for the killer. Police were led to Franklin after his 28-year-old son was arrested and gave a DNA swab, authorities said. When authorities announced the arrest, they revealed that Franklin had, for a time, worked as a garage attendant at a Los Angeles police station.
Detectives delivered the news about the additional cases at a community meeting Wednesday night at Bethel AME Church in South Los Angeles. They were responding to a question from a family member of one of the two homicide victims, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Dennis Gleason, a spokesman for Eighth District Councilman Bernard Parks, told CNN that the possible additional homicide victims were identified through photographs related to the Grim Sleeper case that police released to the public in December.
Shortly after Franklin's arrest, police searched his home and said they found Polaroids and videotape of many women. In December, investigators released some of those photographs (viewable here), which generated leads, they said.
Franklin is in custody awaiting trial.
I hope the authorities get all their ducks in a row so they can prepare a solid case against this creep. If they leave any reasonable doubt, he'll be out in no time.
I haven't heard that any of the women in the photographs are dead. The guy was a looker in his day and probably slept with every single one of those women. That doesn't make him guilty of murder.
yeah and the DNA evidence that linked him to some of the crimes should be thrown out if none of the photos are of the dead.
palin stupid people shouldnt be allowed on this here internet
To "Joe in Colorado"....the news story refers to these women as HOMICIDE victims. This means, sweetie, that they are dead. Nice how you turned victims into just women he slept with....classy.
They don't need their ducks in that good of a row. He is charged with 10 separate murders. That means 10 separate trials. He will go to jail for a long time just for one.
Nadda: The article says they are "possible homicide victims"... fact is, they don't know who these women are or where they are.
Actually, it says "possible additional homicide victims" – so 'possible' is an adjective for the word 'additional', not 'homicide', meaning they are deceased and it is "possible" that they will be added to the homicides he is already being charged with
BOB- !0 separate trials? Where do get your facts? That's like saying you got 3 separate traffic tickets at a single stop and get 3 separate trials. As long as it's presented to a Grand Jury together it can ALL go to court in a single trial. I once sat in a trial of a Serial Rapist. Several different victims, ONE trial. That guy will never smell freedom again.
People like this need to never see daylight again – Can you imagine the trauma he's inflicted on so many lives. Sick – just horrid and sick.
no I cant imagine the trauma, although i do recognize 10+ people were murdered. imagine the trauma if they were alive and knew they were murdered?
Oh PLEASE!!! Stasticially serial killers are white males, NOT black. When are some of us going to get over the antiquated prejudices against people of color and women?
FYI: I am a white female who has seen plenty of horrific things done by people of all shapes, size, gender, and color.
Shut up.
EqualityPlease I take offense to your idiotic statement. So you are saying he couldn't be guilty because "statistically" all serial killers are white males, how moronic ... I guess according to your logic any crime involving any person other than a white male must be prejudice huh??? FYI: most statistics are biased in some way.
Just shut up, really.
I'm sure his victims weren't interested in your "statistics" as they lay there dying.......
So where are these so called statistics at? I can make up things too...Statistics say people who say the word "statistic" out loud are 10 times more likely to pick their noses and eat their boogers... So there.
Lady, seriously? Perhaps you should do your homework before you pop off in public like that. No one just picked this guy out because he's black and decided to hang a string of murders on him. In fact, they found him almost by accident. They DNA tested the kid on another charge and that's when they realized they had a connection. As you say, criminals come in all shapes, sizes, colors, etc. You think only white men are serial killers? Ever heard of Wayne Williams or Anthony Sowell or Lorenzo Gilyard? Do a little research. Being black doesn't disqualify anyone from anything.
most likely when the inner city gangs that kill each other all day long stop being the color u mentioned.
palin stupid award to u.
Spectacular troll, wow. Nice work. Don't have anything better to do with your time?
Serial Killers come from all kinds of colors. If you do not beleave that, then check this out!
youtube.com/watch?v=R8gYc5fvMQ0
Does anyone know what "Statistically" means? For you who are working a McDonalds it basically means "most likely" or "probably". It's not a rule. Sure a serial killer can be of any color but MOST of them are white, educated males. Whereas MOST drive-by shootings are done by blacks under age 25, but not all of them. In 2006, from July to December 50% of all drive by shootings in the nation occurred in California. SO, you could say that if you heard about a drive-by, you could reasonably assume it was probably in that state. BECAUSE OF STATISTICS!
Those prejudices that you speak of are far from antiquated....but irrelevant to the topic at hand.
Let the Cops do their Job.
color or has gt nothin wit d situation. lets follow d investigation nd see dt justice is served.
What does that say? Try using your words next time...
Well said Mayhem . . . crazy is crazy . . .
Gotta love how the media gets the worst picture of the suspect they can find and that's the only image the public ever gets. This picture is over a year old. I'm not commenting on this case, just the new trend the media has taken in feeding the public exactly what it wants us to see.
usually serial killers are white but since we had a woman that was one anything s possible it doesnt matter of the color or race
We should be proud that, in the United States, a black man has an opportunity to become a serial killer in a predominately white profession. Bravo, Grim Sleeper....
We should be proud as Americans that a black man can prove his skills, and enter a profession, previously dominated by white males. Bravo, Mr. Sleeper...
Im trying warning to congress and senate about birth certiface of obama
You are insane. Get help.
stick to the topic please
W_t_f are you babbling about Willard?
Finally!!! A black serial killer!!! Never thought I'd see the day. Now that I got that out of my system, I hope justice is served.
Next, the first black nascar driver, LOL!
What about Wayne Williams, the Atlanta Child Murderer of the 80's, he was black... just sayin'
I sense an insanity plea coming on,this could drag on in court for years and if he is found not guily by reason of insanity does the world really need one more crazy person?Who' mind is so twisted that proably no amount of therapy will ever be able to straghten?Do this predator and society a favor and give him the needle now and lets move on.
Agreed!!! Thank you, I ma so sick of insanity pleas! Do we really need people like this in the world? I totally agree with you.
Sorry meant to say "I am so sick of insanity pleas." darn phone!
Only 1% of all cases that are heard in court does the defendant use an insanity defense. Moreover in only 1% of that 1% do they receive a ‘not-guilty by reason of mental disease or defect’ verdict. They also can receive a guilty-but mentally ill verdict. Either case they are not simply released from custody, they either enter a mental hospital where there stays can be longer than a prison sentence or they receive psychiatric care while in prison.
Not to mention the amount of proof one would have to have to prove insanity. Please get your information from more than the television.
I think that congress and senate must keep investagor about birth ceritface of obam a in the state of hawaii
Esta loco?
What planet did you say you are from, imbecile!
So, much loco!! Willard, it seems you time could be better-spent educating yourself..begin with the basics. then you can take a leap into the world of of being able to think for yourself. Good luck w/that!