Grim Sleeper: After 25 Years of Pain and Senseless Murder in Los Angeles, a Suspect is Captured

[Mike 03]

(CNN) -- Authorities said Wednesday they have arrested a suspect in the Grim Sleeper serial killer case and will charge him with 10 counts of murder.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., 57, faces an additional count of attempted murder, officials said.

Nicknamed for taking long breaks between attacks, the killer is believed responsible for at least 11 deaths since 1985 in south Los Angeles. The killer targeted black women, some working as prostitutes, using the same small caliber weapon.

More at Link:

http://edition.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/07/07/grim.sleeper.arrest/?hpt=T2&fbid=yOs4fG07pW_

IMO, this is a long-awaited, highly desirable development. This serial killer has operated in Los Angeles since I was a college kid in Los Angeles, and just like the Hillside Stranglers, Bittaker and Norris, and the Night Stalker, this was yet another instance in which the LAPD was dishonest with the citizens, with-held vital information that a serial killer was operating in our area.

On the one hand, I am very happy this string of murders has ostensibly been solved, but it just brings back so many memories of a police force that did very little to alert people in potential danger when we had active serial killers and serial killer teams haunting Los Angeles in the very late Seventies and the Eighties.

How many murders could have been prevented if the truth had been known. My friend's gal pal was murdered by the Hillside Stranglers in part because she had been told they only murdered prostitutes. She was a very bright college student who met her fate at the hands of Angelo Buono and Kenneth Bianchi.

Transparency is the cliche of the day. How about Transparency in law enforcement?

[grantcart]

1. A fascinating case and maybe the first time a pizza is used to get a tombstone

DNA of the suspect led the police to suspect someone who had a very close DNA match but was too young to have committed the murders.

They turned to examine his relatives, including the father who seemed to match the artist sketch. They took pizza out of his

garbage and matched DNA from the Pizza.

[thereismore]

4. This is why you should always eat the crust. nt

[Johonny]

5. +1 for great joke

[grantcart]

2. .dupe

.

[Scurrilous]

3. Good news.

:thumbsup:

[apocalypsehow]

6. Glad to hear about the resolution of this case. n/t.

[Mike 03]

7. Thank you for the posts and recs, I appreciate it

It is just so haunting to think me and my ex wife were in the area where those sweet human beings were killed, and I am pretty sure they were the inspiration for several scenes in Michael Mann's film HEAT.

My heart breaks for the loved ones of these victims.