Grim Sleeper

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A serial killer who allegedly murdered at least 10 people in the Los Angeles area has been referred to in the media as Grim Sleeper . On June 6, 2016, a jury jury found Lonnie David Franklin Jr. (born August 30, 1952 - March 28, 2020 ), whose DNA traces had been found on 10 murder victims, guilty in all cases and spoke out in favor of the death penalty out. This was imposed by the court on August 10, 2016. The execution of the sentence was made impossible by the suspension of the death penalty in California in 2019. Franklin died in his cell on Death Row in San Quentin State Prison on March 28, 2020 .

Crime period

The periods of the crime are presumed to be 1985 to 1988 and 2002 to 2007. The victims attributed to the perpetrator were African-American women who were drug addicts and mostly worked as prostitutes . The name Grim Sleeper comes from the time gap of 13 years ("sleeper") in the assigned murder cases and is an allusion to the expression "Grim Reaper", with which the grim reaper is referred to in English .

By analyzing DNA traces, 10 feminicides from the past decades in the Los Angeles area could be assigned to one and the same perpetrator. One victim, 30-year-old Enietra "Margette" Washington, survived the attack on November 20, 1988 and was able to describe the perpetrator as a 25- to 35-year-old African American. This partial description of the perpetrator may have been the reason why he did not become conspicuous again for 13 years.

Enlightenment and conviction

The police arrested Lonnie David Franklin Jr., then 57 years old, on July 7, 2010, on strong suspicion of being the perpetrator. The basis was studies of DNA traces. Franklin's son was jailed as a convicted felon, and investigators had noticed similarities in his DNA profile with that of the Grim Sleeper he was looking for. This was how they got on the father's trail. In order to get a DNA profile of Franklin, a policeman disguised as a waiter collected cutlery and a bitten piece of pizza in a restaurant Franklin visited. Based on this, a DNA analysis was carried out, which matched the perpetrator profile and led to Franklin's arrest.

Large numbers of photos found in the suspect's home have been released to identify possible other victims.

On May 5, 2016, Franklin Jr. was found guilty of the murder of nine women and one girl by a U.S. jury. On June 6, 2016, a jury called for the death penalty to be imposed on all 10 cases.

The formal announcement of the verdict was set for August 10, 2016. On August 10, 2016, the court followed the jury's recommendation and sentenced Lonnie David Franklin to death in all 10 cases. On March 13, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the suspension of the death penalty in California and the immediate closure of the San Quentin State Prison execution site .

On March 28, 2020, Lonnie David Franklin was found lifeless in his cell.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b US serial killer: "Grim Sleeper" Lonnie F. sentenced to death. In: Spiegel Online . Retrieved August 11, 2016 .
  2. ↑ 'Grim Sleeper' serial killer Lonnie Franklin dies on death row at San Quentin. March 29, 2020, accessed March 30, 2020 (American English).
  3. ↑ Christine Pelisek: Grim Sleeper Returns: He's Murdering Angelenos, as Cops Hunt his DNA. Los Angeles Weekly, August 27, 2008, accessed June 6, 2016 .
  4. ↑ USA: Police catch suspected serial killer after 25 years . Mirror online
  5. ↑ Scott Glover, Paul Vercammen: Los Angeles jury convicts 'Grim Sleeper' of 10 murders. CNN, May 6, 2016, accessed June 6, 2016 .
  6. ↑ a b LA’s 'Grim Sleeper' serial killer sentenced to death. In: BBC News. June 6, 2016, accessed June 6, 2016 .
  7. ↑ The 180 Wives of Lonnie F. Spiegel Online
  8. ↑ The murder trial of Lonnie F .: US court finds "Grim Sleeper" guilty . Mirror online
  9. ↑ US serial killer in court: The jury calls for the death penalty for the 'Grim Sleeper'. In: RP Online. Retrieved June 7, 2016 .
  10. ^ Governor Gavin Newsom Orders a Halt to the Death Penalty in California. Governor's Office, March 13, 2019, accessed March 20, 2020 .
  11. ↑ Convicted serial killer known as the 'Grim Sleeper' found dead in prison cell. In: CNN . March 30, 2020, accessed on March 30, 2020 .
personal data
SURNAME Grim Sleeper
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Franklin, Lonnie David
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American serial killer
DATE OF BIRTH August 30, 1952
DATE OF DEATH March 28, 2020
Place of death San Quentin State Prison , California