Families of murder victims flood LAPD with calls after 'Grim Sleeper' arrest

Los Angeles police detectives investigating the so-called "Grim Sleeper" killings have received more than 40 calls from people asking them to investigate decades-old unsolved homicides and sexual assaults involving their loved ones.

Phones at the task force, which was set up in 2007 to investigate dozens of unsolved homicides in South Los Angeles, have been ringing nonstop since last week when the LAPD announced the arrest of Lonnie David Franklin Jr.

"The conversations have been emotional," said Det. Dennis Kilcoyne, who is heading the investigation into the killings.

Franklin, a former city sanitation worker, has been charged in connection with the slayings of 10 women between 1985 and 2007. He was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" for the long and seemingly inexplicable gap between the initial set of murders that ended in 1988 only to resume a decade later.

LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said last week that investigators may be able to close some of those gaps by uncovering additional killings linked to the suspect, although he acknowledged it won't be easy.

The LAPD is already in the process of reexamining 30 unsolved homicides that could have been carried out by Franklin. They all have similar characteristics, including location, method and the victims' backgrounds living on the margins of society.

The unsolved cases are considerably more challenging because they lack DNA evidence and occurred when several serial killers were striking the Figueroa corridor, Inglewood and unincorporated L.A. County, detectives said.

Kilcoyne said the priority is to put together a criminal case against Franklin. But he said families seeking answers to unsolved murders can expect call backs as detectives look into every case no matter how scant the evidence.

"The families are going to get first-class attention from us for each and every one of these cases," Kilcoyne said. "But they have got to be patient with us. This is a massive undertaking."

-- Andrew Blankstein

Learn more about the Grim Sleeper's victims on The Times interactive Homicide Report map

Comments

[Rational]

The LAPD congratulates itself for solving a case they could have solved decades ago. Eye witness anyone? Orange Pinto with stripes, driven by a mechanic who does jobs for the LAPD? Duh!

These families should keep up the pressure until the LAPD does what we pay it to do--protect and serve us, not--in the words of Raymond Chandler sixty years ago in his Philip Marlowe novels--"suck up to Warner Brothers." The public is sick of special privileges for the rich and famous in Los Angeles. The LAPD isn't paid by the studios or celebrities--they avoid their taxes. The LAPD is paid by ordinary taxpayers like the families whose loved ones' deaths are ignored.

[lookin to race]

40 calls are a flood? maybe she meant 400. well, journalist incompetence anyway you look at it.

[Al Sefati]

I am glad Los Angeles is taking this cases more seriously. LA is a great place to live and would be much greater if crime and violence reduced significantly and the only way that can happen is that criminals and violators know that there is no resolved cases and all of them will be brought to justice.

[kat]

Not so strange how when the media begins talking of DNA evidence YEARS ago that the GIRM SLEEPER"S "MO"changes.....all the sleeper part of his name shows is that he watched the news a lot back then....probably wanting to see if any channels have stories on unsolved murders occurring.....No DNA evidence for 20 years has surfaced because he WANTED to keep on killing for as long as he could....they should label him " THE DNA 'MO' KILLER" I bet 2/3 of all LA unsolved cases are his doing...

[J Chan]

Congrats to the hard work of the LAPD in solving this case, and stopping others like it, but if I may say, perhaps more crimes such as this; murder, rape, kidnapping, etc, would be solved if the manpower and effort the LAPD is currently putting into "policing for profit," i.e. the non-violent and victimless "crimes" such as writing countless traffic tickets, were re-directed. But true crimes don't put money back into the city and state's coffers. I have seen the police pull over folks for not stopping completely or going five miles over the speed limit while real criminals are breaking into homes, assaulting people, etc.

[Jack Kelly]

Can any one now understand why we the upstanding citizens wish to legally be able to protect ourselves? Run us through all of the back ground checks, then let us have our CCW permit...Law Enforcement and upstanding citizens could put a dent in the crime problem..Not by shooting someone but by the scum knowing that their intended victim just might be able to even the odds..and maybe we might not get murdered...But No the liberals will never allow us to protect ourselves. Even though they will get their permits. I.E. Senetor Finestein has hers.
Do you have yours???

[Nick]

Congrats to the LAPD, no thanks to the general public, next time a cop asks you if you saw what happened and you did! and you say I didnt see anything, think about the victims families, yes police are paid from our taxes, but you dont see the LAFD saying oh wait we are still eating your heart attack will need to wait til we clock back in. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, GET INVOLVED!!!! DONT POINT FINGERS THAT IT TOOK SOMEONE TOO LONG TO SOLVE. As for these people flooding the LAPD to look into their families unsolved murders, I bet half of them have been witness to a violent crime and not said anything yet, want others to help them. Words to think about.

[dimitri]

Is there a web site with photo's or information on the 30 possible victims. I want to see if my cousin is in that group of 30 unsolved.