Beneath the Silence: The Grim Sleeper’s Shadow Over South Central Los Angeles

Origins of a Predator: The Early Life of Lonnie Franklin Jr.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was born on August 30, 1952, in Los Angeles, California. Growing up in South Central Los Angeles, an area later plagued by his crimes, Franklin's early life was marked by a stint in the U.S. Army, during which he was dishonorably discharged following a conviction for gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in West Germany in 1974. Upon returning to civilian life, he married, had two children, and held various jobs, including positions with the Los Angeles Police Department and the city's sanitation department. Despite these seemingly stable roles, Franklin's criminal activities escalated, culminating in a series of murders that would span over two decades.

The Emergence of the Grim Sleeper: A Pattern of Violence

Between 1985 and 2007, Franklin was responsible for at least ten murders and one attempted murder in Los Angeles. His victims were predominantly Black women, many of whom were sex workers or struggled with addiction. The moniker "Grim Sleeper" was coined due to an apparent 14-year hiatus in his killing spree between 1988 and 2002, though investigators later suspected that the murders may have continued unnoticed during this period. ...Read More

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