The Grim Sleeper: 7 Shocking Facts About Lonnie David Franklin Jr.'s DNA Arrest And Death

The case of Lonnie David Franklin Jr., the serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper," remains one of the most chilling and complex chapters in the history of Los Angeles crime. His decades-long murder spree, which targeted vulnerable Black women in South Central Los Angeles, left a scar on the community that is still felt today. The most current and definitive status on Franklin is his death on death row in 2020, but the story of his capture—a landmark moment in forensic science—continues to be a subject of intense scrutiny and discussion. As of today, December 13, 2025, the legacy of the Grim Sleeper is defined by a 22-year reign of terror, a controversial but effective DNA technique, and the enduring question of how many more victims he may have claimed. Franklin was ultimately convicted of 10 murders and one attempted murder, but the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) has speculated that his victim count could be significantly higher, perhaps reaching 35 or more.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr.: Biography and Final Status

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was a seemingly ordinary figure in his community, which allowed him to evade capture for so long. His life history provided no clear red flags that he would become one of the nation's most prolific serial killers.

• Full Name: Lonnie David Franklin Jr.
• Born: August 30, 1952, in Los Angeles, California.
• Early Life: Grew up in South Central Los Angeles.
• Family: Married with two children, including a son named Christopher Franklin.
• Occupation: Worked as a sanitation worker for the City of Los Angeles and served as a mechanic in the U.S. Army for a short period. He was also a former police garage attendant.
• Arrest Date: July 7, 2010.
• Conviction: Found guilty on all 10 counts of murder and one count of attempted murder on May 9, 2016.
• Sentence: Sentenced to death on August 10, 2016.
• Death: Died on death row at San Quentin State Prison on March 28, 2020, at the age of 67. The official cause of death was attributed to natural causes.

The fact that Franklin lived in plain sight for decades, married with a family and an ordinary job, highlights the terrifying reality of the Grim Sleeper case. His victims, predominantly young Black women who were often sex workers or struggling with drug addiction during the height of the crack cocaine epidemic, were largely overlooked by authorities for years, contributing to the case's cold status.

The 14-Year 'Sleeper' Period That Defined the Killer

The moniker "Grim Sleeper" was coined by the *LA Weekly* in 2008 due to a mysterious 14-year gap in the known murders. The initial series of killings occurred between 1985 and 1988, followed by a long hiatus, and then a final series of murders from 2002 to 2007. This gap became one of the most intriguing and frustrating elements of the investigation.

The Victims of Lonnie David Franklin Jr.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was convicted of 10 murders and one attempted murder. The victims were often shot with a small-caliber handgun or strangled, and their bodies were frequently dumped in alleys or trash bins. The attempted murder victim, Enietra Washington, was the key to linking the early and later crimes, as she survived a shooting, sexual assault, and being pushed from a car, and was able to provide a description of her attacker and his orange Ford Pinto. The 10 women Franklin was convicted of murdering were:

• Debra Jackson: The first known victim, killed in August 1985.
• Henrietta Wright: Killed in August 1986.
• Thomasa Trevail: Killed in January 1987.
• Barbara Ware: Killed in January 1987.
• Antoinette Yancey: Killed in 1988, marking the end of the first murder wave.
• Princess Berthomieux: Killed in March 2002, marking the resumption of the killings.
• Valerie McCorvey: Killed in July 2003.
• Janecia Peters: Killed in January 2007.
• Marilyn Palmer: Killed in July 2007.
• Larsonia Wooden: Killed in August 2007.

The sole survivor, Enietra Washington, was attacked in November 1988. Her survival and testimony were pivotal in securing the conviction.

Did the Grim Sleeper Really 'Sleep'?

Despite the nickname, investigators and prosecutors now widely believe that Franklin did not stop killing during the 14-year gap. The "sleeper" period may have simply been a time when his crimes were not linked to the existing DNA and ballistic evidence in the case files. It is speculated that he may have changed his method, chosen victims from a different area, or simply avoided leaving sufficient forensic evidence to connect the crimes. The LAPD continued to investigate dozens of unsolved murders in the area, suggesting that the true victim count of the Grim Sleeper could be significantly higher than the 10 for which he was convicted.

The Controversial Familial DNA Search That Broke the Case

The arrest of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. in 2010 was a watershed moment in forensic criminology, made possible by a controversial but highly effective technique known as familial DNA searching. This method was the key to ending the longest-running serial killer investigation in Los Angeles history.

How Familial DNA Led to the Arrest

The breakthrough came when crime scene DNA from the Grim Sleeper was uploaded to the state's DNA database (CODIS). Instead of looking for a direct match, investigators used a familial search to look for a partial match, indicating a close relative of the killer was in the system. 1. The Partial Match: The search flagged a man named Christopher Franklin, Lonnie Franklin Jr.'s son, who had a sample in the database due to a prior felony conviction. 2. The Suspect Identified: This partial match immediately directed the LAPD to Lonnie David Franklin Jr. as a strong person of interest. 3. The Covert Collection: To obtain a direct DNA sample without alerting the suspect, an undercover police officer posed as a waiter at a local pizza restaurant where Franklin was eating. The officer successfully collected a discarded piece of food—reported to be a pizza crust or a napkin—which contained Franklin's DNA. 4. The Confirmation: The DNA from the discarded item was a perfect match to the DNA found at the crime scenes of the 10 murder victims and the attempted murder survivor, Enietra Washington. The arrest of the Grim Sleeper proved the efficacy of familial DNA searching, a technique that remains controversial due to privacy concerns, but which has been instrumental in solving numerous cold cases since. The fact that the killer's own son's minor crime led to his father's capture is one of the most stunning twists in modern criminal history, finally bringing a measure of justice to the victims and their families after more than two decades.