Identifying the Grim Sleeper After Over 20 Years

Send us Fan MailKate talks about a case that was only recently solved using DNA evidence. The Grim Sleeper was identified after having committed at least 10 murders (that he was convicted of) and at least 4 others he was suspected of carrying out. His crimes spanned decades, and he targeted sex workers who were black women. Would he have been found out sooner if he had targeted wealthy, white women? Would Lonnie Franklin Jr. be a household name if this was the case?The answer to both questions:Probably.Sources:1) https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2020-03-29/grim-sleeper-serial-killer-lonnie-franklin-dies-death-row-san-quentin2) https://www.huffpost.com/entry/grim-sleeper-guilty-killings_n_572bb5e3e4b016f37895382f3) https://web.archive.org/web/20141223085642/http://www.laweekly.com/2008-08-28/news/grim-sleeper/4)https://web.archive.org/web/20160610190831/http://news.sky.com/story/631629/grim-sleeper-serial-killer-hunted5) https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna381338256) https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-grim-sleeper-death-verdict-20160606-snap-story.html7) https://people.com/crime/grim-sleeper-serial-killer-lonnie-franklin-once-gang-raped-a-german-teen/8) https://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/familys-dna-led-police-grim-sleeper-serial-killer/story?id=11116381&page=29) https://www.ebony.com/grim-sleeper-case/10) https://www.cbsnews.com/news/grim-sleeper-serial-killer-may-have-left-photos-of-more-victims-in-refrigerator-says-lapd/11) https://www.latimes.com/local/crime/la-me-grim-sleeper-victims-20160508-story.html12) https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2010-jul-16-la-me-0716-grim-sleeper-search-20100716-story.html13) https://www.latimes.com/local/la-xpm-2011-oct-29-la-me-grim-sleeper-20111029-story.htmlDoe Network for information on victims14) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grim_Sleeper Support the show