Title: The Grim Sleeper’s Forgotten Victims: Who They Were and the Mystery of His “Hiatus”
They were daughters, sisters, and mothers—young Black women with dreams of their own, until they crossed paths with Lonnie David Franklin Jr. His killing spree spanned decades, leaving families shattered and a community enraged.
Dubbed the “Grim Sleeper,” Franklin terrorized South Central Los Angeles for over 25 years, preying on women society had overlooked. But while his conviction brought some measure of justice, it did little to answer the lingering questions: Why did it take so long to catch him? And did he really take a 14-year break from killing?
The Victims He Left Behind
Franklin’s youngest victim, 15-year-old Princess Berthomieux, was a bright soul with a gentle spirit, her sister Samara Herard told A&E True Crime. In 2002, the serial killer strangled Princess, snuffing out a life full of promise.
“She didn’t get a chance to live her life,” Herard said.
The Grim Sleeper’s first known victim, 29-year-old Debra Jackson, was found in 1985, her body discarded like trash in a South Central alley. Over the next few years, more bodies of young Black women surfaced—strangled, shot, and dumped in similar locations.
The victims—Debra Jackson, Henrietta Wright, Barbara Ware, Bernita Sparks, Mary Lowe, Lachrica Jefferson, Alicia “Monique” Alexander, and Valerie McCorvey—all shared a tragic fate.
Then, in 1988, the killings stopped. Or so it seemed.
The 14-Year “Hiatus”: Did the Grim Sleeper Really Stop Killing?
Serial killers don’t just stop. At least, that’s what forensic psychologist Joni Johnston told A&E True Crime.
Yet, Franklin appeared to disappear for 14 years before his next confirmed victim, Princess Berthomieux, in 2002. This “hiatus” led to his infamous nickname.
But investigators and experts aren’t convinced he truly stopped.
“It’s not common. Most serial killers don’t stop on their own,” Johnston explained.
Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney Beth Silverman agrees, stating that Franklin may have simply become more careful.
In 2007, the discovery of Janecia Peters’ body in a garbage bag provided new evidence. DNA from her case linked back to cold cases from the 1980s—and ultimately to Franklin himself.
DNA and a Breakthrough Arrest
The break came from an unexpected place: Franklin’s own son.
When his son was arrested in 2009 and required to submit a DNA sample, investigators noticed a familial match to the Grim Sleeper’s crime scenes. That led them straight to Franklin, who was arrested in 2010.
Inside Franklin’s home, police found hundreds of photos of women—some of whom remain unidentified to this day. They also uncovered trophies from his victims, chilling evidence that his spree may have been far deadlier than the 10 murders he was convicted of.
“We tried to identify as many as we could,” Silverman said. “But there were women who fit the profile, lived near him, and went missing—never to be seen again.”
Justice Delayed, but Not Denied
In 2016, Franklin was convicted of murdering nine women and a teenage girl. He was sentenced to death, though he never lived to face execution.
In 2020, the Grim Sleeper died of natural causes while on death row at San Quentin State Prison.
For families like Samara Herard’s, his death didn’t bring closure—only more unanswered questions.
“If they had done their due diligence, [Princess] never would have been a victim,” she said. “He should have been caught decades ago.”
The Sister Who Never Stopped Asking ‘Why?’
Princess Berthomieux had survived unimaginable trauma even before crossing paths with Franklin.
As a toddler, she was removed from an abusive home, her tiny body covered in scars. Raised in a loving foster home in Claremont, California, she had access to therapy, private schooling, and a chance at a better life.
Then, everything changed.
After her foster mother passed away, Princess was sent to a different home—this time, in the heart of South Central Los Angeles.
“She was a private school girl who always had her own room… and they put her in the heart of the hood,” Herard recalled.
Soon after, Princess ran away. She would never be seen alive again.
“After everything she survived, she deserved better,” Herard said, still haunted by the question that has no answer: Why her?
The Grim Sleeper may be gone, but the scars he left remain. His victims are more than just names in a case file—they were women who deserved justice far sooner than they got it. And for their families, the pain of their loss lingers, with one chilling question still left unanswered: How many more victims were never found?
