Grim Sleeper Investigation Timeline

The Grim Sleeper Investigation

A timeline of the key points and developments during the multi-decade 'Grim Sleeper' serial murder investigation. http://thegrimsleeper.com

1985-08-09 00:00:00

Debra Jackson, 29

Cocktail waitress Debra Jackson was 29. She was found on the 10th of August 1985 in an alley in the West Gage Avenue South Vermont Avenue (block 1000). She had been shot twice in the chest with a .25 hang gun. and hidden under an old carpet. She was fully clothed. http://thegrimsleeper.com

1985-08-09 00:00:00

Grim Sleeper's First period of Activity

9th August 1985 is the date that Debra Jackson was killed. She is the first 'official' victim in a series of murders committed by a killer who has become know as The Grim Sleeper.

1986-08-11 00:00:00

Henrietta Wright, 35

Henrietta Wright, 35, was found August 12, 1986, in the 2500 block of West Vernon Avenue. Cause of death: two shots to the chest. Wrapped in a blanket, covered with a mattress, fully clothed, no shoes. http://thegrimsleeper.com

1986-08-13 00:00:00

Thomas Steele, 36

The only male victim: found middle of the intersection of 71st Street, LA. Thomas Steele, 36, was found August 14, 1986, near 71st Street and Halldale Avenue. Cause of death: one shot behind right ear. Dumped in road fully clothed.

1987-01-10 00:00:00

Barbara Ware, 23

Barbara Ware, 23, was found January 10, 1987 in an alley in the 1300 block of East 56th Street. Cause of death: one shot to chest. Trash covered her clothed body, and a plastic bag was draped over her upper torso and head.

1987-01-10 00:40:00

Blue & White Dodge Van

An Anonymous caller dialed 911 to report seeing this white and blue Dodge van which was later linked to the abduction and murder of Barbara Ware.

1987-04-14 00:00:00

Bernita Sparks, 25

Bernita Sparks, 25, was found April 16, 1987, in an alley in the 9400 block of South Western Avenue. Cause of death: one shot to the chest, strangulation, blunt- force trauma. Found inside trash bin covered with trash. Fully clothed. She had no arrests for prostitution.

1987-11-01 00:00:00

Mary Lowe, 26

On October 31, 1987, Mary Lowe, 26, told her mother, Betty, she was going to a Halloween party. “I said she was crazy to go out in the rain like that,” recalls Betty. “She kept on walking.” Lowe was found the next morning, in an alley near bushes behind the 8900 block of Western Avenue. According to Betty Lowe, a neighbor saw Mary Lowe get in a car with a young black man driving a rust or orange Ford Pinto. Cause of death: one shot in the chest.

1988-01-30 00:00:00

Lachrica Jefferson, 22

Lachrica Jefferson, 22, was found January 30, 1988, in an alley in the 2000 block of West 102nd Street in Lennox. Cause of death: two shots to the chest. A mattress covered her fully clothed body and a napkin had been placed over her face with the word “AIDS” written on it.

1988-09-10 00:00:00

Alicia 'Monique' Alexander, 18

Alicia “Monique” Alexander, 18, was found September 11, 1988, in an alley in the 1700 block of West 43rd Street & Western Avenue. Cause of death: shot twice in the chest. Her nude body was covered with a mattress. Alicia’s father, Porter Alexander said he felt that ‘police initially seemed to drag their heels when it came to investigating [his daughter's death].’ He said he did not believe his daughter was a prostitute but that she did have a drug problem.

1988-11-20 00:00:00

Enietra Margette Washington

A young black female - Now know as Enietra Margette Washington was attacked on November 20, 1988 by a black man aged around 30 driving an orange Ford Pinto. The attacked occurred in South Los Angeles. The attacker shot her in the chest with the same .25 caliber gun, sexually assaulted her and “left her for dead. She survived and is the only known eyewitness of the Grim Sleeper. http://thegrimsleeper.com

2001-03-21 00:00:00

Cold Case Review

Cold Case Reviews in 2001 the then current LAPD Chief Bernard Parks instructs detectives to re-examine cold case murder books using new DNA technologies. This results in the descovery of links between several case ultimately attributed to The Grim Sleeper. http//:thegrimsleepers.com

2002-03-19 00:00:00

SECOND killing Phase begins

The killer now know as The Grim Sleeper resurfaces to claim victims 9 to 11.

2002-03-19 00:00:00

Princess Berthomieux, 14

The youngest victim of The Grim Sleeper so far Princess Berthomieux, 14, was found March 9, 2002, in an alley in the 8100 block of South Van Ness Avenue in Inglewood. Cause of death: strangulation. She had been in and out of foster homes. http://thegrimsleeper.com

2003-07-10 00:00:00

Valerie McCorvey, 35

Valerie McCorvey, 35, was found July 11, 2003, between 109th & 108th Streets near Denker Avenue. Cause of death: strangulation. She had a drug habit. Four months before she died, McCorvey left a voicemail for her aunt, saying she was okay.

2005-05-31 00:00:00

DNA Links Found

LAPD Detective Cliff Shepherd finds a match between Valerie McCorvey, 35, killed in 2003, Princess Berthomieux, 14, killed in 2002 and a preserved DNA sample taken from Mary Lowe, killed in 1987.

2006-05-31 00:00:00

Roger Hausmann

Roger Hausmann becomes a suspect in the investigation but is subsequently eliminated after DNA samples prove a mis-match.

2007-01-01 00:00:00

Janecia Peters, 25

On January 1st 2007, Janecia Peters, 25 was found dead by a homeless man near 9500 Western Avenue. She’d been shot in the back and dumped in a garbage bag.

2007-05-31 00:00:00

800 Task Force set-up

The 800 Task Force was established in 2007 under Chief Bill Bratton, working out of the Parker Center LAPD headquarter. http://thegrimsleeper.com

2008-08-30 00:00:00

The Grim Sleeper Website Setup

The Grim Sleeper website is set up and aims to present all possible information regarding Los Angeles's infamous Grim Sleeper Serial Killer.

2008-10-02 00:00:00

500k Reward Announced

500k Reward Announced Los Angeles City Council voted today to offer a reward...

2008-10-11 00:00:00

Murder Links Investigated

Murder Links Investigated Investigators are reviewing at least 30 unsolved murder cases for possible links to The Grim Sleeper serial killer.

2008-11-01 00:00:00

America's Most Wanted features The Grim Sleeper...

For 20 years, a serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper has ravaged California families, killing their daughters, sisters, and mothers. Now, AMW has joined forces with the L.A.P.D. to find this mass murderer. The Grim Sleeper Website

2008-12-03 00:00:00

DNA Search fails

DNA "familial" testing fails to establish any viable clues to the killers possible identity.

2010-07-07 00:00:00

Lonnie David Franklin Jr. Arrested

Lonnie Franklin Jr. was arrested and charged with 10 counts of murder.

2010-12-16 00:00:00

L.A. police release photos of possible "Grim Sleeper" victims

Police investigating an accused serial killer dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" asked for public help on Thursday identifying women and teenage girls depicted in 180 photos seized from his possession and feared to be among his victims.

2016-02-16 00:00:00

Grim Sleeper Trial Commences

Thirty years after the first of the Grim Sleeper serial killer victims was found fatally shot and discarded in a South Los Angeles alley, Lonnie David Franklin Jr. will face a jury Tuesday in a downtown courtroom.

2016-05-06 13:41:00

Franklin GUILTY

Lonnie Franklin Jr. found GUILTY on all counts of 10 murders

Grim Sleeper Investigation Timeline

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