The “Grim Sleeper,” a serial killer so named because he took a break between killings in Los Angeles, CA.
The suspect kills by gunshot or strangulation, in some cases both, usually after some kind of sexual contact, in all there have been 12 victims. Ten victims were women, all were black. One victim was a black male, who was either a friend of one of the victims or learned the identity of the killer. The bodies were all found outside, usually in dirty alleyways a few miles south of downtown. One other was a black woman who survived.
The killer is known to have struck last January 1, 2007, and his first known victim was in 1985. Police are focusing on the January 1987 slaying of Barbara Ware found shot to death in a South Los Angeles alley. She was fully clothed, covered with trash and a plastic bag over her upper body, with a gas can on top. A man saw a blue-and-white van dump her body. He called police with what he saw and gave the license plate number of the van. Within about an hour, police had tracked the van to its registered address at a church, the engine still warm, but that is where the trail runs cold.
Update:
Lonnie David Franklin Jr. was arrested on July 7, 2010 in connection with the murders. Evidence has linked Franklin to at least 6 more murders. Prosecutors requested a voice sample from Franklin in order to connect him to a series of anonymous phone calls made to the emergency hotline 911 regarding the killings. Police concluded Franklin killed one woman based on a 911 call made at the time of the slaying to report the location of the body. According to a news article, police have matched the caller’s voice to Franklin’s. Police believe Franklin made a similar call to dispatchers in one of the cases in which he has been charged.
What Does Reverse Speech Analysis Reveal?
Based upon the content of the speech reversals, of the released 911 call to the public, it doesn’t appear this caller is the killer.
Brackets [ ] indicate where the reversal occurs. Click on the mp3 to hear the reversal.
911 Call
Caller: Yes, I would like to report a murder, or a dead body, or somethin’.
Operator: Where at.
Caller: The address is 1346 [East 56]th Street. In the alley. I see the feet.
And the [guy that dropped her off was drivin’ a] white and blue Dodge van. One of us we thought was about to die. (Is there another witness? Reversals are known to occur in the third person when he said “we”, but “one of us” would seem to clarify it is not be a third person reference.)
He threw her out. And the only thing that’s hanging out of this, like he threw a gas tank on top of her, and uh, [and uh only thing you could see out was her feet].If was alive, shouldn’t be doin’ that. (He had mentioned seeing her feet in the first reversal.)
…[I know too many people. Okay then bye, bye]. I am a Negro. The police believe we do that. (“Again, “we” could indicate there is at least one other witness, as well as the other(s) being a “negro”, and not a third person reference.)