Pics in Grim Sleeper Case Released

Los Angeles - Photographs of about 180 women seized from the "Grim Sleeper" serial killer suspect were posted online today by the Los Angeles Police Department to determine whether any of them may have been victims.

The photographs were found at the home Lonnie David Franklin Jr. after he was arrested July 8 on suspicion of killing at least 10 young women and one man in South Los Angeles between 1985 and 2007.

The suspect was dubbed the Grim Sleeper because of a long gap between killings.

The photos were displayed at a noon news conference at police headquarters, and were also posted on the Los Angeles Police Department's website,

lapdonline.org

"We have 180 photos here -- some of them are duplicates; we don't know how many people are represented here," LAPD Chief Charlie Beck said at the news conference.

"These people are not suspects," he said. "We don't even know if they're victims. But we do know this: Lonnie Franklin's reign of terror in the city of Los Angeles, which spanned well over two decades, culminating with almost a dozen murder victims, certainly needs to be investigated further.

"And we certainly do not believe that we are so lucky -- or so good -- as to know all his victims," Beck added.

Beck said the photos were 20 to 30 years old, and those depicted -- if still alive -- would have aged accordingly. Beck urged people to call police with information about anyone they recognize in the photos.

"If there is somebody's photo among these 180 who is a victim, if there is somebody's identity that we need to establish, if there is some family in this city that goes without justice, then you will help us in achieving that for them," Beck said.

Also at the news conference were Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, District Attorney Steve Cooley, City Councilman Bernard Parks and LAPD Detective Dennis Kilcoyne.

The images were taken from videotapes, Polaroid photos and cameras with undeveloped film inside, all found in Franklin's home, police said.

The photos can be viewed at the Los Angeles Police Department's website,

www.lapdonline.or  

,and the website of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office,

da.co.la.ca.us

The LAPD's website has experienced "a tremendous amount of activity" since the photos were posted and detectives have received dozens of telephone calls, police said.

Anyone with information on women in the photos should call the police at (877) LAPD-24-7; or Crime Stoppers, (800) 222-TIPS.