For more than two decades, Los Angeles was haunted by a predator hiding in plain sight. Known as the Grim Sleeper, Lonnie Franklin Jr. murdered women across South Los Angeles while living a seemingly ordinary life as a father, neighbor, and friend.

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, we examine the full scope of Franklin’s crimes — from the earliest victims to the long gaps that earned him his chilling nickname. We explore how systemic failures, overlooked victims, and advances in forensic genealogy ultimately led to his arrest, and what this case reveals about serial offenders who evade capture for decades.

This is not just the story of a killer — it’s an examination of how violence persists in the shadows, how communities are failed, and how justice can arrive far too late.

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