The city of Los Angeles is known for many reasons, like its beaches and entertainment industry. People view the city as a place where dreams come true. Don’t let that fool you though, because although it is nice, there are still criminals. Since the city has a population of around 3 million people, many different kinds of people can be found in the city. In fact, Emily Shapiro revealed that during the 1970’s and 1980’s there were more than 20 active serial killers in the city.
So, here are some of L.A.’s top serial killers:
Grim Sleeper
The person behind the Grim Sleeper is Lonnie David Franklin Jr. He was born August 30, 1952, and grew up in South Central, Los Angeles. While he was on death row, San Quentin Rehabilitation Center announced his death at the age of 67 on March 28, 2020. The cause of his death is unknown, but signs of trauma were not seen.
Before his killings, Franklin was married with two children and served in the U.S. Military. However, Christine Pelisek shared how he was dishonorably discharged after gang-raping a 17-year-old girl in April 1974. For an unknown reason, Franklin only served less than a year, while the others involved served four-year prison sentences.
Once he started killing, it was clear that all his victims were vulnerable young black women. They were also all found in alleys and bins near downtown L.A. As he continued to murder women in California, he was able to earn himself a nickname. The name “Grim Sleeper” was given to him due to the 15-year gap between the series of murders. At this point, he had been killing women over a span of three decades and had still not been caught.
Years later, police were able to find a similar match to his DNA from the DNA he left at a crime scene. The similar match was his son and police from there were able to connect Franklin to the murders. They had him on a suspect list and tested DNA from pizza crusts in his garbage. It matched. When police raided his home, they found photos and videos of 180 women. He was arrested in July 2010 and was later found guilty of 10 counts of 1st degree murder and one count of attempted murder (CNN).
Hillside Strangler
On May 22, 1951, the main serial killer responsible for being the Hillside Strangler, Kenneth Bianchi, was born. Bianchi worked together with Angelo Buono Jr. who was born on October 5, 1934, to kill at least ten women. The duo would do these killings between October 1977 and February 1978.
Prior to becoming a serial killer, Bianchi lived in Rochester, New York. In January 1976, he would move to Los Angeles, California to live with Buono, who was his adoptive cousin. Buono was sort of a role model for Bianchi. With enough influence over another, their path to serial killers began as they got girls to work as prostitutes for them.
According to Biography, Bianchi settled for a job as a security officer when he wanted to work in the police. It would later be revealed that he would lure his victims by acting as a police officer. Most of his victims were prostitutes who showed signs of being sexually assaulted, tortured, and mutilated. Their bodies were seemingly found strangled and left in hills. This is actually where his nickname would come from.
Ultimately, law enforcement would arrest Kenneth Bianchi in January 1979, after he moved in with his girlfriend, for the murder of two university students. For this crime he pleaded guilty, while also exposing Buono as his accomplice. For the other murders, he stated he had multiple personality disorder, but would eventually confess he lied and would plead guilty.
Kenneth Bianchi was sentenced to five consecutive life terms for murder. On the other hand, Angelo Buono was sentenced to life imprisonment without possibility of parole. Buono died in prison at the age of 67 in September 2002, while Bianchi is still alive in prison (yahoo.com).
Freeway Killer
It was on January 8, 1947 when William Bonin, who would later be known as the Freeway killer, was born. He would live until the age of 49, before passing away on February 23, 1996. John Kuroski explained in an article that throughout Bonin’s killings, he had four accomplices: Vernon Butts, William Ray Pugh, Gregory M. Miley, and James M. Munro.
Growing up, Bonin was mistreated and showed signs of aggression, which would later lead him to become a young juvenile delinquint. Despite this, when he was older he would serve in the military during the Vietnam War. Bonin, while serving in the military, didn’t stop committing crimes. He served for around three years before eventually being dishonorably discharged in October 1968. From there he soon became a serial rapist who, on several occasions, was arrested before inevitably being released.
Once Bonin escalated to murder, he would end the lives of 14 boys (ages 12 to 19) from 1979 to 1980. The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation has stated that Bonin’s victims were kidnapped, robbed, raped, and murdered. They were young male hitchhikers, schoolboys, and even some prostitutes. To dispose of their bodies, he would leave them by freeways, which would earn him his nickname. Some time later, William Pugh, his accomplice, would tell officers about Bonin when he was arrested for auto theft.
June 11, 1980 would be Bonin’s final arrest. The police tailed Bonin throughout the day before catching him red-handed assaulting a 15-year-old boy. His trial would result in him being convicted of 14 murders, while confessing to 21 and being suspected of even more.
The California District Attorney Association describes William Bonin as an individual who has been sentenced to death. Bonin received his sentence in 1982 and would spend 14 years on death row before being executed February 23, 1996, at San Quentin State Prison.
