He was arrested the next day, Steinhauer continues. Meanwhile, when police were investigating Franklin's residence and his garage in back of his house, they discovered "about 1,000 photographs and hundreds of hours of video footage of women," Blankstein reported. Some of the images were just "innocent snapshots" but others showed women in "various states of undress and in sexual poses," Blankstein wrote. Because detectives feared that some of the women in those photos may have been killed too, they reviewed and researched records of unsolved murders. When they were not able to link many of the photos (except two) to killings, the LAPD decided to release the photos to the Los Angeles Times.

In January, 2011, the Los Angeles Times printed the photos (only using the faces) of 160 women on the front page of the newspaper. The LAPD posted the photos on their Website. In a few days 200 tips came in, some identifying women that were still alive, and others identifying family members or friends who had gone missing.

On January 28, police say they were able to link "two more slayings to alleged serial killer Lonnie Franklin Jr. persuading detectives that he never...

However, when a brutal serial killer like Lonnie Franklin can be put behind bars -- and prevented from killing any more women -- the familial search technology (using DNA) can certainly be viewed as a positive crime solving policy.
Works Cited

Blankstein, Andrew, and Winton, Richard (2011). Grim Sleeper didn't 'sleep,' LAPD says.

The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 12, 2011, from http://www.latimes.com.

Blankstein, Andrew, and Winton, Richard. (2011). LAPD officials doubt there was gap in 'Grim Sleeper' serial killings. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 11, 2011, from http://www.latimes.com.

Steinhauer, Jennifer. (2010). 'Grim Sleeper' Arrest Fans Debate on DNA Use. The New York

Times. Retrieved February 12, 2011, from http://www.nytimes.com.