Saturday, July 24, 2010

“Grim Sleeper” serial killer- In A Nut Shell

The "Grim Sleeper" did give some sleepless nights to the Los Angeles County. Being stated as one of the most startling cases to be solved; this case has opened avenues to be considered very seriously by the Forensic Officers.

The Preview: Grim Sleeper is the nickname for a serial killer in Los Angeles, California believed to be responsible for at least 11 murders and one attempted murder in Los Angeles since 1985. The attacker was dubbed the "Grim Sleeper" because he apparently took a 14-year hiatus from his crimes, from 1988 to 2002.

The Investigation and Arrest: Well the Wikipedia would give you more Information but in brief the investigation took 25years..with the arrest of Lonnie Franklin Jr., 57 The arrest was made on July7, 2010


What is gripping is the way he was caught! Heard of familial DNA??... Well if you haven't its the first Familial DNA Case- Familial coz it is the DNA of a very close RELATIVE!! YES..RELATIVE...NOT YOUR OWN..BUT YOUR CLOSEST RELATIVE...

The familial search in the Grim Sleeper case began at a lab of the state’s Bureau of Forensic Services in Richmond, Calif., where forensic scientists came up with a list of 200 partial DNA matches from a database that contains 1.3 million profiles.

To narrow down their list of 200, they analyzed the Y chromosome, the male sex-determining chromosome that is passed from father to son. One person, a man who had recently been convicted on a felony weapons charge, was an exact match to the Y chromosome of crime-scene DNA. Next, using corroborating information like birth certificates and Google mapping, researchers figured out that the matching person’s father would be a viable suspect.

But the advent of familial searches raises important questions that may be better answered with a more sweeping authority: national mandatory standards governing the method and appropriate use of the technique. But how might these technologies be mis-used in the future?

Want to know more: Check this website exclusively for "Grim Sleeper"
http://thegrimsleeper.com/