9 Movies That Helped Solve Real Life Crimes
6. Tales Of The Grim Sleeper (2014)
Tales Of The Grim Sleeper is a 2014 documentary about Lonnie David Franklin Jr., better known as the Grim Sleeper. Franklin was responsible for at least ten murders, one attempted murder, rape, and sexual violence. He earned his nickname after taking a 14-year break in his killing-spree between 1988 and 2002.
Franklin was arrested in July 2010 as a suspect, and he remained in custody until his trial was set following several delays. His trial began in February 2016, and by May of that year, he was convicted for killing nine adult women and one teenage girl, though he was believed to have more victims.
Tales of the Grim Sleeper focused on the deaths of young African American women in Los Angeles and was highly critical of the Los Angeles Police Department. The film suggested that Franklin was able to kill as many women as he did because the LAPD ignored and failed to investigate the deaths.
The movie managed to help uncover previously unknown victims, which helped to speed up the trial. There was little doubt Franklin would be convicted for some of the murders he was charged with committing, but the film did help provide information that reinforced the verdict and got there quickly.