The identification of Peters in the group of photos was first reported in the Daily Beast. Sgt. Dennis Kilcoyne said detectives have received nearly 200 tips on the women’s identities through phone calls, messages to their tip line, and e-mails. Franklin is accused of sexually assaulting and killing 10 African American women. During his arrest in July, authorities found about 1,000 photographs and hundreds of hours of video footage of women. Some of the images appeared to be innocent snapshots, but many showed the women in various states of undress and in sexual poses. The photo release was criticized by Franklin’s attorney, Louisa Pensanti, who said some of the images were of 18 relatives or friends of her client. Police said they were sensitive to the harm and embarrassment the release of the photographs could cause women who never told family or friends about the encounters. They decided that the need to identify the women outweighed the potential harm. The Times decided to publish the photographs for similar reasons.
Los Angeles police have tentatively identified 21 of the 160 women whose pictures were released last week in an effort to determine whether there were additional victims linked to the alleged Grim Sleeper serial killer, the Los Angeles Times reports. After identifying the women, police removed their pictures from the police website. One picture was of Janecia Peters, 25, who was fatally shot on New Year’s Day 2007 and was among the victims Lonnie Franklin Jr. has been charged with killing.