Grim Sleeper Suspect Indicted on 10 Murder Counts

The suspect in the "Grim Sleeper" slayings was indicted Thursday on 10 counts of murder.

The indictment of Lonnie David Franklin Jr. eliminates the  need for the preliminary hearing. His pretrial hearing was scheduled for April 4.

Authorities said the slayings occurred over a 20-year period.

Before Franklin's arrest, detectives dubbed the suspected serial killer  "the Grim Sleeper." They copied the moniker from reporting by the LA Weekly,  which noted a gap of several years between similar killings in South L.A.

Franklin pleaded not guilty.

The LAPD has released about 180 photos of women whose pictures were  found on Franklin's property. As a result of the photos, 72 women have been  identified and ruled out as victims, according to The Times.