Princess Cheyanne Berthomieux, a 15-year-old girl from Inglewood, California, was tragically found dead on March 19, 2002. Her body was discovered in an alley, and the cause of death was determined to be asphyxia due to strangulation. The coroner's report indicated that she had been beaten and strangled, and her nude body was found by a passerby in the shrubs.
Princess had been missing since December 21, 2001, before her body was discovered.
The investigation into her death revealed that she was one of the victims of the notorious serial killer known as the "Grim Sleeper." Lonnie David Franklin Jr., a former city trash collector and vehicle mechanic at an LAPD station, was arrested on July 7, 2010, in connection with her murder. DNA evidence linked Franklin to the killings of multiple women, including Princess Berthomieux. He was charged with ten counts of murder, and prosecutors noted that he was eligible for the death penalty.
Franklin's trial brought to light the extent of his crimes, which spanned from 1985 to 2007. He was convicted in May 2016 of the murders of ten women and the attempted murder of another. Princess Berthomieux was identified as the ninth victim in this series of killings. The case, which had remained unsolved for years, finally saw justice when Franklin was sentenced to death in August 2016.
The Grim Sleeper case highlighted significant issues within the criminal justice system, including the challenges of solving cold cases and the importance of DNA evidence in securing convictions. The families of the victims, including Princess Berthomieux's, expressed a sense of closure and relief with Franklin's conviction and sentencing, although the pain of their loss remained. The case also underscored the vulnerability of young women in marginalized communities and the need for continued efforts to protect and support them.
