On March 18, 1987, the body of 25-year-old African American woman Vivian Collins was discovered in South Los Angeles. Vivian, known to local authorities as a sex worker, had been sexually assaulted and strangled. Her body was found in close proximity to the residence of Louis Craine, an unemployed construction worker.
The investigation into Vivian's death led to the arrest of 30-year-old Louis Craine on May 29, 1987.
Initially apprehended for the murder of another sex worker, Carolyn Barney, Craine's suspicious behavior near the crime scenes and witness testimonies connected him to multiple homicides. During police interrogations, Craine confessed to the murders of Vivian Collins and Loretta Perry, both of whom were sex workers found murdered earlier that year.
Craine attempted to implicate his brother, Roger, in Vivian's murder, claiming they had both engaged her services and that Roger had strangled her during the encounter. However, family members provided an alibi for Roger, leading authorities to dismiss these claims and charge Louis Craine with Vivian's murder.
In 1989, Louis Craine was convicted of the murders of Vivian Collins, Carolyn Barney, Loretta Perry, and Gail Ficklin. He was sentenced to death but died of AIDS-related complications on November 3, 1989, while on death row.
Vivian's murder was part of a series of killings in South Los Angeles during the 1980s, often referred to as the 'Southside Slayer' cases. These crimes targeted predominantly African American sex workers, and multiple serial killers, including Louis Craine, were eventually identified as perpetrators.
