Cold Case Files – “The Grim Sleeper, Part 1” (Dec 30, 2025)

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Paula Barros and the Cold Case Files team dive deep into the chilling unsolved case of the "Grim Sleeper," a serial killer who preyed upon Black women in South Central Los Angeles during the crack epidemic of the 1980s and beyond. The episode illuminates the profound failures in justice due to race and class, focusing on the communities and families devastated by the spree, the doggedness of investigative journalism, and the breakthroughs and setbacks law enforcement experienced over decades pursuing the truth.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Victims & Community Impact

• Ignored and Marginalized Victims: The victims were primarily Black women, many involved in prostitution and battling addiction—demographics largely overlooked by police and the media.
• Personal Accounts: Survivors and family members recall the heartbreak, the enduring trauma, and their anger at being disregarded by the system.
• Community Distrust: The episode explores the deep fissures between the Black community and the police, worsened by the era’s crack epidemic and the response to the murders.

Notable Quote:
"If they wanted to catch him, the police could have called him... But we were all black women." – Pamela Brooks (00:37)

Pattern of Killings and Law Enforcement Response

• Modus Operandi: The killer targeted women already living precarious lives, sexually assaulting and murdering them, often dumping their bodies in alleys, under debris, or in parks.
• Serial Pattern Recognition: Initial law enforcement confusion over whether the killings stemmed from lovers, pimps, or a serial killer. Ballistics evidence from .25 caliber bullets gradually exposed a pattern.
• Failures and Frustrations: Leads went cold or led to false arrests; the investigations often hit dead ends due to lack of witnesses and community cooperation, compounded by apparent police apathy.

Notable Quote:
"We was always under the impression that some guy killed Kody because she stole his drugs. For years, that's what we believe." – Irene Ephraim (08:13)

Case Narratives: Specific Victims and Investigations

• Henrietta “Kody” Wright’s Story (04:46–08:13):
  • Loving mother and community member, her downfall traced to addiction after personal tragedy.
  • Family recounts the horror of identifying her body and the lasting devastation.
• Barbara Ware’s Investigation (10:21–14:22):
  • Identified by fingerprints; another Black woman discarded in South LA. Ballistics linked her murder to Wright’s.
  • The lead about a church van—a dead end, reinforcing frustration with the process.
• Bernita Sparks and Mary Lowe (16:07–21:53):
  • Murders become more frequent and brutal, with mounting evidence connecting them.
  • False confessions and wrongful arrests (e.g., Jimmy “Let Loose” Spencer jailed, only for murders to continue).
• Enietria Washington – Surviving Victim (22:15–29:45):
  • Tells her harrowing survival story: shot, raped, left for dead, yet survives and aids in the investigation.
  • Misjudged by responding officers due to race and perceived lifestyle.
  • Detectives hopeful she will help crack the case, but another dead end when the .25 caliber gun at an address she recalled fails to match the murder weapon.

Memorable Narrative:
"When I woke up, he was taking pictures... You never think you'll be one of the victims of a serial killer." – Enietria Washington (01:25 & 24:16)

Missteps, False Leads & Systemic Issues

• Compounded Failures:
  • Multiple suspects investigated—none tied conclusively to the killings.
  • Ricky Ross, a deputy sheriff, arrested for unrelated murders; soon exonerated, demonstrating profound investigative misdirection.
• Systemic Neglect:
  • As murders for attention fade, so too do police resources; cases slip into cold status amidst high urban homicide rates.
  • Black families describe being ignored compared to white victims' cases.

Notable Quote:
"There were a lot of press conferences about serial killers in white areas, but there was very little about the serial killers focusing on black women." – Christine Pelezek (15:24)

Memorable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• "I found out my mom was killed by a serial killer when I was like, 8 years old." – Rochelle Johnson (00:17)
• "We were left behind because we were drug addicts." – Pamela Brooks (01:36)
• "People don’t understand. You don’t just kill that person. You kill everybody that love that person." – Irene Ephraim (10:11)
• "He looked like a guy who just came out of Circuit City. He had a polo shirt and some khakis on." – Enietria Washington describing her attacker (26:56)
• "Maybe he grew out of it. You know, a lot of, you know, serial killers, once they start getting older, they stop." – Christine Pelezek speculates on the killer’s disappearance (29:59)
• "With the volume of murders that LA was experiencing during that next two decades... They were overwhelmed." – Cliff Sheppard on why the case went cold (33:42)
• "All of a sudden, it dawned on me who it was. And I was like, oh, my God. Oh, my God. And I knew it was him." – Enietria Washington on recognizing her attacker post-assault (34:35)

Timeline & Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Content Description | |--------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:00–01:42 | Introductions: Survivors/families, tone set for killings, systemic issues | | 01:53–03:19 | Christine Pelezek discovers the case; press involvement | | 03:40–04:17 | LAPD Cliff Sheppard: Crime & addiction context in South LA | | 04:46–08:13 | Henrietta "Kody" Wright’s life, murder, family impact | | 08:29–10:11 | Barbara Ware’s discovery and investigation | | 10:21–14:22 | Barbara’s identification, investigation, failed lead with church van | | 15:24–16:54 | Systemic disregard for Black victims; task force and linked murders | | 17:03–21:53 | Murders of Bernita Sparks, Mary Lowe; wrongful arrests | | 22:15–29:45 | Enietria Washington’s survival story and subsequent investigation | | 30:06–32:55 | 1989–1990: Crack waning, false suspects, case grows cold | | 34:10–34:42 | Enietria recounts recognition of her attacker on a bus | | 34:42–End | Episode closes, to be continued in Part 2 |

Closing Reflection

By the end of Part 1, the depth of suffering in the South Central community is palpable, as family after family describes pain compounded by neglect. The episode lays bare both the methodical investigation and the heartbreak of so many false starts, underscoring a persistent question: would these murders have drawn more urgent attention had the victims been different? The episode finishes on a suspenseful note, with the promise to conclude the complex case in the following episode.

For the full story—including the eventual breakthrough and modern forensic twists—listeners are encouraged to tune in for Part 2.