Last Thursday a small group of South L.A. family members and activists held a press conference on the corner of 98th Street and Western Avenue, across from Jesse Owens Park. The topic was bleak. It was also the day Michael Jackson died and nearly every newspaper and television station in town was at the Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center reporting on any new developments in the tragic saga that was Jackson's life.

Photograph by Christine Pelisek

And so, miles away from Westwood, and minus the media throngs (the LA Weekly was the only media in attendance), activist Margaret Prescod announced the beginning of a campaign called Stop the Serial Murders Community Information Campaign. Its goal is to bring awareness to the local neighborhood and pepper the community with fliers about the Grim Sleeper, a serial killer that has been killing mostly women in South Los Angeles since 1985.

Barbara Ware's step mother Dianna Ware (right) and sister Treva Anderson pass out fliers on June 25

"People don't know much about the murders," said Prescod who is also a host of a program on KPFK. "These murders have not been a priority of [Police Chief William] Bratton, the mayor and most of the media."

Prescod, who founded the Black Coalition Fighting Back Serial Murders back in the 1980s when the murders began, is also upset that Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca has not weighed in about the murder of Lachrica Jefferson, who was killed in Los Angeles County in 1988. Prescod wants to know why his department has not tried to get a reward established for her.

"Should her death be dismissed because Baca can't be bothered?" asked Prescod.

When the press conference ended, a handful of family members and a few activists walked along the neighborhood passing out fliers to local businesses and passersby.

The Grim Sleeper's youngest victim was 14-years-old. His last known victim, 25-year-old Janecia Peters, was found in a Dumpster on January 1, 2007.