WLBT 3 - Jackson, MS: Former prostitute describes attack by suspected killer

Former prostitute describes attack by suspected killer

By Marsha Thompson - bio | email

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - Investigators are back on the trail of cold case, unsolved murders and the mysterious disappearances of several women that occurred during the 1990s.

One victim escaped a close call. In an exclusive interview with that woman, she claims she was kidnapped at gunpoint by Ricky Franklin around 1999 and managed to survive the attack. She did not want to be identified for fear of reprisal.

"When I saw his picture on the news last night it threw me for a loop," said the woman. 

Our sources indicate Franklin was suspected in the death or disappearance of 10 women since 1996.

"He's a psycho. A person that don't care because I felt like just because a woman is on drugs she still deserves to live," said the woman.

In an exclusive interview the former prostitute and drug user describes a near death encounter with Franklin.

"He pulled a 9 millimeter gun on me. Held it to my face and forced me to get in. Somehow, thanks to God... that I got the door open and I jumped," she said.  "I was able to identify him... Through a photo lineup in a book and I identified the car I was in."

Tragically this woman's case was never investigated. Franklin was never arrested.

"Whoever the detective was he never followed up on the case. They told me the car was registered back to Edwards or Bolton, Mississippi. They never did anything about it. I guess because it was a woman on the street, prostitute, and was using drugs," she said.

In a strange turn of events, Franklin surrendered Monday following the alleged attack of a 21- year-old female he picked up in Jackson. We are told by sources that a relative walked in on the assault at Franklin's trailer.  Franklin allegedly ran.  The victim was taken to the hospital for treatment Saturday night. She claims Franklin was at UMC while she was being discharged and he tried to get himself admitted.

This alleged assault on the young Jackson woman he picked up comes several months after he beat a murder rap in Mabel Conic's death.  Last March 2008 Franklin was released on his own recognizance and the case turned over the a grand jury. Officials said there was no indictment for lack of new evidence in the Conic murder.

Now, this quiet unassuming man faces charges of kidnapping, savagely beating, and raping yet another victim. We asked Franklin a battery of questions after his initial appearance before a Hinds County judge Tuesday morning. "You have a history of this, are you guilty? Some say that you are a potential serial killer what do you have to say about that? What's going on with you?" His expression never changed. He never responded and was whisked away to a jail cell.

The father of two remains behind bars under a $300-thousand bond. Investigators are hot on the trail of cold cases, appealing to anyone with information to come forward and tell their story.

Last year Franklin's family told us he was innocent and had never harmed anyone.