Tuesday, April 5th 2011, 3:43 PM

LOS ANGELES - The longest-running serial killer west of the Mississippi may have murdered eight more women, Los Angeles Police said Tuesday.

Lonnie David Franklin Jr., accused of being the "Grim Sleeper," is already behind bars on charges he killed 10 young women, many of them hookers, between 1985 and 2007.

Cops say "strong circumstantial evidence" collected at Franklin's Los Angeles house linked him to three of the new suspected victims. Three other missing women hung around his neighborhood.

The seventh possible victim was killed in an unsolved 1988 murder, and the eighth is an unidentified woman whose picture was recovered from Franklin's residence.

A 58-year-old mechanic, Franklin has pleaded not guilty. He was arrested last summer when DNA from the crimes was linked to a genetic sample from his jailed son.

The Grim Sleeper earned his nickname for taking a 13-year break from the bloodshed between 1988 and 2002 - although police are skeptical he actually stopped during the gap.

He reportedly used a small-caliber handgun and sexually assaulted his victims before taking Polaroid pictures and dumping their bodies in alleys and trash bins.

Police previously released 180 photos found at his house and asked for the public's help in identifying the women.

They were flooded with calls but still need help with 56 pictures.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/2011/04/05/2011-04-05_accused_grim_sleeper_serial_killer_lonnie_david_franklin_jr_may_have_murdered_ei.html#ixzz1Ii2mnqHO