Thomas Sylvester Steele, a 36-year-old Black man, was found dead on August 14, 1986, at the intersection of 71st Street and Halldale Avenue in Harvard Park, Los Angeles. Authorities believe his death is connected to the serial killer known as the Grim Sleeper, Lonnie David Franklin Jr., who was later arrested on July 7, 2010, after DNA linked him to multiple murders from 1985 to 2007.

Franklin was not formally charged in Steele’s case, though investigators suspect Steele’s killing is related to the other crimes attributed to Franklin. Most known Grim Sleeper victims were Black women, many who were sex workers or struggled with addiction; Steele is one of the few male victims discussed in connection with the series. Franklin’s known pattern involved shooting victims and leaving bodies in secluded locations.

Steele’s death remains part of the broader investigation into the Grim Sleeper killings and a reminder of unresolved questions in the case. Did anyone in Harvard Park in August 1986 see or hear anything that could shed light on Steele’s last movements?