Homicide Victim Found on California Trail in 1974 Finally Identified as Michael Schlicht

Accident – Death – Obituary News : Aliso Viejo, Calif. (TCD) – In a remarkable breakthrough, officials have finally identified the victim of a homicide that occurred 49 years ago. Through the use of investigative genetic genealogy, law enforcement agencies were able to uncover the truth surrounding the mysterious case that had remained unsolved for almost half a century.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department revealed that on September 14, 1974, two individuals who were off-roading stumbled upon the body of a man near a fire road trail. The victim’s cause of death was initially attributed to alcohol and diazepam intoxication, and his demise was considered an accident. However, investigators later reclassified the case as a homicide.

The victim, known only as John Doe, was estimated to be between 18 and 25 years old at the time of his death. Authorities released information about the unidentified man, hoping that someone would come forward with vital tips to help identify him. Despite efforts by the Criminal Identification and Investigation Division in Sacramento, the Federal Bureau of Identification, and Canadian authorities, the victim’s fingerprint classification yielded no results, leaving investigators at a dead end.

Weeks turned into months, and eventually, the victim was laid to rest as John Doe in an unmarked grave at El Toro Memorial Park. It wasn’t until years later that law enforcement discovered a series of deaths related to alcohol and diazepam intoxication in southern California, all of which were ruled as homicides. Several of these victims were found within close proximity to where John Doe’s body had been discovered.

Investigators began to suspect that John Doe may have been an early victim of Randy Steven Kraft, notoriously known as the “Scorecard Killer.” In 1983, a California Highway Patrol officer made a routine traffic stop and stumbled upon Terry Lee Gambrel’s lifeless body in Kraft’s car. Empty beer bottles and an open prescription bottle of Lorazepam were found near the deceased. Subsequently, Kraft was convicted in 1989 for killing 16 people, although the Orange County district attorney’s office believes he may have been responsible for the deaths of 10 additional victims.

Fast forward to November 2022, when investigators decided to submit tissue samples from John Doe to Othram Laboratories. A DNA profile was successfully created, which was then uploaded to a genealogy database. By building John Doe’s family tree and tracing his lineage, investigators managed to identify his grandparents. This breakthrough ultimately led them to locate a granddaughter who disclosed that she had not seen her 17-year-old brother since April 1974.

With this valuable information in hand, investigators traveled to Kansas City to collect a DNA sample from a potential mother. The results confirmed the victim’s identity as Michael Schlicht from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The sheriff’s office promptly notified Schlicht’s family members and is now working to ensure that his gravestone is properly marked, finally giving him the recognition he deserves.

This incredible breakthrough serves as a testament to the power of modern forensic techniques and the determination of law enforcement agencies to bring justice to long-forgotten cases. It also highlights the importance of genetic genealogy in solving cold cases and providing closure to grieving families.

For more information on this case, please refer to the official statements released by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and Othram Labs.

True Crime Daily: The Podcast covers both high-profile and under-the-radar cases every week. Don’t forget to subscribe to their YouTube page and follow them on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You can also stay updated by subscribing to their True Crime Daily newsletter.

Related:
– John Doe homicide victim identified after 49 years – Orange County Sheriff’s Department
– Orange County Sheriff’s Department Teams with Othram to Identify 1974 Homicide Victim – Othram Labs.