Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Michael Ray Schlicht Identified as Early Victim of “Scorecard Killer” in California

An Iowa teen who was previously known as “John Doe” has finally been identified as Michael Ray Schlicht from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. After 49 years, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in California confirmed that Schlicht was an early victim of the notorious “Scorecard Killer,” Randy Kraft.

The “Scorecard Killer,” Randy Kraft, who is currently imprisoned at San Quentin State Prison, was convicted of the brutalization and murder of 16 men in Orange County during a ten-year spree that ended with his arrest in 1983. However, authorities suspect that Kraft may have been responsible for additional killings in California, Oregon, and Michigan.

The body of Michael Ray Schlicht, then 17 years old, was discovered on September 14, 1974, by two individuals off-roading on a fire road northeast of Laguna Beach, California. Initially, his death was ruled accidental due to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. However, subsequent similar deaths in the area were classified as homicides, raising suspicion about Schlicht’s case.

The investigation into the “Scorecard Killer” came to an end when a California Highway Patrol trooper pulled over Randy Kraft for erratic driving. In the passenger seat of Kraft’s vehicle was a strangled U.S. Marine. Kraft, a former computer programmer, was described by prosecutors as a fetishist who kept dismembered body parts of his victims in his freezer. Despite his conviction, Kraft maintained his innocence, stating, “I have not murdered anyone, and I believe a reasonable review of the record will show that.”

In November 2022, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department reopened the case of the unidentified teen, known as John Doe. Investigators submitted tissue samples to a private forensic biotechnology company to extract a DNA profile. This profile was then uploaded into a genealogy database to construct a family tree, leading them to Kansas City, Missouri, where they obtained a DNA sample from a woman believed to be the victim’s mother. Through this breakthrough, they were able to positively identify the victim as Michael Ray Schlicht.

With the identification of Michael Ray Schlicht, one of the earliest victims of the “Scorecard Killer,” investigators hope to bring closure to his family and shed further light on the heinous crimes committed by Randy Kraft. This case serves as a reminder of the importance of advancements in DNA technology and the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies in solving cold cases and bringing justice to the victims and their loved ones.

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