California Serial Killer Victim Identified After 49 Years

An Iowa Teen Finally Named as One of the Earliest Victims

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — After almost five decades, an Iowa teenager who was previously known only as “John Doe” has been identified as Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, marking a major breakthrough in one of California’s most notorious serial killer cases.

For years, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department in California had suspected that the unidentified teenager was a victim of Randy Kraft, infamously known as the “Scorecard Killer.” Kraft, who is currently serving his sentence in San Quentin State Prison, was convicted in 1989 for the brutal murder of 16 men in Orange County. However, authorities believe that he may have killed many more individuals in California, Oregon, and Michigan.

The discovery of Schlicht’s body took place on September 14, 1974, when two individuals were off-roading on a fire road northeast of Laguna Beach, California. Initially, the 17-year-old’s death was ruled as accidental, attributed to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. However, as more similar deaths occurred in the following years, investigators began to suspect foul play. Several of these deaths happened within close proximity to where Schlicht’s remains were found.

The case took a significant turn when a California Highway Patrol trooper pulled over Kraft for erratic driving and observed him weaving on the shoulder of the freeway. Shockingly, a strangled U.S. Marine was discovered in the passenger seat of Kraft’s vehicle. Authorities described Kraft as a fetishist who kept dismembered body parts of his victims in his freezer. Despite the evidence against him, Kraft maintained his innocence, stating in court, “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 decided to re-examine John Doe’s case. Tissue samples were submitted to a private forensic biotechnology company to extract a DNA profile. Investigators then uploaded the profile into a genealogy database to construct a family tree, eventually leading them to Kansas City, Missouri. There, they obtained a DNA sample from a woman believed to be the victim’s mother, finally providing the long-awaited identification.

This breakthrough has brought closure to Schlicht’s family and shed light on the dark history of Randy Kraft’s heinous crimes. The identification of this early victim will likely contribute to ongoing investigations into other unsolved cases linked to Kraft, and may provide answers and justice for countless families affected by his reign of terror.

Source: The Associated Press