Decades-Old John Doe Homicide Victim Identified as Michael Ray Schlicht

Accident – Death – Obituary News : SANTA ANA, Ca. — In a stunning breakthrough, investigators from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department have finally identified a man who was found dead in California’s Orange County over four decades ago. The man, originally known only as John Doe, has now been identified as Michael Ray Schlicht, a resident of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. This groundbreaking revelation brings closure to a case that has remained unsolved for nearly half a century.

According to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, on September 14, 1974, two individuals were off-roading in the area when they stumbled upon the lifeless body of Schlicht on the side of a trail. Initial investigations suggested that he had passed away approximately three to five days before his discovery. Authorities initially believed that his death was accidental, resulting from a combination of alcohol and diazepam intoxication.

Despite efforts to identify him, Schlicht’s fingerprints yielded no results when submitted to various law enforcement agencies, including the Criminal Identification and Investigation Division in Sacramento, the FBI, and Canadian authorities. Consequently, he was interred without a name in an unmarked grave at El Toro Memorial Park.

Years later, in 1980, investigators noticed a series of deaths in the Southern California area in 1978 that were attributed to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. These deaths were subsequently reclassified as homicides, leading authorities to suspect a potential connection to Schlicht’s case.

Over the years, several men were found dead within close proximity to where John Doe was discovered, further fueling suspicions. The sheriff’s office acknowledged this pattern, suggesting that Schlicht may have been one of the early victims of Randy Steven Kraft, also known as the “Scorecard Killer.”

In 1983, Kraft was apprehended for murder during a routine traffic stop by a California Highway Patrol officer. Shockingly, authorities discovered a deceased individual in Kraft’s car, later identified as Terry Lee Gambrel. The vehicle contained beer bottles and an open prescription bottle of Lorazepam. Kraft was subsequently convicted of 16 murders in 1987 and received the death sentence. However, an additional ten murders thought to be his doing were never officially charged. Kraft remains incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison to this day.

Last month, investigators made a significant breakthrough in identifying John Doe as Michael Ray Schlicht. Tissue samples from the unidentified body were submitted to a private forensic biotechnology company in November of the previous year, with the hope of constructing a DNA profile. Finally, investigators were able to identify potential grandparents of John Doe and obtained a DNA sample from a woman believed to be his mother. Through this DNA analysis, they were able to confirm the man’s identity as Schlicht.

The sheriff’s office has informed Schlicht’s family members, who are now in the process of installing a headstone to mark his final resting place. This long-awaited resolution brings closure to a family who have spent decades wondering about their loved one’s fate.

The identification of Michael Ray Schlicht serves as a reminder of the tireless efforts of law enforcement agencies in solving cold cases. As technology and forensic techniques continue to advance, there is hope that more long-standing mysteries will be unraveled, bringing justice to victims and closure to their families..