An Iowa teenager who was believed to be one of the earliest victims of a notorious California serial killer has been identified 49 years after his death. The teen, previously known only as a John Doe, has now been identified as Michael Ray Schlicht from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department revealed that Schlicht had long been suspected to be an early victim of Randy Kraft, also known as the “Scorecard Killer,” who was convicted of brutalizing and killing 16 men in Orange County.
Kraft, who is currently in San Quentin State Prison, was convicted in 1989 for the Orange County slayings. However, authorities believe he may have killed others in California, Oregon, and Michigan. Schlicht’s body was discovered on September 14, 1974, when two individuals were off-roading near Laguna Beach. Initially, his death was ruled as accidental due to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. However, subsequent similar deaths in the area were classified as homicides, leading investigators to reopen the case.
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The breakthrough in identifying Schlicht came when tissue samples were submitted to a private forensic biotechnology company in November 2022. Using the DNA profile generated from the samples, investigators were able to build a family tree through a genealogy database. This eventually led them to Kansas City, Missouri, where they obtained a DNA sample from a woman believed to be Schlicht’s mother.
The revelation that Schlicht was one of Kraft’s victims has brought closure to his family, who have spent almost five decades unaware of his fate. Kraft’s killing spree finally came to an end when he was pulled over by a California Highway Patrol trooper and found with the body of a strangled Marine in his vehicle.
While Kraft remains incarcerated, authorities suspect that there may be more victims who have yet to be identified. The identification of Schlicht brings hope that other families of the serial killer’s victims may find closure in the future.
