Michael Ray Schlicht, Iowa Teen, Identified as Victim of Notorious Serial Killer After 49 Years

An Iowa teenager who was believed to be a victim of a notorious California serial killer has been identified after 49 years. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department in California announced on Tuesday that the teen, previously known as “John Doe,” has been identified as Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Schlicht’s body was found on September 14, 1974, in a remote area northeast of Laguna Beach, California.

Initially, Schlicht’s death was determined to be accidental due to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. However, subsequent similar deaths in the area were classified as homicides, leading investigators to suspect foul play in Schlicht’s case as well. The release from the sheriff’s department stated that some of these deaths occurred near where Schlicht’s remains were discovered.

Randy Kraft, also known as the “Scorecard Killer,” was convicted of brutalizing and killing 16 men in Orange County during a ten-year period that ended with his arrest in 1983. Kraft, who remains incarcerated at San Quentin State Prison, is suspected of additional killings in California, Oregon, and Michigan.

The breakthrough in Schlicht’s case came when investigators submitted tissue samples to a private forensic biotechnology company in November 2022. The company developed a DNA profile, which was then loaded into a genealogy database to create a family tree. This led investigators to Kansas City, Missouri, where they obtained a DNA sample from a woman believed to be Schlicht’s mother.

The identification of Schlicht brings closure to a nearly five-decade-old mystery and provides answers for his family. The case serves as a reminder of the importance of advancements in DNA technology and the potential for cold cases to be solved, even years later.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Department continues to investigate other unsolved homicides in the hopes of providing answers and justice for the victims and their families.