Authorities in Oregon have linked a decades-old homicide to notorious California serial killer Randy Kraft, also known as the “Scorecard Killer,” nearly 45 years after the victim’s body was first discovered.
The remains of 30-year-old Larry Eugene Parks were found along Interstate 5 south of Portland on July 18, 1980. At the time, investigators struggled to identify the body, and the case went cold for decades. Earlier this year, Oregon State Police confirmed the identity through advanced DNA technology, and now investigators believe Kraft is directly tied to the crime.
Kyle Kennedy, spokesperson for Oregon State Police, confirmed Kraft is the sole suspect. “OSP does not have another suspect outside of Kraft. We are awaiting testing results of evidence to confirm,” Kennedy said in a statement.
A Vietnam Veteran Lost for Decades
Before his death, Parks was a Vietnam veteran who had lost contact with his family in 1979, about a year before his body was found. He was last seen in Pensacola, Florida, before eventually turning up in Oregon. His disappearance left his family without answers for more than four decades until forensic genealogy provided the breakthrough.
Last year, an Orange County Sheriff’s Department investigator contacted Oregon State Police’s Cold Case Unit in an effort to reopen the unidentified remains investigation. Using forensic investigative genetic genealogy, a DNA profile was built from a blood sample taken decades earlier. Family members later submitted DNA profiles for comparison, leading to a positive identification of Parks.
“Forensic genetic genealogy has been a boon to law enforcement,” said Peter Valentin, chair of the Forensic Science Department at the University of New Haven and a former Connecticut State Police detective. “It allows us to make identifications in previously unsolved human remains cases and connect them to potential family members.”
The Scorecard Killer’s Infamous Legacy
Randy Kraft, now 80 years old and on death row at San Quentin State Prison, is believed to be responsible for the murders of more than 60 young men between 1971 and 1983 in California, Oregon, and Michigan. His nickname, the “Scorecard Killer,” came from a handwritten list discovered after his arrest that contained cryptic references to many of his victims.
Kraft’s arrest on May 14, 1983, came after California Highway Patrol officers stopped him in Mission Viejo for erratic driving. Inside his car, officers found the body of 25-year-old Terry Lee Gambrel, who had accepted a ride from Kraft earlier that night. When officers asked about Gambrel, Kraft allegedly replied, “How’s my friend?” before they realized Gambrel was dead.
The discovery led to Kraft’s conviction for multiple murders and his eventual death sentence. Yet investigators have long suspected that many more victims remain unidentified.
Cold Cases Reopened Through DNA
Parks is not the only victim recently connected to Kraft through modern forensic science. In 2023, authorities identified another one of his victims using the same genetic genealogy methods.
One particularly haunting case involved the 1974 discovery of a young man’s remains in Laguna Hills, California. At the time, his death was ruled accidental due to alcohol and drug intoxication. Years later, investigators noted similarities between his case and Kraft’s known victims. After renewed efforts, the remains were identified as 17-year-old Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, thanks to DNA provided by his mother.
Valentin emphasized how crucial new technology has become. “When you think that cases are linked together, what you can then do is pull the evidence from multiple investigations. That gives you a higher likelihood of finding something forensically relevant.”
The Challenge of Linking Serial Killers to Old Crimes
Experts caution that while connecting cold cases to serial killers provides closure, it must be done carefully. Valentin noted that misattributing a murder to a known killer can allow other perpetrators to go undetected. “If you wrongly attribute a death to the serial killer and that’s not it at all, there’s another killer out there unprosecuted because you think the right person has been brought to justice.”
Still, in cases like Parks’, the ability to finally give a name to unidentified remains is a significant step forward. His family, who had gone decades without knowing his fate, now have answers.
Kraft Remains Behind Bars
Kraft has spent more than four decades on death row, his name forever tied to some of the most brutal killings in U.S. history. Despite his incarceration, investigators continue to reexamine unsolved cases from the 1970s and 1980s in hopes of bringing resolution to families still waiting for justice.
“It’s remarkable that cases from the 1970s can now be reopened,” Valentin said. “For decades we thought these cases would remain unsolved, but forensic genealogy has given them new life.”
With Kraft now 80 years old, authorities continue to push forward with investigations, determined to ensure that every victim is identified and remembered.
Leo Cruz brings sharp insights into the world of politics, offering balanced reporting and analysis on the latest policies, elections, and global political events. With years of experience covering campaigns and interviewing world leaders, Leo ensures readers are always informed and engaged.
