A John Doe homicide victim discovered 49 years ago in unincorporated Laguna Hills has finally been identified through investigative genetic genealogy, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.
On Sept. 14, 1974, two individuals off-roading stumbled upon the deceased male, estimated to have died 3 to 5 days prior due to alcohol and diazepam intoxication. Despite efforts to establish his identity, John Doe was interred in an unmarked grave at El Toro Memorial Park.
In 1980, Orange County Sheriff's Department Homicide Investigators noted a series of deaths in 1978 attributed to alcohol and diazepam intoxication in Southern California. Randy Steven Kraft, later known as the "Scorecard Killer," was arrested in May 1983, with suspicions that John Doe was an early victim.
In November 2022, investigators submitted tissue samples to Othram Laboratories, a private forensic biotechnology company that specializes in DNA testing and analysis for solving cold cases and unidentified person cases. In February 2023, the DNA profile was received by the sheriff's department's Cold Case Team, leading to the use of investigative genetic genealogy.
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By October 2023, investigators identified the possible grandparents of John Doe and traced the victim to Michael Ray Schlicht of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Anyone with information related to this case is encouraged to contact Orange County Crime Stoppers at 1-855-TIP-OCCS or crimestoppers.org.
