South OC Times

OC Sheriff investigators have identified an Oregon John Doe, believed to be a victim of serial killer Randy Steven Kraft. The discovery was made in collaboration with the Oregon State Police (OSP) Cold Case Unit.

In November 2023, OC Sheriff Cold Case investigators identified a deceased John Doe found in unincorporated Laguna Hills in 1974 as Michael Ray Schlicht, 17, from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Schlicht was long suspected to be one of Kraft's victims.

Early in 2024, while reviewing the Kraft investigation for evidence related to Schlicht, investigators discovered evidence linked to a 1980 John Doe from Oregon. This individual was also presumed to be a victim of Kraft but remained unidentified with no existing evidence.

The John Doe was found deceased on July 18, 1980, along Interstate 5 outside Woodburn, Oregon. He had been strangled and had alcohol and diazepam in his system. Investigators believe this victim corresponds to "Portland Elk" on Kraft's so-called "scorecard."

Kraft is thought to be responsible for six homicides in Oregon and two in Michigan, alongside more than 60 presumed victims in California. He was sentenced to death in 1989 after being convicted for the murder of 16 men following a lengthy trial. During this trial, evidence related to all out-of-state victims was sent to OC Sheriff.

The OC Sheriff team contacted OSP about the located evidence and proposed using investigative genetic genealogy (IGG) to identify the Doe. Trained in IGG application, OC Sheriff cold case homicide investigators have previously used this method successfully.

OSP agreed and sent a blood sample from the Doe to Parabon Nanolabs for genetic profiling. In January 2025, the profile was uploaded to GEDmatch—a publicly available DNA database accessible by law enforcement—and work began on constructing the Doe’s family tree.

By early February 2025, investigators had identified a potential candidate for the Doe's identity. Collaboration between OSP and OC Sheriff led them to contact several close family members of this candidate.

DNA samples were collected from individuals believed to be the Doe’s half-sister and nephew. These samples confirmed that the decedent was Larry Eugene Parks, aged 30 at his time of death. Parks had last been seen by his family in Pensacola, Florida in 1979 and was described as a "drifter" with no known connections to Oregon.