Randy Kraft, a notorious California serial killer, has emerged as the prime suspect in the 1980 murder of Larry Eugene Parks, whose body was discovered along Interstate 5 in Oregon. Parks, a 30-year-old Vietnam veteran, was unidentified for nearly 45 years until forensic genealogy efforts led by an Orange County investigator finally confirmed his identity last month. Kraft, currently serving his sentence at San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, was convicted of murdering 16 men over a decade in Orange County and is suspected of over 60 additional murders across the West Coast and Michigan.
Following a series of investigations to determine Parks’ identity, a genetic profile was constructed from a blood sample that allowed authorities to connect with potential family members. They provided DNA, successfully leading to Parks’ identification. Prior to this development, his family was unaware of the circumstances surrounding his disappearance, as he had lost contact a year prior to his death.
Police suspect Kraft is responsible for Parks’ murder and are also reviewing evidence linking him to another victim discovered on I-5 just a day before Parks. This evidence has been sent to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office for potential legal proceedings. With the confirmation of Parks’ identity, investigators are now focused on resolving this cold case. Additionally, in 2023, genealogical methods also helped identify an Iowa teen believed to be one of Kraft’s earlier victims, demonstrating the ongoing impact of forensic genealogy in solving long-standing murder cases.
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