Randy Kraft: The Scorecard Killer (Part 2)

Throughout the 1970s, Southern California residents were held in the grip of terror as multiple serial killers stalked the streets, preying on victims from every walk of life, including the area’s gay community. From 1971 to 1983, Randy Kraft kidnapped, tortured, and murdered at least sixteen men and boys, but the real number of victims is believed to be considerably higher. When he was arrested in 1983, investigators searched Kraft’s home and found a list with cryptic references to what they believed were sixty-one victims in total. The discovery of that list led the press to dub Kraft “The Scorecard Killer.” Following his arrest in 1983, Randy Kraft was tried and convicted of sixteen counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to death. Although the arrest and trial put an end to Kraft’s murder spree, several critical questions remain unanswered, including the most important aspect of the case detectives were never able to solve: who was Randy Kraft’s accomplice? Thank you to the Incredible Dave White of Bring Me the Axe Podcast for research and Writing support! References Arnold, Roxane, and Jerry Hicks. 1983. "Kraft suspected in deaths of 14 men in 3 states, Gates says." Los Angeles Times, May 20: 73. Associated Press. 1983. "Five murders charged to computer analyst." Sacramento Bee, May 25: 2. —. 1978. "Police seek link in deaths of 18." San Bernardino County Sun, November 24: 3. —. 1983. "Freeway killing pattern repeats." The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, CA), February 19: 2. Bajko, Matthew. 2016. Gay serial killer breaks silence. November 2. Accessed May 15, 2025.