Randy Steven Kraft American serial killer Country: USA

1. Biography of Randy Steven Kraft
2. A Series of Murders

Biography of Randy Steven Kraft

Randy Steven Kraft, an American serial killer, was convicted of committing 16 murders and is suspected of being involved in at least 51 more killings of boys and young men. He was born in California and was the fourth child in his family. In 1963, he graduated from high school and enrolled in Claremont McKenna College. Afterward, he started working as a bartender in a gay bar. In 1968, he received a bachelor's degree in economics and began serving in the United States Air Force. However, he was discharged from military service in the same year due to medical reasons.

A Series of Murders

During the 1970s and early 1980s, Kraft committed dozens of murders of young boys and men, often subjecting them to torture and sexual assault. Some of his victims were homosexuals. Most of the victims were random hitchhikers in California. Kraft was first arrested in 1975 on suspicion of murdering a 19-year-old young man. However, due to insufficient evidence, Kraft could not be held accountable for the crime.

In 1983, Kraft's vehicle was stopped by a police patrol for a traffic violation. Inside the car, the body of a 25-year-old man, another victim of Kraft, was discovered. During a search of Kraft's house, items belonging to his victims were found. Kraft had kept a encrypted list of his victims, totaling 65 individuals. Ultimately, Kraft was charged with 16 counts of murder. Although he refused to plead guilty, he was sentenced to death on November 29, 1989. In 2000, the sentence was upheld by the California Supreme Court.

As of 2006, Kraft remains imprisoned in San Quentin and continues to maintain his innocence.