TGF 051 The Scorecard Killer: Uncovered

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:05):
Thank you, bog In. Welcome back to The Guilty Files,
the podcast where every case gets a second look, a
deeper dive, and two distinct takes that keep you coming
back for more. I'm your host, Brian, and I'm here
to bring you the unfiltered, no nonsense breakdown of this
week's crime. A little about me, I've spent sixteen years

(00:28):
in law enforcement, with ten of those years pounding the
pavement as a beat cop in the streets of Atlanta.
I've seen crime up close, the chaos, the aftermath, and
the cold, hard truths that never make the headlines. That's
why my focus is simple. I'll take you through the
facts of the case step by step with nothing left

(00:49):
to speculation. But that's only half of what we do here.
My co host Danny is your guide to the other
side of the story. He dives into the untold possibility,
uncovers hidden motives, and imagines the what ifs that make
you question everything you thought you knew. Together, we bring
you two unique perspectives on every case, because in true crime,

(01:11):
the truth is rarely as simple as it seems. Every
week we promise you this two cops, one crime, two
stories told. If you're a fan of the details, the drama,
and the darker side of human nature. You're in for
a ride, so grab your headphones, lock the door, and
let's get into the Guilty Files, where every case comes

(01:32):
with a twist and the truth is just the beginning.
The yellow legal pad sat innocuously on the detective's desk,
its pages filled with what appeared to be nothing more
than random words and phrases Twiggy, what you got, Harry

(01:52):
carry marine Carson sorrym To the untrained eye, it might
have been grocery lists, song tie, or the scattered thoughts
of an absent minded academic. But Detective Dennis Cottmeyer knew better.
Each cryptic entry represented a life snuffed out, a family destroyed,
a young man who would never come home again. As

(02:15):
Kottmeyer studied the sixty one entry scrawled in Randy Craft's
meticulous handwriting, a chill ran down his spine. This wasn't
just evidence. It was a trophy collection written in code,
a macab scorecard documenting one of California's most prolific killing sprees.
Behind each seemingly innocent phrase lay a story of unimaginable horror,

(02:37):
perpetrated by a man who appeared to be the epitome
of suburban normalcy. The year was nineteen eighty three, and
the beaches of southern California had been transformed from playgrounds
of sun and surf into hunting grounds for a predator
who had stalked young men for over a decade. Randy Craft,
with his boyish good looks and computer programmer's precision, had

(02:58):
managed to evade detail while methodically torturing and murdering dozens
of victims across multiple states. His scorecard would ultimately chronicle
crime so heinous that seasoned homicide detectives would struggle to
sleep after reviewing the case files. This is the story
of how an eagle scout became one of America's most
notorious serial killers, leaving behind a trail of bodies and

(03:22):
a coated list that would take investigators years to fully decipher.
It's a tale that reveals the terrifying truth that evil
can wear the most ordinary of faces, and that sometimes
the most dangerous predators are the ones hiding in plain sight.
Randy Stephen Craft entered the world on March nineteenth, nineteen
forty five, in Long Beach, California, during the final months

(03:44):
of World War II. His parents, Harold and Oplecraft, welcomed
their son into what appeared to be an idyllic, middle
class American family. Harold worked as a laborer, while Opal
dedicated herself to homemaking and raising their children in the
suburban comfort of Midway City, a small unincorporated community in
Orange County. From his earliest years, Randy displayed the kind

(04:07):
of model behavior that made parents proud and neighbors envious.
He was an exceptional student, earning straight a's throughout elementary
and middle school, demonstrating an intellect that seemed to effortlessly
absorb information. His teachers consistently praised his dedication, politeness, and
academic excellence. Randy wasn't just smart, He was the kind

(04:30):
of child who volunteered for extra credit assignments and genuinely
seemed to enjoy learning. The Craft household embodied conservative American
values of the nineteen fifties. Harold and ople were devout
Catholics who insisted on regular church attendants and maintained strict
moral standards. Randy excelled in this environment, becoming an altar

(04:51):
boy at Saint CALLISTUS Catholic Church and embracing the religious
instruction with apparent sincerity. His participation in church activities was
exult templery, and he seemed to genuinely connect with the
spiritual aspects of his faith. Randy's commitment to wholesome activities
extended beyond the church walls. He enthusiastically joined the Boy

(05:12):
Scouts of America, where his natural leadership abilities and dedication
to the organization's principles quickly became evident. Fellow Scouts remember
him as someone who took the Scout oath seriously. On
my honor, I will do my best to do my
duty to God and my country, and to obey the
Scout law to help other people at all times, to

(05:32):
keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight. His
progression through the Scout ranks was meteoric. Randy earned Merit
badge after merit badge, tackling challenging requirements with the same
methodical precision he applied to his school work. By age seventeen,
he had achieved Scouting's highest honor, Eagle Scout. This accomplishment

(05:55):
reached by less than four percent of all Scouts required,
demonstrating leaders ship, community service, and mastery of outdoor skills.
Randy's Eagle Scout project involved organizing a community cleanup effort
that beautified a local park, showcasing his ability to mobilize
others for positive change. At Claremont High School, Randy continued

(06:16):
his pattern of academic excellence while maintaining his reputation as
a model student. He joined the debate team, where his
analytical mind and articulate speaking style made him a formidable competitor.
Teachers noted his ability to research topics thoroughly and present
logical arguments with conviction. He also participated in the school's

(06:37):
academic decathlon team, consistently scoring in the top percentiles on
standardized tests. Despite his academic and extracurricular achievements, some classmates
later recalled that Randy seemed somewhat isolated socially. While he
was unfailingly polite and helpful, he didn't form the close
friendships typical of teenagers. He was more likely to be

(06:59):
found in the library than at weekend parties, and he
showed little interest in dating. Some attributed this to his
studious nature and strong religious upbringing, which emphasized the importance
of academic achievement over social pursuits. Randy's family life appeared
stable and supportive Throughout his teenage years. Harold had worked
his way up to a supervisory position, providing the family

(07:22):
with comfortable, middle class security. Opal remained devoted to her
role as homemaker and continued her active involvement in church
and community activities. The Crafts lived in a well maintained
house in a quiet neighborhood where children rode bicycles safely
and neighbors knew each other by name. Upon graduating from
high school with honors in nineteen sixty three, Randy earned

(07:44):
a scholarship to attend Claremont Men's College now known as
Claremont McKenna College, a prestigious liberal arts institution known for
its rigorous academic standards. His parents were justifiably proud their
son had achieved everything they had hoped for and more.
Randy appeared destined for a successful career in academia or business,

(08:06):
with his intelligence, work, ethic, and moral character positioning him
for conventional success. At Claremont, Randy initially thrived in the
intellectually stimulating environment. He declared economics as his major and
threw himself into his studies with characteristic dedication. His professors
found him to be an engaged student who asked thoughtful

(08:27):
questions and produced well researched papers. He maintained his excellent
grade point average while adapting to the increased academic demands
of college level course work. However, the social pressures of
college life began to reveal aspects of Randy's personality that
had remained hidden during his structured high school years. Away
from the constant oversight of parents and teachers, he began

(08:50):
to experiment with alcohol and marijuana, substances that were becoming
increasingly common on college campuses during the mid nineteen sixties.
While many students used these recreationally without significant consequences, Randy's
relationship with intoxicants seemed different from the beginning. More significantly,
Randy began to acknowledge and explore his homosexuality during his

(09:13):
college years. In the conservative social climate of the nineteen sixties,
this realization created enormous internal conflict for someone raised in
a devoutly Catholic household. The religious teachings that had provided
structure and meaning throughout his childhood now became sources of
shame and self loathing. The Catholic Church's condemnation of homosexuality

(09:35):
as sinful created a crisis of identity that Randy struggled
to resolve. The Vietnam War was escalating during Randy's college years,
and like many young men of his generation, he faced
the prospect of military service. However, rather than waiting to
be drafted, Randy made the unexpected decision to enlist in
the Air Force in nineteen sixty seven after completing his

(09:58):
sophomore year. Always surprised family and friends as it interrupted
his promising academic career and seemed inconsistent with his previously
expressed career goals. Randy's military service took him to bases
across the United States, where he worked in communications and
developed skills with early computer systems. The structured military environment

(10:19):
initially seemed to suit his personality, and he performed his
duties competently. However, military investigators later discovered that during his service,
Randy had begun engaging in sexual relationships with other servicemen,
activities that were strictly forbidden under military regulations and could
result in court martial and dishonorable discharge. The military also

(10:41):
provided Randy with his first real independence from family oversight
and introduced him to a broader range of people and experiences.
It was during this period that he began developing the
manipulative social skills that would later serve him as a predator.
He learned to present different versions of himself to different people,
maintaining his clean cut image while secretly engaging in activities

(11:04):
that would have shocked those who knew him as the
model Eagle Scout. After completing his military service in nineteen
seventy one, Randy returned to California and used his GI
Bill benefits to resume his education at California State University,
Long Beach. He changed his major to computer science, recognizing
the growing importance of technology in the modern economy. His

(11:27):
military experience with early computer systems had sparked a genuine
interest in the field, and he proved to be naturally
gifted at programming and systems analysis. Randy's academic performance remained strong,
but those who knew him during this period began to
notice subtle changes in his personality. He had become more
confident and socially adept, but there was also a new

(11:49):
undercurrent of arrogance and manipulation in his interactions. He seemed
to view other people as objects to be studied and
potentially exploited, rather than as equals deserve of respect and consideration.
It was also during this period that Randy began his
relationship with Jeff Selig, a fellow student who would become
his long term companion. To outside observers, their relationship appeared

(12:13):
to be a stable, domestic partnership between two intelligent, accomplished
young men. Randy maintained his clean cut appearance and professional
demeanor while pursuing a career in computer programming that promised
financial security and social respectability. However, beneath this veneer of normalcy,
Randy was beginning to develop the predatory instincts that would

(12:34):
define his criminal career. He had learned to compartmentalize his life,
maintaining separate identities for different social contexts. To his family,
he remained the accomplished son who had overcome early struggles
with his sexual identity. To his employers and professional colleagues.
He was a competent and reliable programmer. To his partner Jeff,

(12:56):
he was a devoted companion committed to building a life together.
But Randy was also becoming something else, entirely, a predator
who had learned to hunt in the shadows while maintaining
his respectable facade. The same intelligence and attention to detail
that had made him an eagle scout and successful student
were now being applied to much darker purposes. The stage

(13:18):
was set for a killing spree that would span more
than a decade and claim dozens of lives. The transformation
from model citizen to serial killer didn't happen overnight. It
was a gradual process of moral decay, enabled by Randy's
ability to rationalize his actions and maintain multiple identities. By
the early nineteen seventies, all the elements were in place

(13:40):
for Randy Craft to begin his career as one of
California's most prolific serial killers. The only question was when
he would claim his first victim. The precise moment when
Randy Craft crossed the line from fantasy to reality remained
shrouded in mystery, but investigators believe his killing spree began
some time in nineteen seventy one, shortly after his return

(14:03):
to civilian life. His first confirmed victim was Wayne Joseph Duquett,
a thirty year old bartender whose life would intersect with
Crafts in the most tragic possible way. Wayne Duquet was
born on September fifteenth, nineteen forty one, in Detroit, Michigan,
the eldest son of Polish immigrants who had come to
America seeking better opportunities for their family. His father, staniswaud Duquet,

(14:27):
worked in the automotive industry, while his mother, Maria managed
their household with the practical efficiency common among immigrant families
of that era. Wayne grew up in a close knit
Polish American community, where hard work, family loyalty, and Catholic
faith formed the foundation of daily life. As a child,
Wayne demonstrated the kind of resilience and determination that his

(14:49):
parents had hoped to instill in their American born children.
He was an average student, but had an innate ability
to connect with people that made him popular among his peers.
Wayne had a natural charisma and easy smile that drew
people to him, qualities that would later serve him well
in the service industry, but would also make him vulnerable
to predators who exploited trust and kindness. After graduating from

(15:13):
high school in nineteen fifty nine, Wayne faced the same
choices as many young men of his generation, college, immediate employment,
or military service. He chose to enlist in the army,
where he served honorably for four years, including a tour
of duty in Germany during the height of the Cold War.
Military service broadened Wayne's horizons and gave him confidence in

(15:36):
his ability to navigate different social environments. After completing his
service in nineteen sixty three, he decided to pursue opportunities
in California. Drawn by the state's booming economy and promise
of year round sunshine, Waine settled in Long Beach, where
he found work in the hospitality industry. His friendly personality
and ability to remember customers names and preferences made him

(15:59):
a natural blank bartender. He quickly established himself at several
local establishments, building a reputation as someone who could handle
both the social aspects of bartending and the practical challenges
of managing difficult customers. Wayne took pride in his work
and saw bartending not just as a job, but as
a form of hospitality that brightened people's evenings. By nineteen

(16:21):
seventy one, Wayne had been working at the Stables Bar
in Long Beach for several years. The establishment catered to
a diverse clientele, including young military personnel from nearby bases,
college students, and local residents looking for a friendly neighborhood bar.
Wayne shift typically ran from early evening until closing time,
and he had developed relationships with many regular customers who

(16:44):
appreciated his professional service and genuine interest in their lives.
On the evening of December fifth, nineteen seventy one, Wayne
was working what should have been a routine Sunday night
shift at the Stables Bar. The weekend crowd had thinned out,
leaving most regulars nursing their drinks and engaging in quiet conversation.

(17:04):
Waine was preparing to close when Randy Kraft walked in,
presenting himself as just another customer looking for a drink
before heading home. Randy had spent weeks observing the bar
in Wain's routine, noting when the establishment was least crowded
and when Wayne would be most vulnerable. He understood that
bartenders often developed a false sense of security with customers,

(17:26):
especially during slow periods when they might let their guard down.
Randy's clean cut appearance and polite demeanor made him appear harmless,
exactly the image he had cultivated to gain access to
potential victims. What happened next has been reconstructed from evidence
found years later and Randy's own cryptic admissions. Randy engaged

(17:47):
Wayne in casual conversation, portraying himself as a computer programmer
who had recently moved to the area. He displayed genuine
interest in Wayne's stories about his military service and work experiences,
using active lie listening techniques to build rapport and trust.
When closing time arrived, Randy offered to help Wayne clean
up and secure the bar, presenting himself as a considerate

(18:09):
customer who understood the service industry. Randy's offer to continue
their conversation over coffee or a late night meal seemed
natural and innocent. Wayne, who enjoyed meeting new people and
was always willing to help newcomers feel welcome in the community,
agreed to join Randy for a brief social visit. It
was a decision that would cost him his life, though

(18:30):
at the time it seemed like simple human kindness. Randy
led Wayne to his car, maintaining casual conversation while internally
preparing for what he had planned. Once they were driving,
Randy's demeanor began to change subtly. The friendly, somewhat nervous
computer programmer facade gave way to something much more calculating
and predatory. Randy had prepared for this moment with meticulous planning,

(18:54):
including selecting a remote location where he could carry out
his attack without interruption. Details of Wayne's murder remained too
disturbing for complete description, but evidence later recovered by investigators
revealed the horrific nature of Randy's assault. Wain was subjected
to prolonged torture involving sexual violence and systematic degradation designed

(19:16):
to maximize suffering. Randy documented aspects of the crime with photographs,
beginning a pattern of trophy collection that would characterize his
entire killing Spury. Wain's body was discovered several days later
in a remote area of Orange County, posed in a
manner that investigators later recognized as Randy's signature. The crime

(19:36):
scene showed evidence of careful planning and cleanup, suggesting that
the perpetrator had experience in covering his tracks. However, the
forensic technology of nineteen seventy one was limited, and investigators
were unable to develop substantial leads from the physical evidence.
Wain's disappearance and murder devastated his family and the community
of regular customers at the Stables Bar stay tuned from

(20:00):
War of the guilty files will be right back. After
these messages, his parents flew to California to assist with
the investigation and arrange for their son's funeral, Struggling to
understand how their kind hearted boy had become the victim
of such senseless violence. The Polish American community in Detroit

(20:21):
held memorial services, remembering Wayne as a young man who
had served his country honorably and built a life based
on helping others feel welcome and comfortable. For Randy, Wayne's
murder represented a crossing of a psychological threshold from which
there would be no return. The meticulous planning, successful execution,
and escape from immediate detection provided him with a sense

(20:44):
of power and control that would become addictive. More importantly,
the murder confirmed Randy's belief that he could maintain his
respectable facade while secretly indulging his darkest impulses. Randy returned
to his normal routine with Jeff Selig and his job
in computer programming, Displaying no outward signs of having committed
a brutal murder. He continued attending family gatherings, professional meetings,

(21:08):
and social events as if nothing had changed. This ability
to compartmentalize his criminal activities while maintaining normal relationships would
become one of Randy's most chilling characteristics. The success of
Wayne's murder also established the pattern that Randy would follow
for the next twelve years. He had learned to identify
vulnerable targets, build false rapport, isolate victims from potential help,

(21:33):
and dispose of evidence in ways that initially frustrated investigators.
Most importantly, he had discovered that his respectable appearance and
professional status provided him with a form of camouflage that
allowed him to move freely through society while hunting for victims.
Wayne Duquet's entry on Randy's scorecard was later identified as Stable,

(21:53):
a reference to the Stables bar where they had first met.
The simplicity of the notation belied the complexity of the
crime and the devastating impact on Wayne's family and community.
It was the first entry in what would become a
catalog of horror, spanning more than a decade and claiming
dozens of lives. The investigation into Wayne's murder eventually went cold,

(22:16):
joining the growing number of unsolved homicides involving young men
throughout southern California. Detectives had no way of knowing that
they were dealing with the beginning of one of the
most prolific killing sprees in American criminal history, perpetrated by
a suspect who lived among them as a productive member
of society. Randy Craft had tasted blood, and he would

(22:37):
spend the next twelve years satisfying an appetite for violence
that seemed to grow with each successful kill. Wayne Duquet
had been the first, but he would certainly not be
the last. Following Wayne Duquet's murder, Randy Craft began developing
the methodical approach that would characterize his entire killing spree.
He understood that successful serial killing required care, planning, attention

(23:01):
to detail, and the ability to learn from each crime
to improve his methods. Like a predator studying the behavior
patterns of prey animals, Randy began systematically analyzing the social
environments where he could most effectively identify and isolate potential victims.
Southern California in the nineteen seventies provided an ideal hunting

(23:22):
ground for someone with Randy's particular predatory skills. The region's
explosive population growth had created numerous communities where people didn't
know their neighbors making disappearances less likely to be immediately noticed.
The counterculture movement had led to increased experimentation with drugs
and casual sexual encounters, creating situations where young people might

(23:44):
willingly accompany strangers to private locations. Most importantly for Randy's purposes,
the area had large populations of transient young men, military
personnel from multiple bases, college students, hitchhikers, and young men's
seeking their fortunes in California's booming economy. These demographics provided

(24:05):
Randy with a steady supply of potential victims, who often
lacked strong local support networks that might immediately report them
missing or advocate for thorough investigations. Randy's second confirmed victim
was Edward Daniel Moore, a twenty year old marine stationed
at Camp Pendleton. Eddie Moore was born on June twelfth,
nineteen fifty two, in Lubbock, Texas, the youngest of four

(24:28):
children in a ranch family that had worked the same
land for three generations. His father, Daniel Moore, raised cattle
and horses on a spread that had been homesteaded by
Eddie's great grandfather in the eighteen nineties. His mother, Ruth,
taught at the local elementary school and was known throughout
the community for her involvement in church activities and volunteer work.

(24:50):
Eddie grew up with the kind of values common in
rural Texas hard work, personal responsibility, respect for authority, and
loyalty to family and country. He learned to ride horses
before he could properly tie his shoes, and spent his
childhood helping with ranch chores that taught him the value
of physical labor and attention to detail. Eddie was a

(25:11):
natural athlete who excelled at rodeo events and football, earning
all district honors as a linebacker during his senior year
of high school. Despite his success in athletics and his
family's hopes that he would stay and eventually take over
the ranch, Eddie felt called to serve his country during
the Vietnam War era. He enlisted in the Marines immediately

(25:31):
after graduating high school in nineteen seventy, driven by a
combination of patriotic duty and desire to see the world
beyond the Texas Panhandle. His family was proud but worried,
understanding that their youngest son was heading into harm's way
during one of America's most controversial conflicts. Marine Corps training
at Parris Island was challenging for Eddie, but his ranch

(25:54):
background had prepared him for physical hardship and following orders
without question at marksmanship and field exercises, earning the respect
of his drill instructors and fellow recruits. Eddie's natural leadership
abilities and unwavering moral compass made him someone other Marines
looked up to, particularly younger recruits who were struggling with

(26:15):
the demands of military life. After completing advanced training, Eddie
was assigned to Camp Pendleton, where he served as an
instructor for new Marines preparing for deployment to Vietnam. The
assignment was both rewarding and frustrating for Eddie. He took
pride in preparing young men for combat, but he also
felt conflicted about not serving in combat himself. Many of

(26:37):
his friends from basic training had already deployed overseas, and
Eddie worried that he was missing the defining experience of
his generation. Camp Pendleton's location in southern California exposed Eddie
to a much more diverse and liberal environment than he
had experienced in rural Texas. He was fascinated by the
cultural differences and began exploring the region during his off

(26:59):
duty time. Eddie was particularly drawn to the beach communities,
where he enjoyed surfing and volleyball, sports that were completely
foreign to someone who had grown up hundreds of miles
from the nearest ocean. On the evening of December twenty seventh,
nineteen seventy two, Eddie was celebrating the completion of a
successful training cycle with several fellow marines. They had planned

(27:22):
to spend the evening in Long Beach, enjoying the night
life and meeting civilians after weeks of intensive military routine.
Eddie was designated as the evening's driver, ensuring he remained
sober while his friends enjoyed themselves at various bars and clubs.
As the evening progressed, Eddie's friends began paring off with
young women they had met, leaving him increasingly alone. Rather

(27:44):
than interrupt their romantic pursuits, Eddie decided to explore the
area on his own, Confident in his ability to handle
himself in unfamiliar surroundings, his military training and physical conditioning
made him feel invulnerable to the kinds of dangers that
might threaten ordinary civilians. Randy Craft had been observing the
group of marines throughout the evening, noting their behavior patterns

(28:07):
and identifying Eddie as the most isolated and potentially vulnerable member.
Randy's clean cut appearance and knowledge of military terminology allowed
him to approach Eddie as a fellow veteran seeking directions
to a specific location. He spun a convincing story about
being a recent Air Force discharge who was having trouble
navigating the area's confusing street layout. Eddie, who had been

(28:30):
raised to help others and had particular respect for fellow veterans,
offered to assist Randy in finding his destination. Randy suggested
they use Eddie's car for convenience, volunteering to provide directions
while Eddie drove. It seemed like a reasonable arrangement between
two servicemen, and Eddie saw no reason to be suspicious
of someone who shared his military background and clean cut appearance.

(28:54):
Randy directed Eddie to increasingly remote areas, claiming confusion about
the specific address, while action leading him toward a location
Randy had selected for its isolation and lack of potential witnesses.
When Eddie began expressing concern about the remoteness of their destination.
Randy's demeanor changed dramatically. The helpful veteran facade disappeared, replaced

(29:16):
by cold calculation and predatory intent. Eddie's military training and
physical strength made him a more formidable opponent than Waine
Duquet had been, but Randy had prepared for this possibility.
He had armed himself with weapons and restraints that allowed
him to overcome Eddie's advantages through surprise and chemical incapacitation.

(29:37):
The assault that followed was even more prolonged and brutal
than Waine's murder, suggesting that Randy was developing increasingly sophisticated
methods of torture and victim control. Eddie's body was discovered
several weeks later in a remote canyon area, positioned in
the same deliberate manner that had characterized Waine's crime scene.
The condition of the remains provided investigators with disturbing evidence

(30:01):
of the prolonged nature of the assault, but the advanced
decomposition and wildlife activity had destroyed most potential forensic evidence.
The disappearance and murder of a marine instructor created significant
concern among military and civilian law enforcement agencies. Eddie had
been well liked and respected among his fellow Marines, and

(30:21):
his unexplained absence from duty had prompted immediate investigation. However,
the assumption that Eddie might have gone a wall or
been involved in civilian criminal activity initially misdirected the investigation
away from considering him as a victim of predatory violence.
Eddie's family was devastated by news of his disappearance and
eventual murder. His parents flew to California to assist with

(30:45):
the investigation and arranged for their son's funeral with military honors.
The Ranch community in Lubbock struggled to understand how their
hometown hero, who had survived Marine Corps training and was
preparing other young men for combat, could have become the
victim of such senseless violence. For Randy, Eddie's murder represented
an escalation in both the sophistication of his methods and

(31:08):
the level of violence he was willing to employ. The
successful targeting of a trained military person provided Randy with
increased confidence in his abilities and confirmed his belief that
careful planning could overcome any victim's natural advantages. Randy's scorecard
entry for Eddie was later identified as Marine Carson sorry m,

(31:29):
a reference that investigators eventually connected to Eddie's military status
and the location where his body was discovered. The notation
demonstrated Randy's desire to memorialize aspects of each crime while
maintaining the appearance of innocent record keeping. The investigation into
Eddie's murder also went cold, adding to the growing number

(31:50):
of unsolved homicides involving young men throughout southern California. Investigators
had no way of connecting Eddie's death to Wane Duquet's murder,
as the crime had occurred more than a year apart
and involved victims from different social circles. Randy was learning
valuable lessons from each successful kill, refining his victim selection

(32:10):
criteria and improving his methods of approach, assault, and body disposal.
He was also discovering that his ability to maintain his
respectable facade while secretly indulging his darkest impulses was becoming
easier with practice. The compartmentalization that had begun during his
military service was now serving him as a tool for

(32:30):
hiding his criminal activities from family, friends, and professional colleagues.
By nineteen seventy three, Randy Craft was well on his
way to becoming one of California's most prolific serial killers,
though investigators would not begin to understand the scope of
his activities for another decade. His hunting grounds were expanding,
his methods were becoming more sophisticated, and his appetite for

(32:54):
violence was growing with each successful kill. The beaches and
highways of southern California had become a stalking ground for
a predator who looked like everyone's ideal neighbor, but harbored
impulses that would claim dozens more lives before justice finally
caught up with him. Throughout nineteen seventy three and nineteen
seventy four, Randy Craft's killing spree accelerated dramatically as he

(33:17):
refined his methods and expanded his hunting territory. His success
in avoiding detection had given him confidence to take greater
risks and target victims more frequently. The systematic nature of
his approach became increasingly evident as investigators later reconstructed his activities.
During this period, Randy's third confirmed victim was Mark Howard Hall,

(33:39):
a nineteen year old college student whose life embodied the
optimism and opportunity that characterized California in the early nineteen seventies.
Mark was born on April third, nineteen fifty four, in Fresno, California,
the middle child of a farming family that had migrated
west during the dust Bowl era. His grandfather, Thomas Hall,
had lost everything in Oklahoma and arrived in California with

(34:02):
nothing but determination and a willingness to work. Thomas Hall's
perseverance had paid off, and by the time Mark was born,
the family owned a successful produce farm in the Central Valley.
Mark's father, Robert Hall, had expanded the operation and modernized
their farming techniques, making them one of the most successful
agricultural businesses in the region. Mark's mother, Dorothy, balanced her

(34:26):
responsibilities as a farmer's wife with active participation in community
organizations and the local Methodist church. Mark grew up understanding
the value of hard work and the importance of education
in creating opportunities beyond agricultural labor. While he helped with
farm chores and seasonal harvesting, his parents emphasized that academic

(34:46):
achievement would be his path to greater possibilities. Mark excelled
in school, particularly in mathematics and science courses. That reflected
his analytical mind and attention to detail. As a student
at Fresno High School, Mark participated in the Future Farmers
of America organization, where he developed leadership skills and deepened

(35:07):
his understanding of agricultural science. He also played varsity tennis,
a sport that appealed to his competitive nature and desire
for individual achievement. Mark's combination of academic excellence and extracurricular
involvement earned him a partial scholarship to attend California State University, Fresno.
At university, Mark declared a major in agricultural business, planning

(35:30):
to modernize and expand his family's farming operation. After graduation,
his professors noted his ability to analyze complex economic data
and developed practical solutions to agricultural challenges. Mark was particularly
interested in the emerging field of computer applications in agriculture,
recognizing that technology would transform farming in the coming decades.

(35:53):
Mark's social life at university reflected his small town upbringing
and family values. He was friendly and well liked, but
avoided the party scene that attracted many students. Instead, he
focused on his studies and maintained a part time job
to help cover his educational expenses. Mark's friends described him
as someone who could be counted on for honest advice

(36:14):
and reliable support. On the evening of February fifteenth, nineteen
seventy four, Mark was returning to campus after visiting his
family farm for the weekend. He had stayed later than
planned to help his father with equipment repairs, and was
driving back alone on Highway ninety nine, a route he
had traveled countless times. Mark's carr experienced mechanical problems near Bakersfield,

(36:38):
forcing him to pull over and attempt roadside repairs. Randy
Craft had been cruising the highways looking for stranded motorists,
understanding that car trouble created ideal opportunities for victim acquisition.
He had studied traffic patterns and identified stretches of highway
where disabled vehicles would be isolated from potential witnesses. Randy's

(36:58):
approach involved present himself as a good samaritan, offering assistants
to fellow travelers in distress. When Randy spotted Mark's disabled vehicle,
he immediately recognized the opportunity. Mark fit Randy's preferred victim profile, young,
clean cut, and currently vulnerable due to his isolated situation.

(37:19):
Randy pulled over and offered assistance, portraying himself as a
computer programmer familiar with automotive systems who was happy to
help a fellow traveler. Mark, who had been raised to
be polite and helpful to others, gratefully accepted Randy's offer
of assistance. When Randy's initial attempts to repair Mark's car
proved unsuccessful, he suggested they drive to the nearest service

(37:40):
station in Randy's vehicle, promising to return Mark to his
car once professional help was arranged. It seemed like a
reasonable solution to an unfortunate situation. Randy drove Mark to
an increasingly remote area, saying he was heading to a
twenty four hour service station. When Mark began expressing concern
about their destination, Randy's helpful demeanor vanished. The assault that

(38:03):
followed was even more brutal and prolonged than Randy's previous crimes.
Mark's body was discovered several days later in a remote
agricultural area positioned in Randy's characteristic manner. The crime scene
provided investigators with evidence of the prolonged nature of the assault,
but the rural location and time delay had destroyed most

(38:23):
potential forensic evidence. Mark's personal belongings, including his wallet and jewelry,
were missing, initially, leading investigators to consider robbery as a motive.
Mark's disappearance and murder devastated his family and the farming
community in Fresno. His parents had expected their son to
return to help expand the family business, and his absence

(38:45):
left both emotional and practical voids that were difficult to fill.
The Methodist church where Mark had been raised held memorial
services that overflowed with friends, teachers, and community members who
remembered him as a young man of exceptional character and promise.
For Randy. Mark's murder provided additional confirmation that his methods
were effective and that his ability to avoid detection was

(39:08):
improving with experience. The successful targeting of a victim in
a different geographic area demonstrated that he could expand his
hunting territory without increasing his risk of capture. Randy's fourth
confirmed victim was Keith Davin Crotwell, a twenty year old
Navy electronics technician stationed at Naval Air Station North Island
in San Diego. Keith was born on September twenty second,

(39:32):
nineteen fifty three in Mobile, Alabama, the eldest son of
a family with a strong tradition of military service. His father,
James Crotwell, had served in the Navy during World War
II and Korea, rising to the rank of Chief Petty
Officer before retiring to work in the Mobile shipyard. Keith
grew up in a household where military values of honor, duty,

(39:55):
and service were fundamental principles. Stay tuned for more of
the guilty files be right back. After these messages, his
father regaled him with stories of naval adventures and emphasized
the importance of technical expertise in modern military operations. Keith
demonstrated exceptional aptitude for electronics and mathematics, skills that his

(40:18):
father recognized would be valuable in the increasingly technological Navy.
After graduating from high school in nineteen seventy one, Keith
enlisted in the Navy and requested training as an electronics technician.
He excelled in technical schools and was eventually assigned to
a squadron responsible for maintaining sophisticated radar and communication systems.

(40:39):
Keith's attention to detail and problem solving abilities made him
invaluable to his unit, and he was being considered for
advancement to petty officer rank. Keith's off duty interest reflected
his technical background and intellectual curiosity. He enjoyed photography, particularly
the technical challenges of developing and printing his own work.

(41:00):
Keith also read voraciously, especially science fiction novels that explored
the possibilities of emerging technologies. His friends described him as
someone who could explain complex technical concepts in ways that
anyone could understand. On the evening of May third, nineteen
seventy four, Keith was enjoying liberty in Long Beach after

(41:20):
completing a challenging maintenance project. He had planned to meet
friends at a popular bar near the naval station, but
mechanical problems with his motorcycle forced him to seek alternative transportation.
Keith decided to hitchhike to his destination, a common practice
among military personnel during an era when hitchhiking was considered
relatively safe. When Randy offered Keith a ride, he presented

(41:43):
himself as a computer programmer who had recently completed Air
Force service and understood the challenges of military life. Keith,
who was running late for his appointment, and appreciated meeting
fellow veterans accepted the ride without suspicion. Randy's knowledge of
military culture and electronics technology made him seem like a
kindred spirit. Randy drove Keith away from populated areas, saying

(42:07):
he knew of a shortcut that would avoid traffic congestion.
When Keith began questioning their route, Randy's friendly veteran facade disappeared.
Keith's body turned up several weeks later in a remote canyon,
positioned the way Randy always left his victims. What was
left of him showed investigators that he'd been hurt for
a long time before he died, but the body had

(42:29):
been out there so long that most of the evidence
was gone. Keith's military ID and personal stuff were missing,
so at first investigators thought maybe someone had robbed him.
When Keith disappeared, both military and civilian cops started looking
into it right away. Keith was an electronics technician who
worked with classified equipment, so when he just vanished like that,

(42:52):
it raised some red flags. They had to check everything out,
but early on they figured maybe Keith had gone a wall,
which sent the investigation in the wrong direction. Keith's family
was completely devastated when they found out he was missing
and then murdered. His father flew out to California to
help with the investigation, and arranged for his son's funeral

(43:12):
with full military honors. By late nineteen seventy four, Randy
had killed at least four people that we know of,
though investigators later thought there were probably more murders. During
this time, his scorecard was getting longer, and he was
getting better at what he did. Randy had figured out
how to spot vulnerable targets, how to get them to
trust him, how to get them away from anyone who

(43:34):
might help them, and how to get rid of evidence
in ways that frustrated the hell out of investigators. More importantly,
Randy had discovered that looking respectable and having a professional
job gave him perfect cover. He kept working as a
computer programmer, stayed in his relationship with Jeff Sealik, and
participated in family and social activities. Nobody suspected that he

(43:56):
was living a secret life as a serial killer. The
beaches and the highways of southern California had become Randy's
hunting ground, and he was getting bolder about who he
picked and how he approached them. He could compartmentalize his
criminal activities while maintaining normal relationships which let him kill
with impunity, while living among his victim's communities as a

(44:17):
productive and respected citizen. The scorecard that investigators would later
find was becoming a catalog of horror, with each cryptic
entry representing a life destroyed and a family devastated. Randy
Craft was well on his way to becoming one of
America's most prolific serial killers, though it would be nearly
a decade before law enforcement figured out the scope of

(44:39):
what he was doing. By nineteen seventy five, Randy Craft
had developed a sophisticated way of operating that would define
the rest of his killing spurry. His success in avoiding
detection for nearly four years had given him confidence to
take bigger risks and kill more often. The systematic way
he went about it would later put him in the
category of the most most methodical serial killers in American

(45:02):
criminal history. Randy's victim selection had become increasingly specific during
this period. He liked young men between eighteen and twenty
five who looked clean cut and respectable. Military personnel were
still his favorite targets because they were trained to trust
authority figures, and they often hitchhiked or traveled alone. College

(45:23):
students represented another group he liked to target, especially ones
who seemed naive or unfamiliar with urban dangers. Randy was
also systematically expanding where he hunted. He'd started taking reconnaissance
trips throughout southern California and into neighboring states, identifying places
that had both good victim populations and good spots to

(45:44):
dump bodies. Randy's day job as a computer programmer gave
him the flexibility and income he needed to support these
extended hunting trips. Randy's fifth confirmed victim was Roger James
Devau Junior, a twenty year old college student whose life
represented the US American dream being fulfilled through education and
hard work. Roger was born on November eighth, nineteen fifty four,

(46:07):
in East Saint Louis, Illinois, the son of an African
American postal worker who had moved north during the Great
Migration seeking better opportunities for his family. Roger's father, Roger
Devau Senior, had grown up on a sharecroppers farm in
Mississippi and understood that education was the key to breaking
cycles of poverty and limited opportunity. He worked double shifts

(46:28):
at the post office to support his family and make
sure his children could go to college. Roger's mother, Beatrice,
cleaned houses for wealthy families while maintaining their own household
and helping her children with school work. From his earliest years,
Roger showed exceptional academic ability and a work ethic that
impressed his teachers and neighbors. He excelled in math and

(46:51):
science courses while also participating in debate, team, and student
government activities. Roger understood that his educational achievements and died
not just personal success, but also hope for his entire
family's advancement. Despite facing racial discrimination and economic challenges, Roger
graduated as valedictorian of his high school class and earned

(47:13):
a scholarship to attend the University of California, Los Angeles.
Getting accepted to UCLA was a huge achievement for someone
from his background and created enormous pride within his family
and community. Roger planned to major in engineering and eventually
start his own consulting business. At UCLA, Roger continued his
pattern of academic excellence while working part time jobs to

(47:36):
supplement his scholarship money. His professors noted his analytical abilities
and dedication to mastering complex technical concepts. Roger was particularly
interested in computer science applications in engineering, recognizing that technology
was going to transform the profession in coming decades. Roger's
social life at university reflected his serious approach to education

(48:00):
and his understanding that this opportunity represented his family's investment
in his future. He participated in study groups and professional organizations,
but avoided activities that might interfere with his academic performance.
Roger's friends described him as someone who inspired others to
achieve their best while never making them feel bad about
their own accomplishments. On the evening of March fourteenth, nineteen

(48:23):
seventy five, Roger was returning to campus after visiting his
family in Illinois during spring break. He had taken a
Greyhound bus to save money, and his trip had been
delayed by mechanical problems and weather conditions. Roger's bus arrived
in Los Angeles several hours behind schedule, forcing him to
find alternative transportation to campus after regular shuttle service had ended.

(48:46):
Craft had been watching bus terminals and transportation hubs and
found that they were ideal opportunities for picking up victims.
He knew that stranded passengers would be vulnerable to approaches
from people who seemed to want to help. Andy spotted
Roger at the bus terminal, struggling with luggage and apparently
confused about transportation options. He immediately saw the opportunity. Roger

(49:09):
fit Randy's preferred victim profile and was currently isolated from
potential support systems. Randy approached Roger as a helpful local
resident familiar with campus transportation options. Roger, who had been
raised to be polite and grateful for help, accepted Randy's
offer of a ride to campus. Randy said he was
a UCLA alumnus who understood the challenges facing students and

(49:32):
was happy to help a fellow brew and reach his
destination safely. His knowledge of campus geography and student life
made him seem credible and trustworthy. Randy drove Roger away
from campus, claiming he knew a route that would avoid
late night construction delays. When Roger started expressing concern about
their direction, Randy's helpful act disappeared. What happened next was

(49:55):
particularly brutal, even by Randy's standards, and included racial slurs
and degradation that suggested he had additional motivations beyond sexual violence.
Roger's body was found several days later in a remote
area of the Angelus National Forest, positioned in Randy's characteristic manner.
The crime scene gave investigators evidence of how long and

(50:17):
sadistic the attack had been, but the remote location and
time delay had destroyed most potential forensic evidence. Roger's scholarship
documents and personal belongings were missing, initially leading investigators to
think robbery might have been a motive. Roger's disappearance and
murder created shock waves that went far beyond his immediate family.

(50:38):
His achievement in earning admission to UCLA had made him
a symbol of hope and possibility within his community in
East Saint Louis. His death represented not just personal tragedy,
but also the destruction of dreams that had sustained an
entire family through decades of struggle and sacrifice. Randy's sixth
confirmed victim was Christopher Thomas Williams, a nineteen year old

(51:01):
hitchhiker whose free spirited lifestyle made him particularly vulnerable to
predators who took advantage of the era's counterculture movement. Christopher
was born on June seventh, nineteen fifty five in Portland, Oregon,
the youngest child of middle class parents who had embraced
liberal political and social values during the nineteen sixties. Christopher's father,

(51:22):
David Williams, worked as a social worker specializing in juvenile
rehabilitation programs, while his mother, Susan, taught at a progressive
elementary school that emphasized creativity and individual expression. The Williams
household encouraged questioning authority, exploring alternative lifestyles, and challenging conventional
social expectations. Christopher grew up in an environment that valued

(51:46):
personal freedom and self expression over traditional measures of success.
He was an intelligent and artistic child who excelled in
creative writing and visual arts, but struggled with the structure
and conformity required by traditional educational systems. Christopher's teachers noted
his exceptional creativity, but worried about his lack of focus

(52:07):
on practical subjects. As a teenager, Christopher became increasingly attracted
to the counterculture movement that was flourishing in the Pacific Northwest.
He experimented with marijuana and psychedelic drugs, participated in anti
war protests, and adopted the lifestyle and appearance associated with
the hippie movement. Christopher's parents were initially supportive, viewing his

(52:31):
exploration as a natural part of growing up. After graduating
from high school in nineteen seventy three, Christopher decided to
travel extensively rather than immediately going to college or getting
career training. He supported himself through temporary jobs and lived
a nomadic lifestyle that took him throughout the Western United States.

(52:51):
Christopher's parents provided occasional financial help, but respected his desire
to experience life on his own terms. Christopher's lifestyle, while
inevitably involved extensive hitchhiking, which was common among young people
during the nineteen seventies, but also exposed him to significant dangers.
His trusting nature and belief in the basic goodness of

(53:12):
humanity made him particularly vulnerable to predators who exploited the
era's spirit of openness and experimentation. On the evening of
August twenty second, nineteen seventy five, Christopher was hitchhiking from
San Francisco to Los Angeles, where he planned to visit
friends and explore potential artistic opportunities. He had spent several

(53:33):
weeks in the Bay Area working temporary jobs and getting
involved in the counterculture community centered around hate Ashbury. Christopher's
plan was to continue traveling south and eventually reach Mexico,
where he hoped to study traditional artistic techniques. Craft spent
his time cruising the highways looking for hitchhikers. He figured

(53:53):
out early on that these guys made perfect targets. They
were alone, didn't know where they were, and they'd get
in called with strangers. Randy looked normal, clean cut, not
the kind of guy who'd make you nervous. When Randy
picked up Christopher, he had his story ready. Told him
he was a computer programmer heading to LA for work.
Said he liked meeting interesting people on long drives. Christopher

(54:17):
was the kind of guy who enjoyed a good conversation,
so this sounded great to him beat sitting there in
silence for hours. Randy knew exactly what buttons to push
got Christopher talking about spiritual stuff, freedom, alternative ways of living,
all the things that mattered to Christopher. Randy played the
part perfectly, acting like he was questioning the whole rat race,

(54:40):
thinking about deeper meaning in life. He came across as
this intellectual, philosophical guy, someone Christopher could really connect with.
Then Randy got off the highway and started taking roads
that were less traveled. He said he knew this amazing
scenic route with incredible views. When Christopher started wondering why
they were getting so far off the main highway, Randy's

(55:02):
whole friendly act vanished, as it always did. What Randy
did next was brutal. He forced drugs into Christopher's system
to make him helpless, but kept him conscious. Then he
tortured him for hours. Randy was testing different methods, seeing
what worked best for controlling someone, for making the pain
last as long as possible. Christopher suffered for a very

(55:24):
long time before Randy finally killed him. Several weeks later.
They found Christopher's body way out in the desert, arranged
the way Randy always left them. The state of the
remains told investigators this had gone on for hours, but
the remote location and decomposition had wiped out most of
the forensic evidence. At first, nobody paid much attention when

(55:45):
Christopher disappeared. The guy was a drifter into the counterculture scene.
Police figured he probably just moved on without telling anyone.
His parents eventually reported him missing when he stopped his
usual check ins, but investigators didn't have much to go on,
no idea where he'd been heading or who he might
have been with. By late nineteen seventy five, Randy had

(56:07):
killed at least six people that we know about, probably more.
His kill count was climbing, and he was getting better
at it meaner too. Randy had figured out how to
use the whole nineteen seventies vibe, all that openness and
trust to find victims and get them to let their
guard down. What's really scary is how good Randy got

(56:27):
at living two lives. At work, he was this stellar
computer programmer. At home with Jeff Selig, he was a
loving partner with his family. He was the successful son
they were proud of. Nobody suspected a thing. Nobody saw
the monster hiding underneath. You could see the pattern if
you had all the pieces. But cops were working separate

(56:49):
cases in different cities. They didn't know they were all connected. Meanwhile,
Randy Craft was systematically hunting young men all over southern
California and beyond, leaving behind bodies and keeping his own
twisted scorecard of every single kill. The years nineteen seventy
six through nineteen seventy eight were when Randy really hit

(57:09):
his stride. His confidence was through the roof, and his
brutality reached new levels. He'd been getting away with murder
for over five years, and he was convinced he was
smarter than every cop in California. He thought he could
keep killing forever. The systematic way he went about it
during this period would later blow investigator's minds. Randy's methods

(57:31):
had evolved big time since those early kills. He'd developed
these sophisticated techniques for spotting vulnerable targets, gaining their trust,
then attacking them with almost no risk of getting caught.
He'd studied forensic science, read everything he could about crime
scene investigation. He knew exactly how to destroy evidence that
might link him to his crimes. He'd also expanded his

(57:54):
hunting ground. Now he was taking these killing trips all
over California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona. He understood that spreading the
murders across different jurisdictions would make it nearly impossible for
cops to connect the dots. His computer job gave him
the money and flexible schedule to support these extended murder sprees.

(58:15):
Randy's seventh victim was Michael Shawn O'Fallon a twenty one
year old Marine corporal, real dedicated military guy. Born January fifteenth,
nineteen fifty five, in Boston to Irish Catholic parents who'd
come to America looking for a better life. Michael's dad, Patrick,
was a longshoreman working Boston Harbor. Tough physical job, but

(58:37):
it paid the bills for the growing family. His mom, Brigid,
ran the household and did some seamstress work on the
side for extra money. They lived in one of those
tight Irish neighborhoods where everybody knew everybody and the Catholic
church was the center of everything. Michael was the kind
of kid who made his parents proud from day one. Loyal, brave,

(58:57):
tough as nails, and he always knew right from wrong.
He was great at sports, boxing and football especially. These
weren't just games to him. They taught him discipline and teamwork.
His teachers all noticed how he'd stand up for other
kids when they were getting picked on. Joining the Marines
right after high school was perfect for Michael. He wanted

(59:18):
to serve his country and test himself in the toughest
military branch there was. His family was proud but scared
to death. They knew their son was choosing a path
that might get him killed. Marine training proved Michael had
what it took. He excelled at combat training and got
selected for advanced infantry instruction. His drill instructors loved how

(59:38):
he could motivate other Marines and how committed he was
to the corps values, honor, courage, commitment. Michael lived by
those words. After training, they assigned Michael to Camp Pendleton
as a squad leader training new marines. The guy was
perfect for it. Tough standards, but he genuinely cared about
his Marines. Stay tuned more of the guilty files. We'll

(01:00:01):
be right back. After these messages, both his subordinates and
his superiors respected him. They were already talking about promoting
him to sergeant, maybe even sending him to officer school.
On April thirtieth, nineteen seventy six, Michael was on Liberty
in Long Beach after a brutal training exercise. He'd planned

(01:00:23):
to meet some fellow Marines at this popular bar near base,
but transportation got screwed up and he got separated from
his friends. Instead of canceling, Michael decided to make his
own way there, Randy had spent the evening watching groups
of Marines, studying how they behaved, looking for someone who
got separated from the pack. He knew military guys were

(01:00:43):
trained to help each other out, so they'd be likely
to trust someone who claimed to be a veteran or
military supporter. When Randy offered Michael a ride, he played
the former Air Force sergeant card said he understood military
life and was happy to help a fellow serviceman get
where he needed to go. Randy knew enough about military
culture to seem legit, and his clean appearance made Michael

(01:01:05):
feel safe. Michael was running late and appreciated meeting a
fellow VET, so he got in without thinking. Twice, Randy
got Michael talking about military service, sharing war stories. He
showed detailed knowledge of military procedures and culture that convinced
Michael he was the real deal. Randy claimed he'd served honorably,

(01:01:26):
but was now questioning whether all these foreign interventions were
worth it, something a lot of servicemen were thinking about
in the post Vietnam era. Randy started driving toward remote areas,
claiming he knew a shortcut to avoid traffic. What happened
to Michael was especially vicious even for Randy. He used
military style torture techniques like he was acting out specific

(01:01:48):
fantasies about dominating and controlling military personnel. Randy drugged Michael
to keep him helpless but conscious, then spent hours torturing
him in ways specifically designed to mock his military training
and identity. Michael was sexually assaulted and mutilated before Randy
finally killed him. They found Michael's body a few days

(01:02:09):
later in a remote canyon, positioned in Randy's usual manner,
but with extra touches that seemed to mock military burial traditions.
The condition of the body showed investigators that the torture
had gone on for a very long time, with specific
mutilations clearly meant to degrade and humiliate a military victim.
Michael's disappearance triggered immediate investigation by both military and civilian authorities.

(01:02:34):
As a squad leader with access to weapons and classified information,
his absence raised serious security concerns. The investigation got complicated
because initially they thought Michael might have gone a wall
or gotten mixed up in civilian crime. When they found
Michael's body, both the military and civilian communities were shocked
by how brutal his murder was. Memorial services at Camp

(01:02:58):
Pendleton and in Boston drew hundreds of Marines and community members.
Michael had represented everything good about military service, and his
death felt like an attack on those values. Randy's eighth
victim was Jeffrey Allen Nelson, a twenty two year old
college student born July twenty third, nineteen fifty four, in Sacramento,

(01:03:18):
to parents who'd met while teaching in rural California schools.
Jeffrey's dad, Robert, was a high school principal who'd spent
his whole career trying to give disadvantaged kids a shot
at success through education. His mom, Margaret, taught elementary school
and had this amazing ability to inspire struggling students. The
Nelson House was all about education, being the great equalizer,

(01:03:40):
using knowledge to help people. Jeffrey was brilliant from the start,
curious about everything, excelled in all his classes, but literature
and philosophy really grabbed him. These subjects let him dig
into complex questions about human nature and social justice. His
teachers were amazed by how he could take apart com
complex texts and explained sophisticated ideas so clearly. In high school,

(01:04:05):
Jeffrey was a part of the debate team, student government volunteer, tutoring,
basically anything that combined his smarts with his desire to
help people. He got accepted to several prestigious universities, but
chose UC Berkeley to study philosophy. His plan was to
eventually get his PhD and become a professor. Berkeley was
perfect for Jeffrey. The intellectual environment was everything he'd hoped for,

(01:04:30):
but he stayed grounded in the values his parents had
taught him. He kept up his community service and got
involved in political organizations focused on social justice. His professors
could see he had the potential to make real contributions
to philosophical scholarship. Jeffrey's personal life was just as solid
as his academic one. He'd been dating the same girl

(01:04:51):
since sophomore year, and they were planning to get married
after graduation. His friends described him as someone who balanced
deep intellectual thinking with m genuine warmth and humor. On
June eighteenth, nineteen seventy six, Jeffrey was driving from Berkeley
to Sacramento to visit his parents during summer break He'd
stayed late at the library working on a research project,

(01:05:12):
and was making the familiar drive on Interstate eighty, a
trip he'd done dozens of times. Near Fairfield, his car
broke down, forcing him to pull over and look for help.
When Randy spotted Jeffrey's disabled car, he saw exactly what
he was looking for. Jeffrey fit his victim profile perfectly,
and the situation made him particularly vulnerable. Randy pulled over

(01:05:35):
and offered help, saying he was a computer programmer who
knew about cars and was happy to help a fellow traveler.
Randy drove Jeffrey toward increasingly isolated areas, claiming he was
confused about where to find twenty four hour service stations. Really,
he was leading Jeffrey to a location he'd already chosen
for its complete isolation. When Jeffrey started getting worried about

(01:05:57):
their destination and suggested returning to the high Randy's helpful
act vanished completely. Randy tortured Jeffrey for hours, showing particular
interest in psychological torture along with the physical violence. Jeffrey's
intelligence and articulate nature seemed to fascinate Randy, who appeared
to get special pleasure from destroying someone who represented academic

(01:06:19):
achievement and moral integrity. Randy drugged Jeffrey to keep him
conscious but helpless, then sexually assaulted and mutilated him before
killing him. The torture included specific elements designed to mock
Jeffrey's intellectual pursuits. They found Jeffrey's body several weeks later
in a remote area of Solano County, arranged in Randy's

(01:06:41):
characteristic way. The remains showed evidence of prolonged torture, with
mutilations that seemed specifically designed to destroy Jeffrey's scholarly identity.
Personal items, including his class ring and academic materials, were missing.
Jeffrey's murder devastated his family, the university community, and everyone
who'd known him as a promising young scholar. Memorial services

(01:07:04):
at Berkeley and Sacramento drew hundreds of people who remembered
Jeffrey as someone who embodied the best of academic pursuit
combined with social responsibility. By late nineteen seventy six, Randy
had killed at least eight people that we know of.
Investigators later suspected there were more. During this period, his
kill list was growing fast, and his methods were getting

(01:07:26):
more sophisticated and cruel. Randy had learned to exploit different
social situations to find vulnerable targets and gain their trust
before revealing his true nature. California's beaches, highways, and college
campuses had become Randy's hunting ground. He was getting bolder
in how he selected victims and approached them. His systematic

(01:07:47):
approach to everything, finding victims, managing crime scenes, disposing of
evidence showed the same methodical thinking he used in his
programming work. The scorecard investigators would eventually find was become
this extensive catalog of horror. Each cryptic entry represented a
destroyed life and a devastated family. Randy was approaching the

(01:08:09):
peak of his killing spury, though it would be years
before law enforcement figured out how extensive his activities were
and started connecting murders across different jurisdictions. The period from
nineteen seventy eight to nineteen eighty was when Randy's killing
really escalated, both how often he killed and how brutal
the murders became. His confidence had reached dangerous levels. He

(01:08:32):
was taking bigger and bigger risks, targeting victims and situations
that showed complete disregard for getting caught. During this time,
Randy's scorecard grew to include some of his most heinous crimes,
each one more elaborate and sadistic than the last. Randy
had turned murder into a sophisticated system. Psychological manipulation, chemical incapacitation,

(01:08:55):
prolonged torture. He'd perfected it all. He started experimenting with
different drugs to keep victims compliant but conscious during attacks,
letting him stretch out their suffering for his own sick pleasure.
His knowledge of forensic techniques had advanced, too, so he
could eliminate evidence more effectively. His hunting expeditions now covered

(01:09:16):
multiple states across the western US. He developed detailed knowledge
of remote areas perfect for body disposal, and identified transportation
routes that minimized his risk of detection. Randy approached crime
scene selection with the same methodical thinking he applied to
computer programming. Randy's ninth victim was Donald Harold Kreisel, a

(01:09:37):
nineteen year old Navy recruit born March twenty second, nineteen
fifty nine, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Youngest of three kids
and a working class family that believed in hard work.
Personal responsibility and serving your country. Donald's dad, Harold, was
a railroad mechanic for the Chicago and Northwestern steady work,
but long hours and lots of travel. His mom, Dorothy,

(01:10:01):
worked part time in the school cafeteria while managing the
household and raising three kids. They lived in a modest
house in one of those neighborhoods where everyone knew everyone
and kids played safely in the streets. From early on,
Donald showed real mechanical aptitude that impressed his father and
pointed toward a future in technical fields. He spent hours

(01:10:21):
in his dad's garage learning to repair engines and understand
how mechanical systems worked. His teachers noticed his problem solving
abilities and how patient he was working through complex technical challenges.
High school went well for Donald, steady grades and vocational
training programs that prepared him for technical careers. He excelled

(01:10:42):
in automotive and electronics courses while keeping up above average
grades and regular academic subjects. His guidance counselor saw his
potential in technical fields and encouraged him to consider military
service for advanced training. After graduating in nineteen seventy seven,
Donald enlisted in the Navy. The electronics training opportunities attracted him,

(01:11:03):
plus the chance to see the world beyond Iowa. His
family was proud but nervous about their youngest leaving for
military service during a time when international tensions were still high.
Donald heading off to basic training was both an achievement
and a loss for parents who devoted themselves to raising
successful children. Navy Basic Training at Great Lakes challenged Donald

(01:11:25):
physically and mentally, but his mechanical background and strong work
ethic helped him excel in technical assessments. They selected him
for Advanced Electronics training and assigned him to a program
preparing him for service aboard modern naval vessels with sophisticated
radar and communication systems. On September seventh, nineteen seventy eight,
Donald was returning to base after an evening college class

(01:11:48):
in downtown San Diego. He'd missed the regular shuttle bus
and was hitchhiking back to the naval station, common practice
among military personnel when hitchhiking was considered relatively safe vicially
for someone in uniform. What Randy did to Donald Wick's
was savage. After he got Donald into his car with
some story about helping him get back to base, Randy

(01:12:10):
injected him with paralytic drugs, the kind that leave you
awake but unable to move or fight back. Donald could
feel everything, but couldn't do anything to stop it. Randy
drove him out to Cleveland National Forest. Once they were
far enough from anyone who might hear he started. First
came the rape. Then Randy began cutting Donald with a knife,

(01:12:32):
taking his time. He went after Donald's hands first, the
same hands that worked on complex radar systems for the Navy.
Randy seemed to get off on destroying what made Donald
proud of his service. He carved up the Navy tattoo
on Donald's chest, cut away pieces of his uniform while
Donald was still wearing it. The torture went on for hours.

(01:12:53):
When hikers found Donald's body days later, it was clear
Randy had kept him alive through most of it. The
medical eg xaminer said Donald had been conscious for at
least six hours of torture before he finally died. His
Navy insignia was missing. Randy had taken it as a trophy.
The military took Donald's disappearance seriously from the start. As

(01:13:13):
an electronics tech with security clearance, they couldn't just assume
he'd gone a wall, but the investigation got complicated when
they had to coordinate with civilian police. By the time
they found his body, the trail had gone cold. Randy's
tenth victim was Anthony Silvera, a twenty year old art
student from Modesto. Anthony came from a Portuguese immigrant family.

(01:13:36):
His dad, Manuel worked as a foreman on one of
the big farms. His mom, Maria, picked up seasonal work
during harvest time. They were good people who'd worked hard
to give their kids opportunities they never had. Anthony was
different from his siblings. While they were practical types, he
was always drawing or painting something. Had real talent too.

(01:13:57):
His high school art teacher pushed him to apply for scholarship,
and he ended up at California State Fresno, studying to
be an art teacher. It was November twenty third, nineteen
seventy eight, the day after Thanksgiving. Anthony had stayed late
at his parents' place helping his dad with some work,
then headed back to campus alone. His car broke down
on Highway ninety nine near Mercaid. Randy pulled over, all

(01:14:20):
helpful and friendly, said he was good with cars, could
probably get it running. When that didn't work, he offered
Anthony a ride to a gas station. Anthony got in
the car. Instead of heading to a station, Randy drove
out toward the foothills. When Anthony realized something was wrong
and started asking to go back, Randy pulled out a syringe.

(01:14:41):
The drug he used left Anthony paralyzed but fully conscious.
Randy raped him in the car, then started cutting him.
He went after Anthony's hands, specifically sliced up his fingers,
broke the bones in his hands. He kept talking while
he did it, telling Anthony that artists were worthless, that
he was doing the world a favor. Randy made sure

(01:15:03):
Anthony couldn't draw or paint anymore before he killed him.
They found Anthony's body weeks later in Stanislaus County. His
art supplies were gone, Randy had kept them. The damage
to his hands was so bad the coroner noted it
specifically in the report. Someone had deliberately destroyed this kid's
ability to create. By late nineteen seventy eight, Randy had

(01:15:25):
murdered at least ten men. He was getting bolder, taking
bigger risks, but he was also getting better at it,
learning what worked, what didn't, how to keep his victims
alive longer. Michael Craig was next victim number eleven, nineteen
years old, a swimmer at UC Davis, studying engineering. Smart

(01:15:45):
kid from Stockton whose parents were both teachers. Michael had
it all, good grades, athletic scholarship, was even being scouted
for Olympic trials. March twenty eighth, nineteen eighty one, Michael
was driving back from a swim meet at Stanford when
his car died on Interstate eighty near Vacaville. Randy pulled over,

(01:16:06):
offered help, same routine, friendly guy knows about cars, happy
to help a college student. Randy drugged Michael and took
him somewhere isolated. He raped Michael, then started carving him up,
with particular attention to his swimmers build. Randy cut deep
into the muscles of Michael's shoulders and chest, the muscles
Michael had spent years developing. He burned Michael's student id

(01:16:30):
and some papers he had with him. Made Michael watch.
Randy talked the whole time about how worthless athletes were,
how Michael thought he was special but wasn't. It took
Michael at least six hours to die. Randy had written
words into his chest with the knife, though they were
too damaged to read clearly. When the body was found
weeks later in Solano County, Michael's swimming medals were missing

(01:16:54):
from his gym bag. By nineteen eighty two, Randy thought
he was untouchable. He'd been killing for thirteen years without
getting caught. His scorecard had dozens of entries. He was
taking more risks, getting sloppier, but his luck held. Eric
Church was number twelve, twenty years old, a hippie kid
from Eugene, Oregon. His parents were old counterculture types. Dad

(01:17:19):
was a social worker. Mom taught at some alternative school.
Eric grew up thinking the world was basically good, that
people would help each other out. After high school, he
decided to travel instead of going to college. He'd hitch
hike around, pick up odd jobs, crash with friends. June twentieth,
nineteen eighty two, Eric was hitching from Portland to San Francisco.

(01:17:42):
Randy picked him up on I five started talking philosophy
and spirituality, stuff he knew would appeal to a kid
like Eric. They had this whole deep conversation about life
and meaning and all that, Eric thought he'd found a
kindred spirit. Randy drove them way off route, saying he
knew this commune they could check out. By the time
Eric figured out something was wrong, they were in the

(01:18:04):
middle of nowhere. Randy drugged him with something that left
him aware but unable to move. Then he raped Eric
while mocking his lifestyle, calling him dirty, worthless. Randy cut
off Eric's long hair first, Then he went after the
peace signed tattoo on Eric's arm, cutting away the skin.
He spent hours torturing Eric, destroying everything that marked him

(01:18:27):
as a hippie, the beaded jewelry, the patches on his clothes.
Randy seemed to hate everything Eric represented. Eric's body wasn't
found for months. By then, animals and weather had scattered
the remains through the forest. May fourteenth, nineteen eighty three.
His final victim was Terry Lee Gambrel, a twenty five

(01:18:48):
year old marine from Portland, Oregon. Terry was stationed at
El Toro Airbase and had been out with friends. He
was hitchhiking to a party when Randy picked him up.
Randy went through his usual routine friendly conversation offering to help,
but this time he'd been drinking and using drugs himself.
He was getting sloppy, over confident, he drugged Terry with

(01:19:11):
adavan and strangled him with his own belt. But he
was still driving around with Terry still in his passenger seat.
And that's when Randy's luck ran out. Early morning, May fourteenth,
nineteen eighty three, California Highway Patrol officers Thomas Sterling and
Michael Howard were doing routine patrol on I five near
Mission Viejo when they spotted a Toyota Selica weaving in

(01:19:34):
the southbound lanes. Driver looked drunk or tired, so they
lit him up for a traffic stop. Randy was behind
the wheel and he was messed up alcohol, drugs, maybe both,
but that wasn't what caught the officer's attention. There was
someone slumped in the passenger seat. Randy tried to play
it cool, said his buddy had too much to drink

(01:19:54):
and he was taking him home. Stay tuned for more
of the guilty files. We'll be right back after these messages,
Officer Howard went to check on the passenger while Sterling
dealt with Randy. The drunk friend was Terry Gambrel and
he wasn't drunk. He was barely breathing, beaten to hell,

(01:20:15):
obviously drugged. Howard called for paramedics immediately. Randy's story started
falling apart fast. He said Terry had fallen and hurt himself,
but the injuries didn't match. His behavior was off too,
not like someone worried about an injured friend, more like
someone trying to talk their way out of trouble. The
paramedics took one look at Terry and knew this wasn't

(01:20:37):
an accident. They rushed him to Mission hospital. Told the
cops this looked like assault, maybe worse. Randy was arrested
on the spot. Terry died a few hours later without
waking up. The medical examiner found evidence of prolonged torture
and sexual assault. This was murder, no question. When they
searched Randy's car, they found the jackpot. These belongings were

(01:21:00):
in there, along with items that obviously belonged to other people.
And then they found it a yellow legal pad covered
with Randy's handwriting. Sixty one entries that looked like some
kind of code or scorecard, things like stable marine, Carson, sorry,
m twiggy. Detective Dennis Kopmeyer from Orange County Sheriff's Department

(01:21:21):
caught the case. At first, he thought he was dealing
with a single murder. Then he started looking at that
scorecard and the other items in Randy's car. This wasn't
a one time thing. This was huge. Randy wasn't helpful
during questioning. He was smart, articulate, and completely without remorse.
Seemed proud of himself, actually, like the cops were idiots

(01:21:43):
and he was some kind of genius who'd only been
caught by bad luck. No concern for Terry, no empathy
for anyone, just this cold arrogance. Words spread fast through
law enforcement. Detectives from all over California started comparing notes,
looking at their unsolved case. Young men traveling alone found
dead in remote areas. Suddenly a lot of cold cases

(01:22:06):
were looking connected. Decoding Randy's scorecard became Kottmeyer's obsession. Some
entries were obvious once you knew what to look for.
Stable matched up with Wayne Duquet's murder at the Stables
bar Marine Carson connected to Edward Moore, the marine killed
near Carson. Others took months to figure out. The investigation

(01:22:27):
revealed Randy had been killing all over the Western States
for at least thirteen years, California, Oregon, Nevada, maybe more.
The systematic way he operated, the planning involved. This wasn't
impulse killing. This was organized, methodical murder on a scale
nobody had seen before. People who knew Randy couldn't believe it.

(01:22:49):
His co workers at the computer company described him as quiet, reliable,
good at his job, never caused problems, never seemed angry
or violent. Regular guy who happened to be gay in
an era when that meant keeping a low profile. Jeff Selig,
Randy's boyfriend of several years, was destroyed by the news
they'd lived together, built a life together. Jeff had never

(01:23:13):
suspected anything. How do you live with someone and not
know their out killing people? It messed with his head
for years. After Randy's parents, Harold and Ople were devastated.
Their eagle scout son, the computer programmer, the kid who'd
made good. He was a serial killer. They couldn't process it,
kept asking what they'd done wrong, how they'd missed the signs.

(01:23:37):
As the investigation expanded, the true scope became clear. The
scorecard had sixty one entries, but cops suspected there were
more victims. Some murders that fit Randy's pattern couldn't be
matched to scorecard entries. Maybe he didn't write them all down,
or maybe there was another scorecard somewhere. Randy had been
smart about avoiding detection. He picked victims who were alone,

(01:24:00):
often transients or people whose disappearance might not be immediately noticed.
He used remote dump sites scattered across multiple jurisdictions. He
knew forensics, new police procedures. He'd studied how not to
get caught. The prosecution was a massive undertaking. Orange County
da Cecil Hicks assigned Brian Brown, his best prosecutor, to

(01:24:23):
the case. They decided to charge Randy with sixteen murders,
the ones with the strongest evidence. Each count could bring
the death penalty. Randy's defense team, led by public defender
James Merwin, had an impossible job. Their client's own scorecard
documented his kills. Hard to argue innocence when the defendant

(01:24:44):
keeps a murder diary. Randy himself was a nightmare client, arrogant, uncooperative,
treating the whole thing like an intellectual exercise. Pre trial
motions and discovery took three years. Mountains of evidence to process,
witnesses from multiple states, forensic analysis of dozens of crime scenes.

(01:25:04):
Kottmeyer and his team spent months just on the scorecard,
matching entries to victims. The trial started September twenty sixth,
nineteen eighty eight, five years after Randy's arrest. It would
become one of the longest murder trials in California history.
Prosecutor Brown laid out the case methodically, sixty seven murders

(01:25:25):
they could connect to Randy, though they were only charging
him with sixteen. The scorecard was the centerpiece, Randy's own
record of his crimes, written in his own hand. The
defense couldn't argue Randy was innocent. Instead, they tried to
create doubt about specific charges, suggested some scorecard entries might
mean something else. It was a weak defense, but it

(01:25:48):
was all they had. The prosecution's case took months. Detectives
testified about crime scenes and evidence. Forensic experts explained how
items from multiple victims ended up in Randy's possessi. Medical
examiners described torture methods, causes of death, and family members
that was the hardest part. Parents talking about their dead sons,

(01:26:10):
siblings describing brothers who never came home. Each scorecard entry
had been a person with hopes, dreams, people who loved them.
November twenty ninth, nineteen eighty nine, guilty on all sixteen
counts of first degree murder. The jury recommended death. Judge
Donald mccarton made it official on May twelfth, nineteen ninety.

(01:26:31):
Randy showed no emotion, no remorse, just that same cold arrogance.
Randy's been on death row at San Quentin ever since.
California's appeals process means he'll probably die of old age
before he's executed. He's never shown remorse, never admitted guilt
beyond what was proven in court. To him, those sixty

(01:26:52):
seven young men were just entries on a scorecard. The
case changed. How cops investigate serial murders. Better communication between jurisdictions,
computer databases to track patterns, recognition that killers like Randy
can operate for years without detection. If agencies don't share
information for the families, there's no real closure. How do

(01:27:14):
you process that your son, brother, or friend died because
some guy wanted to add another entry to his scorecard.
How do you live with the knowledge of what they suffered?
Jeff Sealig rebuilt his life eventually, but the question haunts him.
How did he not know? Randy's family struggles with the
same thing. Their son, their brother killed at least sixty

(01:27:36):
seven people while living a seemingly normal life. The scorecard itself,
that yellow legal pad with sixty seven cryptic entries, sits
in evident storage. Each entry represents a life stolen, a
family destroyed, Stable Portland Reserve Dart four five. Behind each
code is a young man who died in agony because

(01:27:58):
Randy Craft decided he he was nothing more than a
potential scorecard entry. That's the real horror of Randy's crimes,
not just the number of victims or the brutal methods,
but the casual way he recorded them, like keeping score
in a game. Sixty seven young men that we know
of reduced to cryptic notes on a legal pad. Each

(01:28:19):
one had a name, a story, people who loved them.
To Randy, they were just points on his scorecard. The
Randy Craft case remains one of the worst serial killer
cases in American history. A man who could have contributed
to society with his intelligence and skills chose instead to
use them for murder. He destroyed dozens of lives and

(01:28:39):
devastated hundreds more, the families and friends left behind. His
legacy isn't the success he had in his career or
the normal life he appeared to live. It's that scorecard
and the evil it represents, a reminder that monsters don't
always look like monsters. Sometimes they look like the quiet
guy next door, the help full stranger who stops to

(01:29:01):
assist with car trouble, the fellow traveler happy to give
you a ride. Randy Craft will die in prison, either
by execution or old age, but the pain he caused
will last for generations. Every family he destroyed, every future
he stole, every dream he ended. That's his real scorecard,

(01:29:21):
and unlike his legal pad, that tally can never be erased.

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