Context:

Randy Kraft, a notorious serial killer, has been identified as the suspect in the murder of Larry Eugene Parks, who was found dead along Interstate 5 in Oregon in 1980. Parks remained unidentified until recently when forensic genealogy was used to confirm his identity. Kraft, already convicted of killing 16 men and suspected of over 60 more murders, is believed responsible for Parks' death, which is now being investigated anew. The identification of Parks, a Vietnam veteran, provides some answers to his family, who had lost contact with him a year before his death. Investigators are working to resolve the 45-year-old cold case as more victims potentially linked to Kraft are being identified through genetic profiling.

Dive Deeper:

• Randy Kraft, known for a series of violent murders in Orange County, California, has been linked to the 1980 murder of Larry Eugene Parks through forensic genealogy.

• Parks, a 30-year-old Vietnam veteran, was discovered dead on Interstate 5 in Oregon and remained unidentified for decades until a recent breakthrough using DNA from his blood sample.

• Despite being convicted for 16 murders, Kraft is suspected of committing over 60 murders across the West Coast and Michigan, with Parks now considered another possible victim.

• The identification process involved creating a genetic profile for Parks, which enabled investigators to locate and contact his family, providing them with long-awaited closure.

• Evidence from Parks' murder and another related case was held at the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, aiding in the ongoing investigation to bring closure to the cold case.

• Kraft's arrest in 1983 ended his decade-long killing spree, but recent advancements in forensic genealogy have led to the identification of more victims, including an Iowa teen in 2023.

• The resolution of Parks' case signifies the potential for forensic genealogy to solve cold cases, offering justice and answers to the families of victims long after the crimes occurred.