Suspect Linked To 10 New Slayings

Santa Ana (UPI)

A grisly gallery of snapshots found in the home of accused mass murderer Randy Kraft will result in 10 new murder charges against the accused homosexual strangler the Orange County sheriff said Thursday. Sheriff Brad Gates said all of the victims of the slayings found dead from 1972-79 had been sexually mutilated one of them beheaded. Four of the victims were stationed at Southern California Marine bases when killed Gates also said other photographs, some showing unidentified youths appearing either dead drugged or sleeping, found at Kraft’s home after his arrest last May could lead to still more charges against the suspect.

Kraft, 39, a traveling computer consultant who previously was charged with six slayings in Orange County also has been accused of two murders in Michigan and is under investigation by authorities in Nevada, Oregon and Colorado. Kraft allegedly drugged his victims sexually assaulted them and dumped their bodies near roadways in the manner of convicted Freeway Killer William Bonin. Gates said four of the victims in the 10 pending murder charges were US Marines, three stationed at Camp Pendleton and one at the El Toro Marine Air Station. They were Edward Moore, 20 found dead in December 1972, Scott Hughes, 18 found in April 1978, Richard Keith, 20 found in June 1978 and Donald Crisel, 20 found in June 1979.

One of the victims Keith Crotwell, 19 of Long Beach was beheaded. The other victims in the pending charges included Ronnie Wiebe, 20 of Fullerton found in July 1973, Roland Young, 23 of Maywood found in June 1978, Keith Klingbeil, 23 of Chula Vista found in July 1978, Michael Inderbieten, 21 of Long Beach found in November 1978 and an unidentified youth found in April 1973. Kraft was arrested last May by Highway Patrol officers who found an unconscious Marine riding with him in his car Terry Gambrel, 25 stationed at El Toro, died a short time later and authorities determined he had been strangled. Gates said investigators were investigating 25 slayings in the Kraft case and had identified more than 350 possible witnesses.