The Trial

Randy Krafts trial started in 1988 and lasted 13 months, and being the most expensive in Orange County history.

The trail began on September 26, 1988. Judge Donald A McCartin oversaw the trail in Orange County.

The trail ran for 13 months and would prove to be the most expensive trial in Orange County.

Prosecution

In total the prosecution called nearly 160 witnesses to testify. Over 1,000 exhibits were introduced as evidence.

Some of this evidence included physical evidence such as bloodstains, hair and fiber evidence found at Kraft’s Long Beach residence and in his car; fingerprints found upon glass shards recovered from the Hall murder scene, negatives and photographs of victims found hidden inside Kraft’s vehicle, which depicted the men either dead, drugged or asleep and which background imagery revealed had been taken at Kraft’s home or as the victims were sat inside his car; in addition to the belt used to strangle Gambrel and the prescription drugs and buck knife found in the vehicle. 

This evidence included physical evidence such as bloodstains, hair and fiber evidence found at Kraft’s Long Beach residence and in his car; fingerprints found upon glass shards recovered from the Hall murder scene, negatives and photographs of victims found hidden inside Kraft’s vehicle, which depicted the men either dead, drugged or asleep and which background imagery revealed had been taken at Kraft’s home or as the victims were sat inside his car; in addition to the belt used to strangle Gambrel and the prescription drugs and buck knife found in the vehicle.

Some of the other evidenced included work and travel records, gasoline receipts which proved Kraft was in particular places where the victims had been abducted and or discarded. The numerous personal possessions of the various murder victims which Kraft had in his possession following his arrest.

Defence

Circumstantial evidence. His defence was mainly one of alibis and alternate suspects. Krafts attorneys dismissed much of the evidence as being circumstantial.

They also tried to portray Kraft as a hardworking and upstanding member of the community.

At no point did they deny that the 16 victims were murders, but simply Kraft wasn’t the killer. The defence even used the Police initial thoughts and investigations which the victims had been killed by one of two other serial killers, Patrick Kearney and William Bonin and that there was “no concrete evidence” that Kraft had killed any of the victims.

Closing Arguments

Closing arguments started on April 29, 1989 and lasted for a full three days.

The prosecution again listed all the physical and circumstantial evidences which showed Krafts guilt.

The defense agued that it was just all the evidence was circumstantial and accusing the prosecution of glossing over the truth when linking the murders.

The jury debated for a total of eleven days before reaching their verdict.

On May 12, 1989 Kraft was found guilty of sixteen counts of murder, one count of sodomy, and one count of emasculation. (On one additional count of sodomy in relation to victim Rodger DeVaul, Kraft was found not guilty.)

Tried victims

On May 16, 1983, Kraft was formally charged with the murder of Gambrel.

By September 8, investigators had interviewed over 700 witnesses and had gathered more than 250 physical exhibits which pointed towards Kraft’s guilt in a further 15 homicides committed between December 1972 and February 1983, of which he was charged, in addition to two counts of sodomy and one of emasculation—on this date.

  • Edward Moore (20) December 24, 1972
  • Kevin Bailey (17) April 9, 1973
  • Ronnie Wiebe (20) July 28, 1973
  • Keith Crotwell (18) March 29, 1975
  • Mark Hall (22) January 1, 1976
  • Scott Hughes (18) April 16, 1978
  • oland Young (23) June 11, 1978
  • Richard Keith (20) June 19, 1978
  • Keith Klingbeil (23) July 6, 1978
  • Michael Inderbieten (21) November 18, 1978
  • Donald Crisel (20) June 16, 1979
  • Robert Loggins (19) August 23, 1980
  • Eric Church (21) January 27, 1983
  • Rodger DeVaul (20) February 12, 1983
  • Geoffrey Nelson (18) February 12, 1983
  • Terry Lee Gambrel (25) May 14, 1983

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