Danny Arthur Ranes was born on October 20, 1943, in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He grew up alongside his younger brother, Larry Ranes, who was born on March 22, 1945. Their childhood was troubled due to their father's strict and harsh parenting. The brothers often fought with each other over small amounts of money and were encouraged to drink alcohol at a young age. In 1954, when Danny was 11 years old, their father left the family and moved to Florida for work, leaving Danny and Larry with their mother.

As they grew older, Danny and Larry continued to have a competitive relationship. This rivalry was further complicated by Larry's interests in older women, which began when he met a neighbor named Sue. Larry's focus on Sue drew him away from his responsibilities at school and home. In the early 1960s, both brothers began dating a girl from their high school named Kathy. This led to additional strains in Danny's life as he witnessed his brother's struggles with relationships and academics.

While Larry dropped out of school and got into trouble with the law, Danny seemed to navigate life a bit differently. He married Kathy and started a family, having two children with her. Despite this, the familial pressures and conflicts in their childhood had significant impacts on both brothers.

Danny faced some legal issues in his early adulthood. In 1968, while living in Battle Creek, he attempted to kidnap a young woman at gunpoint but she managed to escape. This crime led to his arrest and subsequently, a prison sentence of three to four years. During his time in prison, his marriage fell apart, and he was released on parole in February 1972.

After his release, Danny returned to Kalamazoo and worked at a gas station. It was during this period that he met Brent Eugene Koster.

In November 1968, Danny Arthur Ranes attacked 18-year-old Dorothy King in Battle Creek. He took control of her car at gunpoint and tried to drive her to a remote area for a sexual assault. However, Dorothy managed to escape after Danny took a wrong turn, which led him to flee the scene without his gun. His vehicle was later found at the pharmacy where Dorothy worked, and she identified him as her attacker, leading to his arrest.

On February 4, 1969, Danny was convicted of assaulting Dorothy King and was sentenced to three to four years in prison. After serving time, he was released on parole on February 17, 1972. He returned to Kalamazoo, where he began working at a gas station and met 15-year-old Brent Eugene Koster. Danny took Koster in, giving him a place to stay and a job, which put him in a position to influence Koster.

On July 5, 1972, Danny and Brent raped and murdered two women, Linda Clark and Claudia Bidstrup, at the gas station where Danny was employed. After committing the murders, they wrapped the bodies in a blanket and put them in their car. Koster drove the car to a wooded area near Galesburg and set it on fire to cover up the evidence. The remains were found two weeks later by a motorcyclist.

On August 5, 1972, Danny and Koster picked up 18-year-old Pamela Fearnow while she was hitchhiking. They threatened her with a knife and took her to a remote area near Morrow Lake. After several assaults, Danny strangled her with a plastic bag.

In September 1972, Brent Koster confessed to the murders to street workers, who reported him to the police. He was arrested on September 5, and during interrogation, he implicated Danny. Based on Koster’s testimony and other evidence, Danny was charged with the murders.

At Danny’s trial, Brent served as a key witness for the prosecution. On August 9, 1973, Danny was convicted of first-degree murder for Pamela Fearnow's killing and was sentenced to life without parole. He also pleaded no contest to second-degree murder for the deaths of Clark and Bidstrup, receiving two additional life terms. Brent Koster pleaded guilty to second-degree murder and was sentenced to life with the possibility of parole.

Danny Ranes spent the rest of his life in prison until he died of natural causes on January 29, 2022.