Randy Steven Kraft was born on March 19, 1945, in Long Beach, California, as the fourth child and only son of Opal Lee and Harold Herbert Kraft. His family lived modestly, with his father working as a production operative and his mother taking various jobs to supplement the family income. 

In 1948, the family moved to Midway City, California, where Kraft attended Midway City Elementary School and later 17th Street Junior High School. He was noted for his intelligence and academic achievements. During his adolescence, Kraft developed an interest in politics, initially aligning with conservative Republican views and aspiring to become a U.S. senator. 

He graduated tenth in his class from Westminster High School in 1963 and subsequently enrolled at Claremont Men's College, pursuing a degree in economics. During his college years, Kraft's political views shifted to the left, and he began frequenting gay bars, acknowledging his homosexuality to close friends. He graduated in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in economics.

Shortly thereafter, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force, serving as a computer operator stationed at Edwards Air Force Base. In 1969, Kraft disclosed his sexual orientation to his superiors and received a general discharge.

Between 1971 and 1983, Kraft is believed to have committed the rape, torture, and murder of a minimum of sixteen young men, with some estimates suggesting up to 67 victims. His victims were typically males between the ages of 13 and 35, many of whom were members of the United States Marine Corps. Kraft's modus operandi involved luring victims into his vehicle with an offer of a ride or alcohol. He would then ply them with alcohol and/or other drugs, bind, torture, and sexually abuse them before killing them, usually by strangulation, asphyxiation, or bludgeoning. 

Some victims had also ingested lethal doses of pharmaceuticals. The bodies were often discarded alongside or near freeways in Southern California, leading to his nickname, "The Freeway Killer." Upon his arrest, investigators discovered a coded list with 61 entries on a scorecard containing cryptic references to his victims, earning him the moniker "The Scorecard Killer."

Kraft's arrest occurred on May 14, 1983, when California Highway Patrol officers observed him driving erratically on the 5 Freeway in Mission Viejo. After pulling him over, officers discovered a deceased man in the passenger seat, leading to Kraft's immediate arrest. His trial began on September 26, 1988, and on May 12, 1989, he was convicted of 16 counts of murder, sodomy, and mutilation. On November 29, 1989, Kraft was formally sentenced to death.

As of March 2025, Randy Steven Kraft remains on death row at San Quentin State Prison in California. Despite the severity of his crimes and the passage of time, his execution has not been carried out, reflecting the complexities and delays often associated with capital punishment cases in the United States.