FATE: Keith was murdered after accepting beer, Valium, and a joyride from prolific serial killer Randy Steven Kraft. Kraft had picked up Keith, along with 15 year old Kent May, at a parking lot in the “Belmont Shore” area of Long Beach, between Big John’s pool hall and the gay bar Ripples. After the initial drive, Kraft returned to the parking lot and, upon being observed and approached by a group of youths, ejected May out of the vehicle before taking off with a drugged up Crotwell --- who was never seen again. The young men included Frank and Terry Ditmar, brothers whose family had “adopted” Crotwell, and were also aquaintances with May. They helped get the nearly catatonic Kent home, who awoke the next morning with a pounding headache and little recollection of the past 12 hours.
No clues about Keith’s whereabouts were uncovered until, on May 8th, his skull was discovered wedged between rocks by three teenages while they were exploring the 72nd Place jetty in Long Beach Marina. It was badly decomposed, although still had “rotting strips of creamy white flesh still attached to the brows and cheeks and temples.” This was all that was ever found of Keith Crotwell. After dental records confirmed the identity, the Ditmar brothers, who had gotten a good look at both the driver and the 1974 black and white Ford Mustang, began scouring the area for the car. Five days later they had located it, less than a mile from the parking lot where Keith had been taken from. They brought the information to police, who ran the plates and identified the owner as Randy Steven Kraft.
Kraft was brought in and questioned about Keith’s death. Although he had mildly plausibale explanations, the two investigators on the case believed him guilty of murder, and tried to bring charges forward. The Los Angeles District Attorney refused however, citing a lack of evidence, and Kraft was free to continue his bloody rampage for 8 more years --- killing dozens more in California, Oregon, and Michigan.
RIP KEITH 🕯
