Victims
Vernon LeBenne, 23 [4/6/1964 Battle Creek, MI]
Gary Smock, 30 [5/30/1964 MI]
Charles Snider, [5/31/1964 Elkhart, IN]
[unnamed male victim whose body was not found NV]
Charlie Sizemore [Lexington, KY]
Patricia Howk, 28 [3/18/1972]
Linda Clark, 19 [7/4/1972]
Claudia Bidstrup, 19 [7/4/1972]
Patricia Fearnow, 18 [8/5/1972]
Upper Peninsula Wiki: Larry and Danny Ranes
People of Michigan v Larry Ranes 1971 (conviction overturned)
Sibling Rivals and Murder Games
10 Cases Of Sibling Serial Killers: 9 – The Ranes Brothers
Excerpt from “Inside the Minds of Serial Killers: Why They Kill”
Excerpt from “The Encyclopedia of Serial Killers”
Excerpt from “Haunted History of Kalamazoo”
Books
The Murder Game
Luke Karamazov (names changed)
Defendants
Larry Lee Ranes – pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison – changed his name to Monk Steppenwolf
Danny Arthur Ranes – convicted, sentenced to life in prison
Brent Koster – pled guilty, sentenced to life in prison
INMATE INFORMATION
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
MDOC Number: 113052
SID Number: 0532199J
Name: MONK STEPPENWOLF
Racial Identification: White
Gender: Male
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5′ 7″
Weight: 210 lbs.
Date of Birth: 03/22/1945 (71)
MONK STEPPENWOLF Image Date: 8/14/2016
MDOC STATUS
Current Status: Prisoner Earliest Release Date: LIFE
Assigned Location: Saginaw Correctional Facility Maximum Discharge Date: LIFE
Security Level: II
ALIASES
LARRY LEE RANES
MARKS, SCARS & TATTOOS
None
PRISON SENTENCES
ACTIVE
Sentence 1
Offense: Murder, First Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.316
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: 14231A
Date of Offense: 05/29/1964
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 11/02/1972
Conviction Type: Jury
INMATE INFORMATION
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
MDOC Number: 122736
SID Number: 0618015J
Name: DANNY ARTHUR RANES
Racial Identification: White
Gender: Male
Hair: Unavailable
Eyes: Blue
Height: 5′ 9″
Weight: 175 lbs.
Date of Birth: 10/20/1943 (73)
DANNY ARTHUR RANES Image Date: 10/24/2015
MDOC STATUS
Current Status: Prisoner Earliest Release Date: LIFE
Assigned Location: Lakeland Correctional Facility Maximum Discharge Date: LIFE
Security Level: II
ALIASES
DANNY A RANES
MARKS, SCARS & TATTOOS
Tattoo- Upper Right Arm – tt on rt upper arm
PRISON SENTENCES
ACTIVE
Sentence 1
Offense: Homicide – Murder, Second Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.317
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: 723136-A
Date of Offense: 07/06/1972
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 08/09/1973
Conviction Type: Plea
Sentence 2
Offense: Homicide – Murder, Second Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.317
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: 723135-C
Date of Offense: 07/06/1972
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 08/09/1973
Conviction Type: Plea
Sentence 3
Offense: Homicide – Murder, Second Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.317
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: 724030-C
Date of Offense: 03/18/1972
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 08/31/1981
Conviction Type: Plea
Sentence 4
Offense: Murder, First Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.316
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: 724045-B
Date of Offense: 08/05/1972
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 07/30/1973
Conviction Type: Jury
INACTIVE
Sentence 1
Offense: Assault with Dangerous Weapon (Felonious Assault)
Minimum Sentence: 3 years 0 months 0 days
MCL#: 750.82
Maximum Sentence: 4 years 0 months
Court File#:
Date of Offense: 04/01/1969
County:
Date of Sentence: 04/01/1969
Conviction Type: Unknown
Discharge Date: 02/17/1972
Discharge Reason: Offender Discharge
INMATE INFORMATION
BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION
MDOC Number: 142253
SID Number: 0826651T
Name: BRENT EUGENE KOSTER
Racial Identification: White
Gender: Male
Hair: Brown
Eyes: Hazel
Height: 6′ 6″
Weight: 325 lbs.
Date of Birth: 10/10/1956 (60)
BRENT EUGENE KOSTER Image Date: 8/28/2014
MDOC STATUS
Current Status: Prisoner Earliest Release Date: LIFE
Assigned Location: Chippewa Correctional Facility Maximum Discharge Date: LIFE
Security Level: II
ALIASES
BIG BIRD
MARKS, SCARS & TATTOOS
Scar- Center Abdomen – APPENDIX SCAR
PRISON SENTENCES
ACTIVE
Sentence 1
Offense: Homicide – Murder, Second Degree
Minimum Sentence: LIFE
MCL#: 750.317
Maximum Sentence: LIFE
Court File#: B72300140-FY
Date of Offense: 07/06/1972
County: Kalamazoo
Date of Sentence: 07/21/1975
Conviction Type: Plea
