Left and Center: Daniel circa, 1982
Right: Age-Progressed to age 54
Vital Statistics at Time of Disappearance
Missing Since: October 5, 1982
Missing From: Fremont, Alameda County, California
Classification: Endangered Missing
Date Of Birth: June 23, 1968
Age: 14 years old
Height and Weight: 5’9″ and 140 pounds
Distinguishing Characteristics: Caucasian male, Brown hair, Blue eyes, Daniel wore braces on his teeth at the time of his 1982 disappearance
Clothing/Jewelry Description: A gray half t-shirt, red shorts, and high top sneakers
NCMEC Number: 1161746
Details of Disappearance
Daniel was last seen in Fremont, California on October 5th 1982. He was reportedly last seen at 7:30 pm when he left his residence on Nightingale Place following an argument with his father. He never returned home and was reported missing when he failed to come back after 12 hours. Daniel took his bicycle and left in an unknown direction.
After he was reported missing, neighbors searched extensively for the boy. His bike was later found hidden under some bushes on the Alameda Creek Regional Trail near Alameda Creek. Police initially treated the case as a runaway situation but received few leads or sightings about Daniel.
Naylor’s family later told police that in November 1982, Daniel broke into the home while no one else was there and took back many of his personal possessions including his baseball cards and some of his clothing. His family also said found they found tiles form the game Scribble which were arranged so they spelled “New Life.”
Investigators believe it’s possible Daniel did run away from home in 1982. He was known to frequently fight with his parents and would often run down the street to his best friend’s house following a feud with his family. Despite this, there was no indication that he had in fact left on his own accord and there’s no evidence he had in fact gone back to his house a month after disappearing.
In January of 2016, police reopened the investigation into Daniel’s disappearance and said this time they were looking into the possibility that he met with foul play. They said they found “inconsistencies” in the accounts from some of his family members from around that time. This along with other information allowed detectives to serve a search warrant on the backyard of Daniel’s childhood home he was reported missing from years earlier.
Police also stated that the altercation between Daniel and his father on the evening he disappeared had apparently gotten physical but they refused to elaborate any further. Cadaver dogs were brought into the yard and the scent of human remains was found. Searches were done on the area but investigators have not released what they have or haven’t found.
Still, police believe it’s possible he was the victim of a crime and have called the circumstances of his disappearance “suspicious.” The possibility that he’s still alive and living a new life hasn’t been ruled out. In 2015, a man who closely resembled an age enhanced image of Naylor has his DNA tested but he was proven not to be the missing teenager.
Daniel’s disappearance remains unsolved and there’s been no indication of his whereabouts since 1982. Foul play is suspected.
Investigating Agency
If you have any information concerning this case, please contact:
Fremont Police Department 510-790-6722
Source Information
The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children
California Department of Justice