Case of boy, 14, missing since 1982 reopened

FREMONT, Calif. -- More than three decades after the disappearance of a 14-year-old Fremont boy, the case is back open and detectives say they need the public's help to solve it.

Family members declined to speak on camera, but we did talk to neighbors as well as Fremont police who say this is the primary cold case they are investigating right now.

For neighbors on Nightingale Place a mystery remains unsolved.

"You wonder, did something bad happen to him? It makes you start thinking all over," Fremont resident Charlene Forney said. "Every time we thought we had something, you know, it didn't pan out," said Forney.

Daniel Naylor went missing around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 5, 1982, after an argument with his parents at his home on Nightingale Place, according to police.

Naylor, then 14 years old, was last seen leaving his house in an unknown direction. Police said neighbors conducted a search and were able to locate his bike along the Alameda Creek Regional Trail.

"Everybody wants an answer, some people think he was killed, and some people think that he just ran away," Forney said.

About one month after his disappearance, investigators allege when no one was home, Naylor returned to his house and took every piece of property belonging to him. He was neither seen nor heard from after the incident and the case went cold.

Last summer, Fremont detectives said they were contacted by the Folsom Police Department stating they had located a man in their city that looked similar to an age-progressed photo that had been released of Naylor at age 44.

"We started looking at it, and right away, we started thinking to ourselves, something just doesn't seem right here," said Geneva Bosques with the Fremont PD.

Investigators said, after an extensive investigation, it was determined through forensic evidence that the man was not Naylor.

Following the Folsom incident, Fremont police investigated leads that Naylor may be missing because of foul play rather than running away. Police say they re-opened the case last summer after an investigator noticed inconsistencies in the original report.

Detectives searched the backyard for human remains the day before New Year's Eve and have re-interviewed family, friends and neighbors. However, the search came up empty. Neighbors say they were glad to see that something is being done after all of these years."

"Everybody wants an answer, some people think he was killed, and some people think that he just ran away," Forney said.

The home is now occupied by Naylor's aunt.

"If he came forward and said, 'I'm OK,' that would be really great. It would allow us to close this case, however we don't have that," Bosques said.

Anyone with information may contact Fremont police Detective Jacob Blass at (510) 790-6900 or email ColdCaseDetective@fremont.gov.

Bay City News contributed to this report.