Crime Solvers Central
Crime Solvers Central
298 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

Any updates on this case? Let us know!
Summary based on the NamUs case record (MP15594) and 2 other sources
In the summer of 2012, a 34-year-old man named Daniel Valenzuela Gonzalez vanished under deeply concerning and mysterious circumstances. On June 28, 2012, he was last seen in Sasabe, Arizona, a small community on the U.S.-Mexico border in Pima County. Gonzalez, a Hispanic male with black hair and brown eyes, reportedly left Altar, a town in Sonora, Mexico, with the intention of walking towards Tucson, Arizona. At the time of his disappearance, he stood between 5'9' and 5'11' and weighed approximately 155 to 165 pounds. His family would later provide a description of the clothing he was wearing: a brown Franciscan robe with a camouflage shirt underneath, khaki-colored denim pants, black socks, and Nike shoes.

The details surrounding what happened to Gonzalez after he began his journey are sparse and alarming. Information provided to authorities suggests a violent turn of events a week after he was last seen. According to these reports, on July 4th, Gonzalez was shot by an unknown individual for unknown reasons. Following the shooting, he was allegedly left on a hill on San Joaquin Road, near a yellow tractor or some other large piece of machinery. This information, while specific in some respects, lacks critical details, leaving his family and investigators with more questions than answers. The identity of the person or people responsible for the reported shooting, the motive, and the precise location where he was abandoned remain shrouded in uncertainty.

Distinctive tattoos might have made Gonzalez easily identifiable. He had a cross tattooed on his left arm, and on his right arm, a clown face with the words 'Daniel Y Judith' underneath it. Despite these distinguishing marks, there has been no confirmed sign of him since the troubling reports of the shooting surfaced. The Pima County Medical Examiner's Office is listed as the investigating agency, but the case has grown cold over the years. The narrative of Daniel Gonzalez's disappearance is a distressing account of a man who set out on a journey and met a violent, uncertain fate. The lack of resolution has left a void for his loved ones, with the overview of the case being a man who vanished after reportedly being the victim of a violent crime, his whereabouts and well-being unknown for over a decade.

Last Seen: Jun 28, 2012

Links to Additional Sources (2)

See any mistakes? Let us know!

Possible Unidentified Matches (10)

Unidentified remains cases whose details are consistent with this person, ranked by how closely they compare. Fields that are unknown in either case are left out of the score.

80%Moderate
John Doe — west of Sells, Arizona - unidentified case UP54646
John Doe — west of Sells, Arizona
UP54646 • Found Nov 17, 2017
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–42 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 93%35 mi away, same county
TimingFound 5 years after last seen
Height 100%5'10"–6'2" vs 5'9"–5'11"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP15182
John Doe — Arizona
UP15182 • Found Dec 7, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 35–50 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%40 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'9"–5'11"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Sells, Arizona - unidentified case UP14951
John Doe — Sells, Arizona
UP14951 • Found Aug 20, 2015
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–40 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 93%35 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 years after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'9"–5'11"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP11971
John Doe — Arizona
UP11971 • Found Jul 28, 2013
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%40 mi away, same county
TimingFound 13 months after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"–5'11"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Cowlic, Tohono O'Odham Nation, Arizona - unidentified case UP12076 View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 25–36 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 94%34 mi away, same county
TimingFound 12 months after last seen
Height 36%5'4" vs 5'9"–5'11"
Weight 96%136 lb vs 155–165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
Eyes 100%Brown vs Brown
80%Moderate
John Doe — Arivaca, Arizona - unidentified case UP10663
John Doe — Arivaca, Arizona
UP10663 • Found Jul 23, 2012
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 20–35 vs 34
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 99%14 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 weeks after last seen
Height 68%5'6" vs 5'9"–5'11"
80%Moderate
John Doe — Gunsight Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP11275
John Doe — Gunsight Village, Arizona
UP11275 • Found Jul 1, 2012
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 85%Est. 23–40 vs 34
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 80%83 mi away, same county
TimingFound 3 days after last seen
Height 100%5'9" vs 5'9"–5'11"
Weight 93%133 lb vs 155–165 lb
Hair 100%Black vs Black
79%Possible
John Doe — Near Choulic Village, Arizona - unidentified case UP16478
John Doe — Near Choulic Village, Arizona
UP16478 • Found Sep 12, 2016
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 28–40 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 98%19 mi away, same county
TimingFound 4 years after last seen
Height 84%5'7" vs 5'9"–5'11"
79%Possible
John Doe — Arizona - unidentified case UP12302
John Doe — Arizona
UP12302 • Found Feb 20, 2014
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 88%Est. 20–33 vs 34 when missing
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 92%40 mi away, same county
TimingFound 20 months after last seen
Height 100%5'10" vs 5'9"–5'11"
79%Possible
John Doe — Lukeville, Arizona - unidentified case UP11061
John Doe — Lukeville, Arizona
UP11061 • Found Nov 22, 2012
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 30–45 vs 34
Race 100%Hispanic
Location 81%80 mi away, same county
TimingFound 5 months after last seen
Height 100%5'8" vs 5'9"–5'11"

These comparisons are generated automatically from public NamUs case data and are not confirmed identifications. Only DNA, dental or fingerprint comparison by investigators can confirm an identity. If you believe two cases are connected, contact the agency handling the unidentified case.

Unidentified photos are blurred because many are post-mortem. Tap a photo to reveal it.