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302 Cases Solved. Advancing justice for missing persons, unsolved homicides, unidentified and unclaimed remains.

Case Description

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Summary based on 1 source
David Wayne Wallace was 36 years old when he was last seen on May 3, 1997, at his father's residence near Lake Shasta in Shasta County, California. Around 10 p.m. that evening, he went for a walk with his dog. Shortly after he left, his father reported hearing shouting outside. Wallace never came back from his walk, though his dog later returned to the home covered in blood. It was not determined whether the blood belonged to Wallace, the dog, or another party.

Family members conducted searches for Wallace around the lake but found no sign of him. According to his family, law enforcement at the time did not thoroughly investigate his disappearance, suggesting he might have left voluntarily as an adult. Wallace was described as a white male with brown hair and hazel eyes, standing at 5'7" and weighing 195 pounds. He was missing his front teeth and had several tattoos, including the word "Against" on his left arm and "The Law" on his right arm. At the time of his disappearance, he was wearing a tan shirt, blue jeans, and carrying a red backpack.

For years, Wallace's case remained cold with few available details. A significant break in the case came in October 2020, when two hunters discovered a partial human skull on Bollibokka Mountain, near the northern part of Lake Shasta. In 2022, through DNA testing, the skull was positively identified as belonging to David Wayne Wallace. This discovery brought some answers to his family after decades of uncertainty, though the circumstances surrounding his death remain unresolved.

Last Seen: May 3, 1997

Links to Additional Sources (1)

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Possible Unidentified Matches (1)

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.

75%Possible
John Doe — Winterhaven, California - unidentified case UP15265
John Doe — Winterhaven, California
UP15265 • Found Dec 20, 1997
View case
Sex ✓Male
Age 100%Est. 50–59 vs 56
Race 100%White
Location 75%Same state
TimingFound 8 months after last seen
Weight 100%185 lb vs 195 lb

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.

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