The person at the center of this case
David William Barth
Missing Person · Open - Unsolved
21 years waiting · since 2004
Missing Person: David William Barth
Justice for David William Barth — the trail went cold in 2004, but the truth hasn't.
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Key leads to think about
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witness
Lead #1What did the neighbor who saw Mr. Barth on the railroad tracks observe about his condition and direction of travel?
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evidence
Lead #2Was Mr. Barth carrying the backpack with whiskey bottles when he was last seen on the tracks?
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location
Lead #3Where do the railroad tracks lead from Blue Canyon, and were they thoroughly searched?
David William Barth, a 70-year-old man, disappeared on July 30, 2004, from Blue Canyon in Placer County, California, after stepping away from his porch; his wife noticed he was gone within 10 minutes, and a neighbor reported seeing him walking eastbound on nearby railroad tracks. The circumstances of his disappearance remain unclear—whether he wandered off voluntarily, became lost, or met with foul play has never been determined. His case remains unsolved after more than two decades, and anyone with information about his whereabouts or what happened that day is urged to contact the Placer County Sheriff's Office.
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More leads to consider
Beyond the top three above — each detail below could be the thread that pulls this case open.
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clue
Lead #4Why did Mr. Barth leave his home so suddenly, and was he known to walk the railroad tracks regularly?
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person
Lead #5Has Mr. Barth ever been located or identified in other jurisdictions in the decades since his disappearance?
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Official wording
Source Narrative
NamUs case MP3912. Missing person: David William Barth.
Last known contact: 2004-07-30 in Blue Canyon, Placer, CA. Circumstances: Mr.
Barth was sitting on the porch and the wife noticed 10 minutes later he was gone, a neighbor reported seeing Mr. Barth walking eastbound on the railroad tracks located near his home.
Demographics: 70 years, Male, White / Caucasian. Physical description: 5 ft 11 in, 185 lbs, hair: White, eyes: Brown.
Clothing and accessories: Clothing: a white short sleeved t-shirt, 17" collared long sleeve cotton shirt in dark blue/light blue and white checked shirt, light blue polyester pants, dark ball cap, rust/light brown colored book bag type backpack believed to contain one to two 1/2 gallon bottles of whiskey either Kessler or Ten-High brand.; Eyewear: polarizing prescription bifocal glasses; Footwear: Size 9 1/2 EEE Mason shoe; Jewelry: ring on right hand-white metal band containing a large white stone. Investigating agency: Placer County Sheriff's Office | 04-11740 | 2004-07-30.
Timeline of Events
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2004-07-30
unknownDavid Barth disappears from home
Mr. Barth was sitting on the porch and was noticed missing approximately 10 minutes later by his wife.
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2004-07-30
unknownLast sighting on railroad tracks
A neighbor reported seeing Mr. Barth walking eastbound on railroad tracks located near his home.
Key Locations
Interactive map showing important locations related to this case
Case Information
Incident:July 30, 2004 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 19, 2026
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Phone: 5308897800
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Case Information
Incident:July 30, 2004 at Invalid Date
Last Updated:June 19, 2026
Have Information?
Any information, no matter how small, could be crucial to solving this case.
Phone: 5308897800
You can remain anonymous