Dallas police identified Norman Prater, missing since 1973, after a new photo linked him to a hit-and-run victim near Corpus Christi
Closure in Decades-Old Missing Persons Case in Dallas
DALLAS – A Dallas family has found closure after a missing persons case that lasted decades was solved.
The Dallas Police Department announced a breakthrough at the end of 2025, 52 years after the case began.
A new lead helped a veteran Dallas detective connect two seemingly unrelated incidents.
Details of the Case
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Missing Person | Norman Prater |
| Age at Disappearance | 16 years |
| Date Missing | January 14, 1973 |
| Last Seen | East Dallas with friends |
| Incident Date | July 1973 |
| Location of Hit-and-Run | Rock Port, Texas |
| Identification Method | Photo comparison |
| Detective Involved | Ryan Dalby |
Family members reported Norman Prater missing on January 14, 1973. He was last seen in East Dallas walking with friends but never returned home.
Six months later, in July 1973, an unidentified white male was killed in a hit-and-run in Rock Port, Texas, near Corpus Christi. Despite efforts from police and local news outlets, the body was never identified.
At the end of 2025, the Aransas County Medical Examiner’s Office discovered a new photo of the unidentified body. They sent it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
This photo reached Detective Ryan Dalby, who, along with a forensic analyst from the Texas Rangers, believed it was likely Prater.
Prater’s older brother in Lewisville was contacted and shown the photo. He confirmed the identification.
Without DNA evidence or fingerprints, the new photo was essential in closing the case after 52 years.
“He just looked at me and goes, ‘That scar right there on the lip. That’s where he got bit by a dog. That scar on the eyebrow, that is where he got into a fight. That is my brother. We can close the case now,’” said Detective Dalby. “To bring closure to a family member who has been waiting 52 years, I really can’t describe how I feel.”
Detective Dalby still does not know how or why Prater was near Corpus Christi. He suspects the teenager was hitchhiking in the early 70s.
The hit-and-run investigation remains unsolved. However, with an identity, authorities have a chance to resolve it.
Prater’s case was the longest cold case missing persons investigation in the history of the Dallas Police Department.
