Daniel My Brother

The headlines read, "The Last Good Deed Cost Daniel A. Walker Jr. His Life" and "Murder Victim Was Always Doing Favors."

The unresolved twist-of-fate story regarding the October 1, 1974, murder of Danny Walker has haunted his family and friends for nearly fifty years. What happened to the free-spirited, easygoing twenty-one-year-old as he crossed the Mojave Desert that fateful night?

Just hours before he was killed, Dan stopped near Cajon Pass to pick up a hitchhiker whose destination was Texas. Dan may have changed his route out of California to accommodate the young traveler. Shielded by Dan's gear in the back of the van, the eighteen-year-old hitchhiker was an ear-and-eye witness to Dan's final moments.

Only those closest to Dan knew the basic facts of his murder, which remains a cold case. Those further removed from available information were left to wonder, often forming their own interpretations based on hearsay.

Why was Dan in California? Did he know his killers? What did the police do to catch the two assailants? What did they believe was their motive?

The identities of Dan's killers may remain a mystery, but what is known lies within.