Police dig up family's yard 30 years after California teen vanished

FREMONT, CA -- A three-decades-old cold case is back open. In October 1982, 14-year-old Daniel Naylor vanished. An age progression photo of what Naylor might look like today as a 44-year-old man was released. Authorities in Fremont are taking a fresh look at this cold case.

For more than 30 years it was believed Naylor had run away. Then, the day before New Year's Eve, neighbors say police began digging up the backyard of the home where Naylor lived on Nightingale Place and they were looking for human remains.

His family says he left their Fremont home after an argument with his father.

Neighbor Michael Burke told ABC7 News, "There was a community search party that was organized."

Burke was part of that search party. Naylor's bike was found along Alameda Creek. One month later, the family reported the 14-year-old boy had returned to his house, when no one was home.

Neighbor Elizabeth Burke said, "He had baseball card collections, that kind of thing, and that was taken from his room, and some of his clothing was apparently taken too."

Then, last summer police in Folsom found a man who matched the age-progressed picture of Naylor at age 44. Forensic evidence proved it was not him, but it triggered Fremont police to reopen the cold case and begin investigating the possibility of foul play.

"All day long there were people coming in and out all day with equipment. Dogs, cadaver dogs," Burke said.

Two weeks ago, detectives served a search warrant at the family's home now occupied by Naylor's aunt. She declined an interview. Naylor's father, who lives here in Union City, also refused to speak with us.

Now investigators say information from the public that may have seemed insignificant could help solve this cold case.