After Decades of Questions, Answers Emerge in Norman Prater’s 1973 Disappearance
Norman Prater went missing in January 1973. Now, the Dallas Police Department has announced that it has solved Prater’s case over 50 years later.
Norman Prater was 16 years old when he went missing on January 14, 1973. The teenager was last seen walking in East Dallas with friends. When he didn’t make it home that night, his parents contacted the Dallas Police Department (DPD) to report him missing. For over 50 years, Norman’s family has been waiting to find out what happened to him. Now, they finally have answers.
On July 9, 1973, an “unidentified white male was killed in a hit-and-run incident” in Rockport, Texas. The two events seemed unrelated until Detective Ryan Dalby at the DPD decided to reopen the case at the end of 2025 after receiving new information from the Aransas County Medical Examiner’s Office, where Rockport is located. An individual at that office found a new photo of the unidentified white male who had been struck and killed in July 1973 and passed it along to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. From there, it was sent to Detective Dalby.
He, along with a forensic analyst from the Texas Rangers, felt as though the photo from Aransas County bore similarities to Norman Prater. They contacted his brother, Isaac Prater, for assistance in making a positive identification. Detective Dalby recalled their conversation when speaking with NBC DFW, saying, “He answers the phone and is like, ‘Who is this?’ I’m like, ‘It’s Detective Dalby with the Dallas Police Department.’ He goes, ‘I’ve waited 52 years for this phone call. Please tell me that you have something.'” Isaac came into the Dallas police station the following day.
“I showed him recognition software that they used, and he just looks at me and he goes, ‘You can close the case, that’s my brother, case is done,'” Detective Dalby told the outlet. He added, “[Isaac] finally has closure. He has closure after 52 years of wondering where his brother is.”
The Dallas Police Department released a statement regarding the case
Following Isaac Prater’s identification of his brother, Norman Prater, the Dallas Police Department released a statement announcing that it had solved its longest missing persons case. DPD Chief Daniel Comeaux wrote, “This resolution stands as a testament to the Dallas Police Department’s commitment to the cases we pursue and the families we serve, no matter how much time has passed.” He added, “Detective Dalby’s dedication, skill, and compassion have not only solved a historical case but have performed the most vital duty of our Missing Persons Unit: providing closure to a grieving family.”
Chie Comeaux’s release went on to say that, “After 50 years of uncertainty, Mr. Isaac Prater has now received answers regarding his brother’s disappearance —The DPD extends its deepest sympathies to the Prater family and commends the interagency cooperation and investigative perseverance that made this resolution possible.”
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