DALLAS, TX- On Jan. 14, 1973, Norman Prater, 16, was reported missing to the Dallas Police Department. He was last seen walking with friends in East Dallas, Fox 4 Dallas-Fort Worth reported. Prater was never found...or that’s what people thought.
On July 9, 1973, an “unidentified white male"was killed in a hit-and-run accident on Highway 35 in the city of Rockport, Texas, in what appeared at the time to be unrelated to the missing teen. Police and local news outlets pleaded with the public for assistance in identifying the male, however those efforts were unsuccessful.
A break in the unidentified hit-and-run victim case came at the end of 2025, when the Arkansas County Medical Examiner’s Office found a new photo of the unidentified body and gave it to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). That photo found its way to the desk of Dallas PD Detective Ryan Dalby. Along with a forensic analyst with the Texas Rangers, they agreed it appeared likely the newly obtained photo was of Norman Prater.
Dalby contacted Prater’s older brother, Isaac Prater, in Lewisville, Texas, who confirmed the photo was that of his brother.
“He [the brother] 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 Det. Dalby. “To bring closure to a family member who has been waiting 52 years, I really can’t describe how I feel.”
While the fact that Norman has finally been identified and his family has obtained some closure, there are still many questions to be answered. First, Det. Dalby said nobody knows why Prater was near Corpus Christi, although he suspects the teen was hitchhiking. There is also the matter of the hit-and-run, which remains unsolved. Now that Prater has been identified, authorities in Texas are hopeful that mystery can also be solved.
In a Facebook post, the Dallas Police Department credited Det. Dalby for solving the oldest unsolved case in Dallas PD history.
‘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,” Dallas Chief Daniel Comeaux said.
“After 50 years of uncertainty, Mr. Isaac Prater has now received answers regarding his brother’s disappearance. This case exemplifies the enduring mission of law enforcement to seek justice and bring solace to families, unifying them with truth and closure,” the PD wrote.
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