Where was Dale Williams last seen? Naturita man Dan Bishop arrested in connection to 1999 disappearance of auto body shop owner

Dale Williams (Image via Youtube / KREX News 5)
Dale Williams (Image via Youtube / KREX News 5)

Police have made a breakthrough in the case of Dale Williams, a beloved auto body shop owner from Nucla, Colorado, who mysteriously vanished more than 20 years ago.

Dan Bishop, a Naturita, Colorado resident, was taken into custody on October 17, 2024, in relation to the 1999 cold case that has plagued the tiny Western Slope community for 25 years. The arrest marks a turning point in the investigation, providing hope that justice may finally be served for Williams and his grieving family.

Dale Williams's case was also a part of the show Unsolved Mysteries which is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in season twelve with Robert Stack and in season four with Dennis Farina. It is also available to watch on YouTube.

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How and when did Dale Williams disappear?

Dale Williams, 42, was last seen on May 27, 1999, in Nucla, Colorado, a small town located in the western part of the state. He was an auto body shop owner and was known as a hardworking and well-liked member of the community.

On the day of his disappearance, Williams received a stranded motorist asking for his assistance. He left his shop to offer help but never returned. A month later, his truck was discovered sunk in the San Miguel River, but Williams was nowhere to be seen. Despite extensive searches and investigations, no significant leads emerged in the years that followed.

Following earlier investigations into the case without any arrests, the CBI, with assistance from the Montrose County Sheriff's Office, launched a new investigation in September 2023.

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The investigators discovered a .22 caliber rifle, owned by Dan Bishop, in the back of a truck with a used shell casing in the chamber. Further investigations suggested that Bishop, along with his now-deceased cousin, was involved in the murder of Dale Williams.

Montrose County Sheriff Gene R. Lillard expressed gratitude for the extensive efforts of law enforcement, family, and citizens who helped advance the case over 25 years, highlighting the hard work of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation and the Montrose County Sheriff's Office.

The community and Williams's family, who have been waiting for answers for 25 years, have found some solace in Bishop's arrest. The latest revelations are evidence of the persistent efforts of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Montrose County Sheriff's Office to solve the case.

Dan Bishop is still being held on a 1 million dollar cash-only bond while the investigation is ongoing, and authorities have hinted that additional details might be made public as the case develops.

More information about what happened on that day in May 1999 when Dale Williams disappeared will probably be revealed during the upcoming trial.

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Edited by Apoorva Jujjavarapu