During the summer of 1979, Christopher Daniel Myles (Sept 30, 1962 – June 4, 1979) was found murdered in a vineyard near Hughes and Nebraska avenues, Caruthers, Fresno County, California. He was sixteen years old and still in high school.
I found a few articles in the newspaper archives from the Fresno Bee and the Hanford Sentinel. They all have the same details about the crime scene. I have added my questions.
The Fresno Bee of June 7, 1979 says that Danny was shot in the back and his head with a small caliber weapon, so two shots. However, does that mean shot once in the back and once in the head or, twice in the back of the head as per this website. Did anyone hear shots? Were any weapons found near the crime scene?
Were there any traces to indicate that Danny was shot elsewhere and then dragged to the place where he was found? Could he have been dumped from a car? Did his body show any other trauma? Keep this question in mind.
A farmer found Danny’s body shortly before 11 am on Monday morning. He had been dead for approx. 24 hours as per the newspaper.
According to another paper, Danny was last seen on the third, Sunday evening, between 10 and 11 pm talking to people outside a store in Caruthers. During the day, he had been swimming with friends. After that, he did not go home in the afternoon but stayed in the business area. Did he still have his swimming bag or towel with him when he was found?
If Danny was last seen on Sunday evening close to 11 pm how can he be dead for 24 hours when he was found Monday morning? If the farmer found Danny close to 11am, he would have been dead at the most for 12 hours.
Is this a mistake in reporting, a very rough guess by investigators without consulting the medical examiner? There is the possibility that if the reported times are correct, and there is a 12-hour time gap, the timeline of the case changes. Then it is worth rechecking everyone’s alibi.
What exactly did the coroner or the medical examiner say about the time of death and cause of death?
The motive for this murder is unknown. Apparently, Danny was fully dressed with ID on him so possibly ruling out robbery and assault. Was his ID in a wallet? Were any prints lifted of the ID card?
This is the gist of what I found in the archives. From this website, I got a few more details. It makes me question that Danny was properly dressed as reported.
“It was also determined that Danny had been brutally sexually assaulted. He appeared to have fought his killer, as skin was found underneath his fingernails. Not much else has been released by police regarding the way Danny’s body was found, the circumstances of his murder, or what evidence law enforcement may have gathered.”
This website also mentions how little there is online about this case. I wish we had a screenshot of the article they refer to: “Beyond two small articles that we were unable to get copies of, nothing else has been written about Danny’s murder that we are aware of. The case of this 17-year-old boy has been forgotten about by the media.”
If Danny was assaulted, maybe the killer dressed him (unless someone forced Danny to do it himself) so there may be biological material to test on various body parts and clothing provided all evidence has been preserved. If someone dressed him their Touch DNA could be near zippers, buttons, the waist band of his pants, the hems of the pant legs, and his shoes.
From this website, I got another detail but again without the newspaper article or screenshot. Danny “was beaten so badly his funeral had to be a closed casket one.”
Information about DNA comes from Danny’s sister Marita, now deceased, on this website. I have deleted her private information from the quote.
“marita on Jun 14, 2004 at 7:18pm
i am sure alot of you know about my little brother danny myles being murdered 27 yrs ago. well i got ahold of the detectives on the cold case files and they are going to do some old dna testing with a suspect they have in prison. please say prayers and keep fingers crossed. i want to know who killed my little brother so bad. the suspect is a 50 yr old man in a prison out of state somewhere. at least that is what the detective told me so far. [email deleted]
thanks so much
love marita sister of danny myles”
Marita’s responses are from 2004 and 2005. I hope DNA was indeed found and uploaded in various databases to find a match.
Note: at the time of writing, the CrimeStoppers page covering the Fresno area did not feature his case.
Contact Information
If you have any information about this case, please call the Fresno County Sheriff’s office at 559-600-3111.
Rest in peace, Christopher Daniel Myles.
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In the series “Case of the Month” I highlight old unsolved cases. These posts are not an in-depth analysis and of course, more information can be found online and in newspaper archives.
We need to get these cases back in the mainstream media, to get people talking again, and if anything, to make sure that we do not forget the victims. Just because their cases are unsolved does not mean that we can forget about them.
With the advances in modern forensic sciences, we have a chance to find clues that previously remained hidden. So, let us review all these old cases once more.
I encourage you to share this post on your own social media platforms. By sharing these posts online, the cases reach new networks, new connections, and the latest news feeds. One day these updates may pop up in the right person’s news feed. That may be someone who can help advance the case and that is my goal.