Case Details

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This person was missing Missing Since 04/10/1969

Missing Since:

Missing Since 04/10/1969

Missing From:

Missing From Watervliet, New York

Classification:

Classification Endangered Missing

Gender:

Male

Race:

Race White

Date of Birth:

Date of Birth 07/28/1946 (78)

Age:

Age 22 years old

Height and Weight:

Height and Weight 5’8, 145 pounds

Clothing/Jewelry Description:

Clothing/Jewelry Description A black ski jacket, a black checkered shirt and green slacks.

Distinguishing Characteristics:

Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Light brown hair, brown eyes. Bacon has tattoos of a heart, flowers, an arrow and the name “Mary” on his upper left arm, tattoos of a scroll and his nickname “Dave” on his upper right arm, and a tattoo of a cross on his left forearm.

Details of Disappearance:

In April 1969, a man named Bacon disappeared. He left for his night job but never arrived. His car was found abandoned, with his lunch and paycheck still inside. Initially, police thought he’d left on his own, but later suspected foul play. Unfortunately, his police file was lost.

Years later, in 2009, Nelson Costello was arrested for Bacon’s murder. Costello was a constable (like a police officer) in 1969 and had been trying to silence a witness. Police believed Costello killed Bacon because of a fight over a woman Bacon was engaged to. Costello confessed to killing Bacon—he pulled him over, pretending it was for the police captain, drove him to a boat launch, and shot him. He then buried the body in Virginia. A hurricane may have washed the body away years later.

Costello pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to prison. Bacon had served in the Vietnam War and had few family members left when he disappeared.

Agency:

New York State Police

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