CA CA - Daniel Walker, 20's, shot while sleeping in van, Needles, 1 Oct 1974

[Betty P]

From the San Bernardino, CA Cold Case web site

http://wp.sbcounty.gov/sheriff/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2017/07/1974-433_walker_daniel.pdf

Victim: Daniel Walker
Age: Approx 20's
Caucasian, Male
Found: West of Needles, CA
Found murdered while sleeping in his van, which was parked off I-40, 62 miles west of Needles, CA

Suspect #1: White male adult, early 20’s, 5’08, 180lbs., sandy blonde hair with a red bandana tied around his head. Suspect #2: White male adult approximately 20-25years old, 5’05, 150lbs. and dark brown hair.Suspect vehicle: Gold van. Both suspects were possibly en route to Indiana to visit family members.

San Bernardino Sun Telegram Oct 9, 1974

One Good Deed Cost Daniel A Walker His Life

9 Oct 1974, Page 9 - The San Bernardino County Sun at Newspapers.com

9 Oct 1974, Page 9 - The San Bernardino County Sun at Newspapers.com

 

[dalailambo]

The '70s were a mean time. One from the year before, similar road crime.

KS - KS - Hazel, 60, & Steve Avery, 19, Gary Longfellow, 23, Ottawa, 28 March 1973

 

[Betty P]

The '70s were a mean time. One from the year before, similar road crime.

KS - KS - Hazel, 60, & Steve Avery, 19, Gary Longfellow, 23, Ottawa, 28 March 1973

Yes, there were. The case at your link is another really horrible crime. So many killers roaming the highways back then, as now. It seems most likely they're people already involved in or running away from other serious crimes. Killing someone for $80 or so doesn't seem to bother them.

Brutally killing victims of such small burglaries or minor crimes indicates the killers probably already served time and will do anything to avoid going back to prison. JMO.

 

[glamourkitty1922]

I've never heard of this murder! Needles is a small town and is very safe. I live in Needles CA. He was murdered off Needles Hwy.

 

[Penny4YourThoughts]

The '70s were a mean time.QUOTE]
RSBBM - also screwed up formatting by me

True @dalailambo ... Are we in the new 70s now?
Welcome to Websleuths!

 

[Betty P]

I've never heard of this murder! Needles is a small town and is very safe. I live in Needles CA. He was murdered off Needles Hwy.

The article says they were killed on the highway 62 miles west of Needles, so it looks like a remote area not patrolled by local police. Interstate highways have lots of travelers from distant areas, some of whom are up to no good. They usually avoid towns and prey on victims in more isolated spots, during hours when there isn't much traffic.

 

[dotr]

Oct 13, 2025 Backstory with Larry Potash
In 1974, Dan Walker is shot and killed on a desert highway in the Mojave Desert. After nearly four decades, a break in the case leads Dan’s brother Doug to meet a key witness. Has he solved the case? Larry Potash brings us this cold case story for Backstory.

Serial killer suspected in Mojave murder avoids execution after 8 failed attempts to find vein

The medical team could not locate a suitable vein on 73-year-old Thomas Eugene Creech. Inland victim’s brother says he has long since moved on.

www.sbsun.com

March 1, 2024

'This image provided by the Idaho Department of Correction shows Thomas Eugene Creech on Jan. 9, 2009. Idaho on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, delayed the execution of the serial killer, one of the longest-serving death row inmates in the U.S., after a failed attempt at lethal injection. (Idaho Department of Correction via AP)'

The Book: Daniel My Brother

danielmybrother.com

 

[FlyOfDragons]

Press Releases​

Jan 19 2024

Ada County Prosecutor’s Office statement following Thomas Creech’s commutation hearing​

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE​

Date:	Jan. 19, 2024
Contact:	Emily Lowe Public Information Officer 208-287-7700
RE:	State v. Thomas Creech Commutation Hearing

BOISE – Today, the Ada County Prosecutor’s Office requested that Thomas Eugene Creech’s death sentence be upheld, and his sentence not be commuted to life imprisonment.

In 1981, the state sought the death penalty against Mr. Creech for the first-degree murder of David Dale Jensen. Mr. Jensen was an inmate at the Idaho Department of Correction. Mr. Creech was serving four life sentences at the time he brutally beat and murdered 23-year-old Jensen, including pummeling him with a battery filled sock and stomping on his face and neck repeatedly. Mr. Creech pled guilty to the murder and was sentenced to death.

Three months prior to Mr. Jensen’s murder, Mr. Creech stabbed another inmate in the hopes of getting transferred to his preferred housing unit. When that did not work, he resorted to killing Mr. Jensen. If his sentence is commuted, he would go back into the general prison population where he would have more access to inmates, putting them at risk.

Mr. Creech has been convicted of five murders, including three in Idaho, one in California, and one in Oregon. He is a serial killer who is established to have killed an additional six victims, and has admitted to killing upwards of 40 people. Earlier this week, a cold case was solved in San Bernardino, California when after law enforcement’s thorough investigation, they determined Mr. Creech had murdered Daniel A. Walker in October 1974.

Seeking the death penalty in a capital case is not a decision that is taken lightly by any prosecutor’s office. The decision can be made only after a careful examination of the statutory factors as applied to the facts and circumstances. The facts and circumstances in Mr. Creech’s case warrant the death penalty to this day.

Mr. Jensen’s family appeared at Friday’s hearing to make their voices heard. The Commission also heard written comments from members of other victims’ families impacted by his killings.

“I want to thank Mr. Jensen’s family for having the courage to relive their pain and loss from decades ago by delivering extremely powerful and thoughtful victim impact statements to the Parole Commission,” said Ada County Prosecutor Jan Bennetts. “Mr. Creech’s actions have caused immeasurable pain to countless families, and on behalf of my office, we extend our condolences to Mr. Jensen’s family and to other victims’ families for their losses.”

“I also want to extend my appreciation to my team – Deputy Prosecutor Jill Longhurst, investigators and support staff, the Idaho Attorney General’s Office, and law enforcement both local and nationwide, who assisted us on gathering evidence in preparation for this hearing.”

We thank the Commission of Pardons and Parole for their attentiveness during today’s hearing and await their recommendation.