Additional Coverage:
- ‘I mourned my dad for 40 years but DNA proved haunting secret about his bullet-ridden body’ (themirror.com)
A California man’s decades-long search for answers about his missing father took an unexpected turn after an exhumation revealed a shocking mix-up: the body buried and mourned as his dad was actually that of an unidentified stranger.
Mark Wells, 52, had spent years grappling with the disappearance of his father, Dale Wayne Wells, who vanished in February 1985 at age 38. Frustrated by a lack of progress from authorities, Mark took matters into his own hands and paid to have the remains exhumed in hopes that new DNA testing might finally shed light on the mystery.
The results, however, stunned him: the remains were not those of his father. Instead, the body belonged to an unknown man, leaving Mark to confront the harsh reality that the person he thought was his dad was someone else entirely.
The original body, found just a quarter-mile from Dale’s then-wife’s home in Colfax, California, had been discovered about eight months after his disappearance. Authorities had never determined how Dale died or who might have been involved. Mark recalls the remains were badly disturbed, likely by wildlife, and the scene included three spent bullets, fueling speculation about the circumstances of the death – though no definitive conclusions were reached.
Growing up, Mark was told his father had died in a hunting accident, a story he accepted until, as a young adult, he saw the official death certificate, which listed the cause of death as “unknown.” This discrepancy deepened his doubts and propelled his relentless quest for the truth.
In 2019, weary of dead ends, Mark arranged for the exhumation. DNA testing compared the bones to samples from Dale’s sister, confirming that the remains could not be his father’s. This revelation has reopened the case, with law enforcement now treating Dale Wells as still missing.
Mark expressed his frustration and heartbreak over the decades-long ordeal. “I want to know why that person is buried instead of my father,” he said.
“Most importantly, I want to know if my father is alive. I don’t know if he has passed away – I just want answers.”
Despite the renewed investigation, no new leads have emerged, and the identity of the man buried remains unknown. The Placer County Sheriff’s Office has reiterated that the body was originally identified through dental records before being released to the family, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
As Mark continues his search, the pain of uncertainty lingers. “It’s frustrating,” he said.
“All I want is the truth about what happened to my dad. I just hope one day I get the answers I’ve been looking for.”