Donald Lee Izzett Jr.

Izzett, circa 1995

  • Missing Since 07/01/1995
  • Missing From San Francisco, California
  • Classification Endangered Missing
  • Sex Male
  • Race White
  • Date of Birth 11/05/1975 (49)
  • Age 19 years old
  • Height and Weight 6'2, 165 pounds
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Caucasian male. Brown hair, brown eyes. Some agencies may list Izzett's eye color as blue. He has a mole on his neck and a scar on his abdomen. He has had a tonsillectomy, and tubes have been inserted into both of his ears. Izzett previously fractured his left foot; the injury had healed by the time of his July 1995 disappearance. His nickname is Donnie.

Details of Disappearance

Izzett was a student at Frostburg State University in Maryland in the spring of 1995. He finished his freshman year in May 1995 and embarked on a rather transient lifestyle.

Izzett moved around Maryland after leaving college, first relocating to the Baltimore area and then traveling to the Georgetown region afterwards. He visited his mother in Cumberland, Maryland on May 7, 1995. He phoned her for the final time on May 14, seven days later.

Izzett said that he was in Santa Monica, California and wanted to return home. He was crying and sounded hysterical during the call. He told his mother he would call her back with information on where she should wire extra funds for him. He ended the conversation hurriedly, as if he did not want someone nearby to hear him. Izzett never returned the call and his mother has never heard from him again.

Izzett had a friend known as Shane during the spring/summer of 1995. Shane was allegedly abusive towards him at the time. Izzett apparently relocated to Florida after arriving in California due to problems with Shane.

Izzett then traveled with a friend named Barry (or possibly "Berry") from Florida to Canada sometime afterwards. Barry told authorities that he dropped Izzett off at his mother's residence in Cumberland later in May 1995. If Izzett was in Maryland at that time, he apparently never contacted his mother.

Another friend told investigators that Izzett and Shane got back together during this time, but continued to have problems. The friend stated that Izzett called him from McComb, Mississippi and said that he and Shane were reportedly attempting to move to Florida once again.

An additional witness claimed that Izzett and Shane left Florida together soon after arriving planned to travel to California. Izzett stopped in New Orleans, Louisiana with Shane during the trip and the two had an argument. Shane left New Orleans and moved on to Mississippi again, this time with Izzett following shortly behind him. Shane apparently relocated again to San Bernardino, California sometime during the summer of 1995. Izzett allegedly attempted to contact Shane from Mississippi. It is not known if they communicated.

The only piece of evidence from Izzett's travels during 1995 is a traffic citation he received in Buckeye, Arizona on May 22. Izzett was ordered to appear for a court date in Arizona on June 27, but he never arrived. He was driving Shane's vehicle at the time he received the ticket.

An unidentified friend of Izzett's last heard from him in San Francisco, California during July 1995. The friend stated that Izzett was living with an elderly man and seemed to be traveling for the enjoyment.

Authorities established that Izzett had many contacts in the United States in 1995. He often associated with people in Key West, Florida and Washington, D.C., along with the additional locales where Izzett lived during the summer of 1995. Investigators have not determined how he supported himself financially.

His mother reported him as a missing person to Maryland authorities in July 1995. No one has seen Izzett since that time. There has been no activity on Izzett's Social Security number or his accounts. No one has been charged in connection with Izzett's disappearance, but foul play is suspected in his case due to the circumstances involved.

Izzett's mother is continuing her search for her son. She has criticized the police investigating her son's case and says they are slow to follow up on tips. Authorities say they are doing everything they can to find him. They've searched Pike County, Mississippi for his remains in the late 1990s, and in 2016, 2017 and 2018, but their efforts turned up nothing. His case remains unsolved.

Izzett graduated Fort Hill High School in 1993; he was near the top of his class. He enjoys reading books. Some agencies may list May 7, 1995 as the date of his disappearance, which is the day he visited his mother's Maryland home for the final time.

Updated 3 times since October 12, 2004. Last updated March 14, 2019; distinguishing characteristics and details of disappearance updated.