Overview

• Full name: Marilyn Denice Waltz
• Other name: Marilyn Denice Bigger
• Age when missing: 25
• Date of birth: July 26, 1952
• Date last seen: January 7, 1978
• Last known location: Bakersfield, Kern County, California
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current status: Unresolved; no publicly verified resolution located
• Investigating agency: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
• California DOJ case number: KC78-00568
• NamUs identification number: MP18983
• Physical description: Approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and 145 pounds at the time of her disappearance; red or auburn hair. Historical records differ regarding her eye color.
• Circumstances: Marilyn was last seen by her family in Bakersfield on January 7, 1978, and was reported missing that day. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance have not been publicly established.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Marilyn Denice Waltz: The Unsolved 1978 Disappearance of a 25-Year-Old Woman in Bakersfield, California

On January 7, 1978, 25-year-old Marilyn Denice Waltz disappeared from Bakersfield, California. Her family last saw her that day, and she was reported missing on the same date. Nearly five decades later, her disappearance remains an unresolved missing-person case.

Marilyn, also known as Marilyn Denice Bigger, is listed in the California Department of Justice missing-person records. Her case is associated with the Kern County Sheriff’s Office. Despite the passage of time, publicly available information offers few confirmed details about what happened to her or why she vanished.

Her disappearance remains an important cold case, with unanswered questions about her final known movements and the circumstances that prevented her from returning home.

Case Summary

• Full name: Marilyn Denice Waltz
• Other name: Marilyn Denice Bigger
• Age when missing: 25
• Date of birth: July 26, 1952
• Date last seen: January 7, 1978
• Last known location: Bakersfield, Kern County, California
• Case classification: Missing person
• Current status: Unresolved; no publicly verified resolution located
• Investigating agency: Kern County Sheriff’s Office
• California DOJ case number: KC78-00568
• NamUs identification number: MP18983
• Physical description: Approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and 145 pounds at the time of her disappearance; red or auburn hair. Historical records differ regarding her eye color.
• Circumstances: Marilyn was last seen by her family in Bakersfield on January 7, 1978, and was reported missing that day. The circumstances surrounding her disappearance have not been publicly established.

Sources: California Department of Justice; CaseTrace missing-person profile; Historical case discussion.

Background: Who Was Marilyn Denice Waltz?

Marilyn Denice Waltz was born on July 26, 1952. She was 25 years old when she disappeared from Bakersfield, a city in California’s southern San Joaquin Valley.

Public missing-person records also identify her by the surname Bigger. This alternate name is significant because historical documents, family records, and investigative databases may use different surnames for the same individual.

Descriptions preserved in historical case records identify Marilyn as a white woman, approximately 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 145 pounds. She had red or auburn hair. Sources differ on whether her eyes were blue or green, so that detail should not be treated as conclusively established.

A historical NamUs record reproduced in a Websleuths discussion lists her clothing and personal items as a faded maroon sweatshirt, Levi’s jeans, a wedding ring, and gold-framed glasses. It also notes a pregnancy-related scar. These are historical case details reproduced by a secondary source, rather than details independently confirmed from a currently accessible original NamUs record.

Relatively little verified biographical information about Marilyn is publicly available. Details about her employment, everyday activities, close relationships, and personal circumstances immediately before her disappearance remain limited in accessible records.

The absence of that information should not be interpreted as evidence that those aspects of her life were unimportant to the investigation. It reflects the limited public documentation available for a disappearance dating back to 1978.

The Disappearance: January 7, 1978

Marilyn’s family last saw her in Bakersfield on January 7, 1978. According to the missing-person information reproduced by CaseTrace, she was reported missing that same day.

The publicly accessible case summaries do not establish the precise time she was last seen, the address where she was last observed, or whether she was traveling to a particular destination.

They also do not reliably establish whether Marilyn left in a vehicle, departed on foot, arranged to meet someone, or communicated her plans before disappearing.

These gaps are important. Without a confirmed account of her final movements, it is difficult to reconstruct the sequence of events leading to her disappearance.

The available records do not establish that Marilyn voluntarily disappeared, experienced an accident, or became the victim of a crime. Each possibility requires evidence that has not been publicly verified.

What is documented is that her family lost contact with her and a missing-person report was made on January 7, 1978.

Investigation History and Available Evidence

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office Investigation

The California Department of Justice identifies the Kern County Sheriff’s Department as the law enforcement agency associated with Marilyn’s missing-person record.

The state listing provides case number KC78-00568, linking her disappearance to an official law enforcement reference.

Because the case originated in 1978, the original investigation would have taken place before modern investigative resources such as widespread digital surveillance, contemporary DNA profiling, and today’s interconnected missing-person databases were available.

However, the age of the case alone does not establish which investigative methods were used.

No sufficiently documented public account was located establishing the full scope of the initial investigation, including interviews, neighborhood searches, vehicle checks, or examination of Marilyn’s personal belongings.

Missing-Person Databases and Case Records

Marilyn’s disappearance has been documented through multiple missing-person information sources.

The California Department of Justice maintains an official record identifying her name, alternate surname, date of birth, investigating agency, and case number.

Historical references also identify her in the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, commonly known as NamUs, under MP18983.

The NamUs number appears in historical case discussions and secondary missing-person listings. It should not be confused with the separate Kern County law enforcement case number.

The existence of these records helps preserve Marilyn’s identifying information and makes her disappearance more accessible to investigators, researchers, and members of the public.

Physical Evidence and Forensic Information

A historical NamUs description reproduced in a 2015 discussion stated that dental X-rays were unavailable. That historical notation does not establish whether additional dental records have since been obtained.

No reliable public documentation was located confirming that investigators possess DNA samples, fingerprints, recovered personal belongings, or other physical evidence directly connected to Marilyn’s disappearance.

Likewise, no verified announcement was located identifying a forensic genetic genealogy investigation or a DNA-based identification resolving her case.

The lack of a public announcement does not necessarily mean that no forensic work has been conducted. Investigative agencies sometimes withhold details to protect an active investigation.

Public Awareness and Online Case Discussions

On April 9, 2013, a Websleuths discussion was opened concerning Marilyn’s disappearance. Participants shared historical case references, missing-person database information, and links to law enforcement material.

On May 4, 2015, a participant reproduced additional identifying information attributed to Marilyn’s NamUs record.

These discussions illustrate continuing public interest in her case, but forum contributions are not equivalent to verified police findings.

Community researchers have also discussed possible comparisons between Marilyn and unidentified human remains found in Kern County. Such comparisons are speculative unless confirmed by the relevant investigative or forensic authorities.

No publicly verified identification linking Marilyn to those remains was located.

Theories and Unresolved Questions

Marilyn’s disappearance has generated questions over the years, but publicly available evidence does not support declaring any particular explanation to be established.

Could Marilyn Have Encountered Foul Play?

Foul play is one possible explanation for a long-term disappearance, but the available official records do not establish that Marilyn was murdered or abducted.

No publicly verified arrest, criminal charge, identified suspect, or homicide determination connected to her disappearance was located.

It would therefore be inaccurate to describe her case as a confirmed homicide.

Could Her Disappearance Have Been Voluntary?

Another possibility in missing-person investigations is that someone leaves voluntarily.

However, no verified evidence was located demonstrating that Marilyn intentionally abandoned her previous life, established a new identity, or remained alive elsewhere after January 7, 1978.

The absence of publicly documented contact with her family cannot independently establish what happened.

Could Unidentified Remains Provide Answers?

Historical discussions have raised questions about whether unidentified remains discovered elsewhere in Kern County might be connected to Marilyn.

These comparisons have not been established as official investigative leads. An online comment also claimed that Marilyn had been excluded as a possible identification in one comparison, but that statement could not be independently verified through an official forensic record.

Without confirmed forensic findings, such comparisons should not be presented as evidence that Marilyn has been located.

Questions That Remain Unanswered

Several fundamental questions remain unresolved in the publicly accessible record:

• Where exactly was Marilyn last seen on January 7, 1978?
• Who last spoke with her, and what did she say?
• What were her intended plans that day?
• Were any witnesses able to establish her movements after her family last saw her?
• Were physical evidence or personal belongings collected during the original investigation?
• Have investigators obtained biological reference samples for modern identification methods?
• Does the investigating agency possess information that has never been publicly released?

These are investigative questions, not assertions that particular evidence or witnesses exist.

Latest Publicly Available Investigative Updates

Research reviewed through October 18, 2026

No publicly confirmed recent investigative breakthroughs were located in Marilyn Denice Waltz’s disappearance.

The Charley Project case profile continues to classify Marilyn as missing. Its published revision history identifies April 13, 2013, as the last substantive profile update, when clothing and distinguishing-characteristic details were updated. That revision was not an investigative breakthrough.

The California Department of Justice also maintains a missing-person listing associated with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department and case number KC78-00568. The continued availability of the listing is not evidence of a new investigative development.

As of this research review, no reliable public announcement was located confirming:

• An arrest, prosecution, or identified suspect.
• The recovery and identification of Marilyn’s remains.
• A DNA or genetic genealogy breakthrough.
• A newly announced search or officially confirmed lead.
• A public determination that her disappearance was a homicide.
• A verified resolution establishing her whereabouts.

No publicly confirmed recent developments were located. This does not establish whether investigators have conducted additional work privately.

Conclusion: A Disappearance Still Awaiting Answers

Marilyn Denice Waltz was only 25 years old when she disappeared from Bakersfield on January 7, 1978.

The available record establishes a small but important collection of facts: her identity, the date and city of her disappearance, her physical description, and the law enforcement agency associated with the case.

It does not establish what happened after she was last seen by her family.

Marilyn’s disappearance remains unresolved in the public records reviewed, and there is no verified basis for concluding that she is deceased or that a particular person was responsible for her disappearance.

Anyone with firsthand knowledge about Marilyn’s whereabouts, her activities in January 1978, or circumstances surrounding her disappearance is encouraged to contact the Kern County Sheriff’s Office.

The Sheriff’s Office lists its dispatch number as (661) 861-3110 and its headquarters and Detective Division number as (661) 391-7500. The California Department of Justice also accepts missing-person information through 1-800-222-FIND (1-800-222-3463).

Even information that seems minor could be worth sharing with investigators. Tips should be submitted directly to law enforcement rather than treated as established facts through online speculation.

Marilyn deserves to be remembered as a person whose life mattered, not simply as an unsolved case from 1978.