The 2023 Netflix series Missing: Dead or Alive? follows four case studies over four episodes, with each chapter often resolved in the following. This episodic structure, although designed to keep viewers watching, can be frustrating if you looking for the story to be self-contained.
However, in an age of binge-watching, it seems that this is barely an inconvenience for most viewers who often devour content all in one sitting.
The third episode of this true crime series wraps up the story from the previous episode and introduces us to a new case.
A lottery winner from Barnwell, South Carolina, an abandoned pickup truck, and a missing man are the elements in this case and are probably the most chilling case.
This article will examine the evidence and answer the horrific question of how David Taylor died.
What happened to David Taylor?
This case begins with the discovery of a pickup truck belonging to David Taylor that is found by the side of a freeway. David’s wallet and ID are inside the truck, while the man is nowhere to be found. David’s family is contacted, and the team discovers that David was excited as he had just won a $10,000 lottery and had been searching for the office where the ticket could be cashed in.
The investigators track David’s past location for the full day, and it seems that he had indeed been driving all over the town, possibly looking for the lottery office. CCTV shows that David had walked into a store to buy lighters and then also asked a store employee about a certain location.
After a few days pass, David is nowhere to be found. The apparent conclusion is drawn that David may have been attacked because of the winning ticket, but in another twist, it turns out that the ticket has never been cashed in.
Eventually, there is a call from someone who phones the team and reports an incident on the day David went missing. The caller relays the story of a person running across six lanes of traffic during rush hour. The caller cannot remember what the man was wearing.
The location matches where David’s pickup truck was found. When the team checked the area, they discovered the area close by is used by drug users. The team checked with David’s family to find out if David was a drug user, but they said that despite other members of his family being drug users, David was not one of them.
Was David Taylor found?
Yes. David’s body is found in the wooded area close by under a tree. Despite their initial fears, the team finds no wounds on his body.
How did David Taylor Die?
A post-mortem was done on David’s corpse, revealing that he died from hypothermia. The investigation also revealed that he had a very high amount of methamphetamine found in his bloodstream.
Was David Taylor killed?
It appears that David may have been a drug user without anyone knowing. The team explains that while David was looking for the lottery office, he must have taken meth, which turned him delirious.
In his state, the meth in his system may have caused him to hallucinate, and he became so paranoid that he thought someone or something was chasing him.
It seems that this is why he left his truck by the road and ran across the six lanes of traffic on the freeway and into the forested area, where he, unfortunately, died from hypothermia as a result of the drug overdose.
I believe the police dropped the ball on this case. They should’ve searched the areas where his truck was found immediately. Had they done that sooner he would have been found and possibly alive.
What about the blood on his pants? It was quite a bit! Did I miss the explanation?
Hazel. I too am wondering the same thing, which is how I found myself here. Its never explained. I hope they continue to monitor that ticket and if anyone cashes it.
What about the bloody pants? Was it his blood? If he had no injuries???
They said when they found his pants there was a lottery ticket in the pants but when the detective was talking to the widow she said there wasn’t a lottery ticket found? Scripted…I think so.
This was shoddy detective work. Some of his family members are obvious drug users plus the cell towers pinged him in several areas known for drugs. They should have done a search of the area where his truck was found immediately.
Did they ever look to where he supposedly injected himself with the drug?
I watched program today. It says he’s from Barnwell SC but lottery ticket was bought in Goose Creek. Ok Goose Creek is a ride from Barnwell. Where did he & family actually live? I believe they said his phone was never found. He was just a few minutes/ miles from where he purchased lighters., how did he get to I20 West? He was like losing his own self. But I guess the amount of dope in his system was really really bad
I don’t buy the whole drug thing. They aren’t telling where he got those drugs. I think the daughter did it. Or know what happened. Where the blood ? come from?
I’m here for the same reason as everyone else it seems, where did all the blood come from? Something definitely up with the family in my opinion.
Nothing makes sense. E.g., is there really some meth that would Incapacitate him for 2 whole days? Why the packed suitcase? And, yeah, the bloody pants were never explained. The cops can be forgiven for not checking the other side of 6 lane freeway–who would imagine he crossed it?– without the tip– except that you’d think 911 calls would be the very first thing they checked for a freeway incident.
I’m with the rest of you all…WHERE DID ALL THAT BLOOD COME FROM IF HE HAD NO INJURIES??? There is no way they should have stopped investigating and his phone and the lottery ticket was missing and then all that blood on his pants and no injuries to his body
I WANT TO KNOW WHARS GOING ON WITH THE FAMILY, AND IIF ANYONE EVER CASHED THAT TICKET
Well, maybe one of the druggies took the ticket while high, not realizing they can be traced if stolen. Then, when Dave later turned up missing, they probably saw it on TV, and said to themselves that if they went ahead and cashed it, Police might charge them with his murder. You also need to show ID when you cash a winning ticket.
Bloody pants but no injuries. Wife didn’t seem bothered. Kids are druggies and daughter got him on them. Ugh so many questions so few answers smh
Glad I’m not the only one baffled. Firstly, I think theres overkill with the police vicarious trauma acting. Yes it’s a tough job, but I’d rather be the cop than the family of the deceased!! And i’m left with questions like you guys. about bloody ripped jeans no t-shirt. Did they say what happened to the t-shirt? Also I noticed broken branches behind/around him, one quite large. It almost looked like he’d fallen out of the tree. Plus I was sure it looked like blood stains behind his head. And Did they finger print or DNA his clothes or truck?
As for the lottery ticket it won’t be cashed in, after the top prizes are claimed the game is closed after 90 days. I want to know how long he was dead before they found him. Didn’t look like he’d been there long
I just want to know how pants ripped in half soaked in blood, when he had no wounds, was just completely overlooked. Obviously he struggled with somebody. Someone was bleeding.
I would be angry if I was his wife.
The blood is definitely puzzling, but him being stripped down is actually pretty common with hypothermia, not to mention the delirium. While watching it unfold, I had made the comment that, perhaps, the ticket flew out the window, causing him to freak out & crash, & wandered across traffic looking for it. As a former 911 dispatcher, I’m appalled that they didn’t put the calls about a guy traipsing across the highway in the same location together with the crash… irresponsible.
Y’all are dumb obviously.. they said “what is he doing on this side of town? It’s heavy in drugs” I’m pretty sure his daughter feels bad and also while searching for said lottery ticket when they found the pants he said “no lottery ticket” and at the very end of the episode Heidi if I’m not mistaken says “you read his toxicology report but did the coroner’s report? He was dead before the missing person call.”
Bloody pants but he had no wounds? Something missing here.
Here’s a possiblity
For the purpose of what narrative the elitists are portraying… That the police, FBI etc etc are genuine caring people (not elitist bitches)
They falsified the autopsy, coroner’s report.
It’s a cover up because some cartel paid off the cops
Here’s some questions… Who was in the truck with David and was he meeting with a dealer? Was he stabbed or shot as to why he was running for his life. Was the daughter with him at the time, was she in debt to the dealers? And was dad trying to save her. I don’t believe at all her back tracking story about sharing her drugs with her father, I believe the son who says he wasn’t into hard drugs. I believe the daughter is part of the cover up for the cartel because she knows who killed him and she was probably threatened but also rewarded with her fix it she corroborated cartel cover up.
FBI, cops cartel all one network we know that.
Investigation
Jeans were ripped in half covered in blood… Pants ripped off in a struggle with some one or I think likely more than 1 person? If he had a stab wound in the thigh that would explain his jeans ripped off him.
Sitting up against the tree – his body of what the camera shows was not discoloured pale as one would expect a dead body longer that 5 days (as the cops reports conflicted
The investigator cop intially says the body was in good shape, and from her experience of seeing how many homicides would know if it was 5 days old body or as she could help thinking he could’ve been alive the day before.
And then conflict of the autopsy and coroner’s report that his body was dead before they received the missing persons report and died of hypothermia exposure when his body wasn’t pale,
What a fucken water of time program.
Oh yeah and that fucken father is a fucken child abuser, watch how that kid is in Stockholm and looks like she’s regurgitating what’s been taught. I guess we won’t find out the truth until she’s in her 20-30s and decides to speak the truth.
Purpose of the series… Like I said narrative trust in the law and those who enforce it.
When they are as corrupt as the day they were invented.
Clue #1 and I knew right away what happened: He bought 2 lighters. Why do you need 2 lighters? To smoke the drugs with someone else. Sad ending, but the lighters were a giveaway for me.
They said there were no “wounds” as in bullet or stab wounds! If a crazed man was running from someone chasing him, I’m sure there were plenty of scratches with all the dead brush. Just as I’m sure that how his pants were ripped apart. If you’ve never been in the woods you won’t understand. If you have, then you are probably reading this and not one of the many dump posts!
Come on! If you are a try crimes fan you know what makes it on tv is not always in the order it was filmed and some of it has a scripted to an extent! Like the end of episode 4, do you really think Sierra was standing outside waiting and they just happened to catch her via drone? Of course that was filmed after speaking with them!
Once they find out the person is anyway associated with drugs….They give up on a lot of cases. Always blaming the drugs immediately because that must’ve been the reason for his death….same old clouded judgement. Quick to look past other suspicion.
So what happens now? Does the family receive the $10,000. dollars?
Oh wait, Americans are TAXED on their lottery winnings…which were purchased with “AFTER TAX” dollars?!
You should just move to Canada.
Come for the tax-free lottery winnings & stay for the Universal Healthcare!!!
1. Maybe he lost the ticket and freaked tf out and basically committed suicide?
2. Police system is extremely corrupt and the toxicology report was fabricated for an easy explanation
It makes no sense there was blood on his pants but no apparent wounds on his body and his body at least in the Netflix documentary looked pretty dang fresh
And the biggest thing that ticks my mind and I’ve searched high and low for is information on that ticket? I can’t find out if it’s ever been found or not. I realize it cannot be cashed after 90 days but regardless that doesn’t mean in the moment someone could THINK they could get away with something and frame his death as a drug overdoses but then never cash it after the fact because obviously that was a stupid idea. People are whack.
Definitely a water of time program as said in another comment
The whole family look like meth head’s the daughter is sitting there picking her face the meth does that they all including the wife looks like a meth head the cops dropped the ball on this more investigation should had been done and what about all the blood in the pants whats up with that the family had something to do with this $10 000 can get them alot of drugs the daughter specially she turned him on to drugs .
Need more investigation on this case