Circumstances of Disappearance
Waggoner was last seen in Pasadena approximately October 1, 1971. His family hadn't seen him in a couple of weeks, when his mother went to his apartment and discovered him missing. The only thing he apparently took were the clothes he wore, his wallet and a 9 mm pistol. David's car was parked at the apartment.
His motorcycle was found two weeks later parked in the woods just off U.S. 59 in San Jacinto County, about 70 miles north of Houston, near Cold Springs and Shepard. His helmet was located on it.
Waggoner's family fears he might have run into terrible trouble in a county that, in 1971, was being ruled by Sheriff James "Humpy" Parker. Parker and most of his deputies would later go to prison for abusing young men they captured on U.S. 59. A book called Terror on Highway 59, by Reverend Steve Sellers was written about Parker and his deputies.