From Pizza Chalet to Nowhere: Tracking the Disappearance of Patrick Betz

 Today, we’re talking about the mysterious disappearance of Patrick Shawn Betz, an 11-year-old boy who vanished from Upland, California on January 20, 1988.

Patrick had told his mother he was going to a basketball game at Upland High School that evening. There was indeed a game, but it was actually being held in nearby Chino, California, not in Upland. That night, Patrick and a friend stopped by the Pizza Chalet on Foothill Boulevard and Euclid Avenue, a place they had visited earlier that day. They played video games, hung out for a while, and then Patrick left, presumably to walk home.

A witness saw him leave with an unidentified adolescent male, and after that, Patrick simply never made it home. His parents waited up all night, but he never arrived. By the next morning, they had reported him missing.

At first, police suspected Patrick might have run away. He’d recently been involved in an altercation at Sierra Vista Elementary School, which required a court appearance. But his parents insisted this wasn’t like him. Patrick had always slept with his favorite blanket, and it was nowhere to be found. Leaving home without it was completely out of character.

Over time, attention turned to the Pizza Chalet. Shortly after Patrick disappeared, the owners closed the restaurant and left town. There were rumors they returned to their country of origin, but there is no evidence that they had any connection to Patrick’s disappearance.

Today, Patrick would be 49 years old. Despite investigations, tips, and years of uncertainty, his case remains unsolved. His family continues to hope for answers and for someone—anyone—who might know what happened to him.

Patrick’s disappearance reminds us of how fragile safety can be, even in familiar places like your hometown or a local pizza joint. It’s a case that still haunts the community of Upland, California.

If you think you might know anything about Patrick Betz or his disappearance, even after all these years, don’t stay silent. Could you be the person who finally helps solve this mystery?