David Michael Burney

Missing – June 29, 2007 – Vinemont, AL

Cullman County

47-year-old David Michael Burney lived in Vinemont, AL, and was the father of six children. He was last seen at Jet-Pep gas station located on Hwy 57 in Battleground, AL, on June 29, 2007. At the time of his disappearance, he was described as 5’4-5’7 and approx 155-165 lbs with graying and balding brown hair and a mostly gray horseshoe-style mustache. He numerous tattoos on his arms, a scar on his right arm, a brown birthmark on the front of his neck near his chin, and was missing several or potentially all of his teeth.

On June 29, 2007, he set out in a new-to-him red ’87 Toyota Tercel to visit his daughters in Georgia. In preparation for the ride, he stopped at the Jet-Pep gas station/convenience store on Hwy 57 in Battleground, AL, which is the last known sighting of David.

Two months later, his Toyota was discovered abandoned in the Bankhead Forest on County Road 15 in Winston County. It had no gas, the battery missing, and there was no sign of David. This was approximately hour and a half away from where he was last seen and in the opposite direction he would have been expected to travel if he were going to Georgia.

Statements made by the family indicate that David may have had some enemies, and it appears David had a heart attack at some point prior to his disappearance. It’s unclear whether one or both of these were factors considered when investigators listed David as an endangered missing person in the ALEA database.

David continues to be listed as an endangered missing person in the ALEA and NamUs databases today.

Learn more about David’s case in Episode 7 of Unforgotten.