Spartanburg Police Revive 30-Year-Old Missing Person Case of Brian ‘Sunshine’ Awalt

Spartanburg’s Sunshine Case Reopened After 30 Years

In a surprising turn of events, law enforcement officials in Spartanburg, South Carolina, have reopened a missing person’s case that had turned cold over 30 years ago. Brian Keith Awalt, lovingly known as Sunshine, was last recorded stepping into a car with an unnamed individual at an apartment on Fernwood Glendale Road. No one has seen Sunshine ever since that fateful day on July 12, 1991.

At the time of his strange vanishing, Sunshine was only 29 years old. Presently, he would be celebrating his 62nd birthday. His life back then revolved around his domestic setup where he stayed with a woman and her teenaged son. Interestingly, this 16-year-old lad was the last person to lay eyes on Sunshine.

Fast forward to the present, this teen is now an adult who has spent a significant chunk of his life in the sunny state of California. It was only recently that he moved back to Spartanburg. In light of the reopening of the case, both he – the last known person to see Sunshine – and the woman have been re-interviewed by the sheriff’s office.

Work Life and Hangouts

Before his abrupt disappearance, Sunshine was gainfully employed with Associated Contractors. In his leisure time, he was known to enjoy the ambiance and camaraderie found in the local bars of the Clifton, Glendale, and Hillcrest areas in Spartanburg County.

A Hope in the Sketch

Among the recent breakthroughs, the former teen resident of the apartment could proffer a detailed description of the man seen in the company of Sunshine before his disappearance. This description was so vivid and insightful that authorities found it helpful in creating a forensic sketch. This sketch, however, represents an age progression – portraying a guess of what this person of interest would likely look like now, three decades later.

If this case sparked a memory or if you happen to have any information regarding Sunshine’s disappearance or the man he was last seen with, you are strongly encouraged to contact Sgt. Brown at this number: 864-641-9555.

Among other developments in the area, statewide leaders recently approved a regulation that seeks to ban cell phones in public schools all across South Carolina.

In a world that often moves on hastily, it brings a sense of hope when authorities decide not to give up on unsolved cases. Let’s keep our fingers crossed, hoping that this story sees a resolution soon and brings some measure of peace to all those who loved and lost Sunshine.