August 5, 2024 | By: Kara Carter

This story is part of a collaborative project between Project: Cold Case and the University of North Florida’s Applied Journalism class.

Scott Howard Allison grew up in Perkasie, Pennsylvania. His young mother and father just adored him. He and his family moved to Bakersfield, California in 1973, during Scott’s senior year of high school. He was offered to stay in Pennsylvania and live with his Grammy and PopPop, his mother’s parents, but he moved with the family and finished his senior year of high school in Bakersfield. Scott was the oldest of four siblingsand he always looked out for them. All the younger siblings looked up to Scott. He was always willing to lend a helping hand, whether he was building a lemonade stand or sharing driving duties on the cross-country trip with the whole family and two dogs from Pennsylvania to California.

When Craig, Scott’s brother, was in elementary school, he fell into a frozen pond while playing in his backyard. He developed hypothermia from the accident and couldn’t walk for weeks. But what he remembers most about that time is his brother Scott carrying him up and down the stairs during his recovery.

Kelly, Scott’s sister, remembers a similar time. She, too, was injured, and remembers her brother Scott carrying her up and down the stairs of the family home. “And he never complained”.

A family friend, Leslie, once told Kelly, “Your Mom Judie, your Aunt Marilynn, and I all looked after Scott.  Your mother and Scott grew up together. She took Scott everywhere she went”, said Leslie and when she couldn’t, Leslie babysat Scott.  He was their pride and joy.

Craig and Kelly’s memories of those days are now bittersweet. Their brother, Scott Howard Allison, was killed almost 47 years ago in California, at just 21 years old.  His murder has never been solved.

In high school, Scott joined the varsity wrestling team which influenced his younger brothers to follow suit. “I still have his high school letterman jacket hanging next to mine,” said his brother Craig. While his love for sports was just one of the many remarkable attributes Scott is remembered by, his family also remembers him for his love of music, specifically Stevie Wonder. His sister Kelly spoke about how whenever Scott bought a new album, he and their cousin Phil would always listen to the album together.

As a young man, Scott was a good-sized, physically fit man with short dark curly hair, “almost perm-like,” Kelly said. He also had warm, dark eyes and a charming, chipped tooth when he smiled. He was a simple guy who wore a t-shirt, jeans and a flannel every day.

He adored his little sister Kelly. She recalls going to an amusement park with the family and no one wanted to ride the Gravitron with her. It is a ride that spins so fast that the riders lean against angled panels and the force of the rotation allows the riders to be completely supported by the walls without their feet touching the ground. He volunteered to ride it with her even though he didn’t initially want to, but since it was for Kelly, he did. “We rode over and over again until Scott puked”, she said.

Scott was a very hardworking and responsible young man. Scott used to work as a trash collector and would save his money. Kelly mentions how their cousin told Kelly he had seen Scott’s saving jar, and said it was the most money he had ever seen at the time. Scott joined the military shortly after high school and was eventually stationed as an Army soldier at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. In September of 1977, his family was eagerly awaiting his arrival for a visit home. His sister Kelly and youngest brother Mark were so excited for their brother that they both climbed a tree in the front yard and sat there waiting hours for him to come home.

“We waited and waited until Mom told us to get inside because it was getting dark,” said Kelly.

Scott never made it home. The last time his family heard from him was September 4, 1977, when he called his mother to say he would be home in about 10 hours.

After the 10-hour mark, his mother called the police to file a missing person report, but the police did not begin their search because not enough time had passed.

His body was found the following day in the desert 14 miles west of Barstow, stuffed into a sleeping bag. Police were able to identify him because his belongings were scattered along the road, in his belongings he had a Birthday present for Mark the youngest sibling. suggesting the killer took Scott’s car and threw out his belongings as they were driving.

After Scott’s murder, the family dynamics drastically changed. “It took my parents to a different place,” said Craig. The family felt lost and out of place.

His sister and brother both named their kids in honor of their late brother. Kelly still treasures all the family photo albums and memories she has of Scott. His brother Craig keeps Scott’s varsity jacket and other belongings with him. Scott “was the best big brother a person could have,” said Craig.

Kelly started a Facebook page dedicated to friends and family of Scott to keep his memory alive almost 50 years later.

“If you could choose a favorite brother, Scott was it,” Kelly said. “He was my protector.”

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Anyone with information on Scott’s case is asked to contact the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Office Homicide Unit at 909-387-3589. To remain anonymous, and possibly be eligible for a reward, please call WeTip at 800-78-CRIME.

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