In an attempt to solve a cold case homicide, San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis today made a public appeal for information or witnesses connected to the 1987 disappearance of a National City man. Twenty-five-year old Crispino Buzon was last seen in the late afternoon of April 24, 1987 by his co-workers at Balboa Naval Hospital. Buzon, a Navy Corpsman, was likely murdered.

"Crispino Buzon's family is looking for closure," said DA Dumanis. "They are very anxious to find Mr. Buzon's remains. They are also dedicated to pursuing justice for whoever may have murdered him."

DA investigators have identified Robert Nydegger, Buzon's supervisor and another Navy Corpsman, as a person of interest in his disappearance. Nydegger had promised to help Buzon relocate his wife from the Philippines to San Diego, and Buzon had collected $3,000 from family members. On April 24, 1987, the two were supposed to have dinner. Then, Nydegger was to drive Buzon to Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino County for Buzon's military flight to the Philippines. Buzon was never seen or heard from again.

A few weeks after Buzon's disappearance, a plastic bag containing his identification, including military I.D. and personal belongings were found in a reservoir near Nydegger's residence in Victorville, CA. Nydegger has since been convicted of murdering his roommate Timothy Cudd in 1991. He is currently serving a life sentence with the possibility of parole.

 

Crispino Buzon missing since April 24, 1987

"We absolutely believe Robert Nydegger is connected to the murder of Crispino Buzon," said DA Investigator Robert Dean. "But the trail has gone cold." Buzon's brother, Carlos, says he hopes someone may know the whereabouts of his brother's remains. "I've never given up hope that we will find him," he said. Investigators are seeking any information about Nydegger and Buzon, including the possibility that someone may remember seeing them leaving Balboa Naval Hospital or having dinner together on the evening of April 24, 1987. Buzon also may have discussed the deal he made with Nydegger for his help on immigration issues.

Anyone with information should contact District Attorney Investigator Robert Dean at (619) 531-4317.

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http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/13299201/detail.html?subid=10101561

...."Nydegger owed $14,000 to friends in the Navy, and at least one person was paid after Buzon disappeared," said Robert Dean, an investigator for the district attorney's office. "Buzon's property, papers belongings to him, were found in a lake in Victorville, 150 miles from San Diego, about 3 miles from where Nydegger's wife lived at the time, so we suspect Nydegger is responsible for Buzon's disappearance."

Nydegger has since been convicted of murdering his roommate in 1988, a year after Buzon disappeared. The district attorney's office said the motive was robbery.

For the Buzon case to go from cold to hot, investigators need someone to step forward who may have heard a confession from Nydegger, or saw him and Buzon together on the night of April 24, 1987.....

 

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Public's assistance sought in 20-year-old case

Man disappeared, presumed killed By Ray Huard UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER May 11, 2007 DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO – Twenty years ago a National City Navy corpsman disappeared. Investigators think he was murdered, and they think they know who did it. The catch is, they don't have a body and they don't have enough other evidence to prosecute a convicted killer they suspect in the apparent death of Crispino Buzon, 25. Buzon's brother yesterday joined prosecutors and investigators in asking for the public's help finding the evidence to bring Robert Nydegger, 60, to trial. “If Nydegger was the perpetrator, he should be accountable for that action to bring this to closure,” Carlos Buzon said. Buzon said he has little doubt that his brother is dead, but the family hopes that in prosecuting the case investigators will find his body. “That is more important,” Carlos Buzon said. Nydegger, a Navy corpsman who was Buzon's supervisor at Balboa Naval Hospital, was convicted in 1991 of murdering roommate Timothy Cudd to get Cudd's money to pay off debts. He is serving a sentence of 25 years to life in prison. Cudd's body was found stuffed in a refrigerator in the backyard of the Grogan Circle home that he and Nydegger rented in San Diego, said Kim Kelly, a special agent with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service. Investigators never gave up on solving Buzon's case and as recently as 2005 used body-sniffing dogs to search the yard of an Alpine home Nydegger rented at the time of Buzon's disappearance, Kelly said. Their interest was renewed when Nydegger came up for parole in April, which was the 20th anniversary of Buzon's disappearance. He was denied parole but he is eligible for another hearing in five years, said Robert Dean, a district attorney investigator who first worked on the case in 1987 for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office. If Nydegger is tried and convicted of killing Buzon, he could face the death penalty, Dean said. Deputy District Attorney Robert Amador, who prosecuted Nydegger for Cudd's killing, said similarities between what happened to Cudd and Buzon's disappearance prompted investigators to suspect Nydegger. Nydegger had promised to help Buzon get his wife to the United States from the Philippines, investigators said. They said Buzon borrowed $3,000 from his grandfather to pay Nydegger, who led Buzon to believe that he had special connections to make it easier. The two were supposed to have dinner the night of April 24, 1987, then Nydegger was to drive Buzon to Norton Air Force Base in San Bernardino County for Buzon's military flight to the Philippines, investigators said. Buzon was never seen again. A few weeks later, a plastic bag containing his military identification and personal belongings were found in a reservoir near the Victorville home of Nydegger's wife, Dean said. “Our suspicion is that he killed him and his remains are buried somewhere between here and Victorville,” Dean said. Dean said anyone with information on Buzon's disappearance should call him at (619) 531-4317. Ray Huard: (619) 542-4597; ray.huard@uniontrib.com