Found Deceased IA - David Schultz, 53, Wall Lake, 21 November 2023 #3

[neesaki]

I’ve always thought he committed suicide from day one. He parked on a road opposite his normal route because it’s more desolate imo. I think he struggled with his decision. Hence driving slowly to where he parked. Threw his jacket but decided to go the other direction last minute. IMO he deliberately walked off into the cold and froze to death. Too many things point to suicide imo. I think he was mentally and physically exhausted and saw no other way out. Moo

But why did he even bother to pick up the pigs? I just don’t get it. We know there were no visible signs of trauma, so no gun.
How?

 

[Joe Friday]

But why did he even bother to pick up the pigs? I just don’t get it. We know there were no visible signs of trauma, so no gun.
How?

Probably also rule out knife and blunt force trauma. There must not have been a rope left around his neck either or other obvious signs that David was violently killed.

I'm waiting on the ME to announce the official Manner of Death (Nature, Accident, Suicide, Homicide or Undetermined) and cause of death before making any assumption to what may have lead to David being found in a farm field.

And until the toxicology report is completed and reviewed by the ME no announcement will be made. Which could take months. One good thing, if LE doesn't announce anything pertaining to the ME ruling, I think Sarah will.

Hopefully the manner of death can be determined and his death will not go on to being a mystery. Or at the very least it can be determined Homicide was not a factor, if that is possible with an Undetermined ruling. David could have been strangled by someone using their hands and with the amount of time before he was found and state of decomposition, visible signs of strangulation may not be visible.

Maybe the poison someone was feeding him finally got to the level were he could no longer make rational decisions and took off walking and eventually froze to death. Who knows? (Don't take that as an assumption as to what lead to his death. It's just a possible way of killing someone with no visible signs of trauma. But it would explain a lot)

JMO

 

[windrower]

If a grid search is the “gold standard” as someone mentioned, then why not do a grid “search” via drone, and have a team look over the saved images?

A drone can, to my knowledge, fly lower than a helicopter, and their programs now include mapping with GPS information.

A friend in Iowa has been using a special drone package for crop dusting his and others’ fields for the last two seasons. I’ll ask him about using a drone for missing persons searches.

In mostly wide open fields, I’d think a drone would be very helpful. What am I missing?

 

[Ladyotm]

It is all very strange but maybe he took something at the truck stop and it affected him poorly, so he started having weird symptoms and headed north instead of south, drove slowly and more slowly (remember that gap in time), and finally stopped, got out, maybe felt hot, took his coat off, wandered in a stupor. Given the posts above about the couple on meth reporting very strange things they were "seeing" while under the influence, I think that's a possible scenario. He perhaps was only trying to stay awake, although he was so close to his last dropoff and heading home a few miles away, why take anything at all, at that point (assuming that he did, of course).

What I find interesting is that Sarah and Jake spoke to the media today. Why did LE not make a statement, even if just to be vague and just tell us as we already know, that he was found and autopsy results are pending? LE usually steps in fairly quickly. Did they perhaps find a gun near him and need to run tests on that before making a statement?

I agree. Drugs or some mental issues could cause people to take off for no good reason when it isn't safe to do so.
I do not think that a volunteer search organization member should give interviews contradicting police during an investigation. I agree with an earlier post that said they may be less likely invited to help authorities in the future.

The concept of a grid search is very detailed and interesting to me. I know in some instances they have used police and FBI students.

I'm glad David has been found. I always felt he got out and ran off on his own. MOO.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

But why did he even bother to pick up the pigs? I just don’t get it. We know there were no visible signs of trauma, so no gun.
How?

Where is the verified LE statement about the condition of DS's body when found?

I have only seen quotes from people who are not LE.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

If a grid search is the “gold standard” as someone mentioned, then why not do a grid “search” via drone, and have a team look over the saved images?

A drone can, to my knowledge, fly lower than a helicopter, and their programs now include mapping with GPS information.

A friend in Iowa has been using a special drone package for crop dusting his and others’ fields for the last two seasons. I’ll ask him about using a drone for missing persons searches.

In mostly wide open fields, I’d think a drone would be very helpful. What am I missing?

If I’m recalling correctly, the drones that were used had thermal imaging cameras and didn’t take video, sadly. If he passed away shortly after the truck stopped, by the time they got thermal imaging devices in the air, they may have been almost useless. I’ve always thought a grid search as you suggested with drones would be simple enough. I’ve seen some amazingly clear HD footage by some SAR teams on other cases.

 

[OldAce]

Where is the verified LE statement about the condition of DS's body when found?

I have only seen quotes from people who are not LE.

Same question, as condition of the body after being in the open for even less time might well preclude gunshot, (thru and thru), knife, blunt force trauma, or garrote application.
As for LE two options: A quiet continual investigation has been going on, and will continue until arrests are made. The one I believe could still possibly happen with the discovery of the body.
Or the other.. Inept LE work at the outset and ride the unexplained mental/medical line to sadly close the case.. Depends on the integrity and character of the LE involved.

 

[KooshBall]

IMO it is very disrespectful to tarnish this father, husband and hard working family man's image and MEMORY by even bringing up reference to Meth when it's all just a crazy assumption about truck drivers in general. This poor man wasn't even what would be considered a long haul trucker. I can't imagine his poor wife and family reading these comments and reading frequent references to "meth." Just stop, please.

I only answered someone's question about how the topic came up. I'm not sure why you are telling me, personally, to stop. Nowhere have I tarnished anyone's memory and I think maybe you should stop accusing me of doing that. Thank you.

 

[Joe Friday]

Where is the verified LE statement about the condition of DS's body when found?

I have only seen quotes from people who are not LE.

Unless you are talking about the state of decomposition, there is this statement from the DCI:


A new press release from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says authorities don't suspect foul play in the death of David Schultz, 53, the Wall Lake trucker who went missing in November.

Preliminary autopsy results show no signs of trauma or serious injury, and further autopsy test results are pending.

DCI: No foul play suspected after missing Iowa trucker David Schultz's body found in field

A new press release from the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation says authorities don't suspect foul play in the death of David Schultz, 53, the Wall Lake t

cbs2iowa.com

 

[TwoDaysL8r]

I only answered someone's question about how the topic came up. I'm not sure why you are telling me, personally, to stop. Nowhere have I tarnished anyone's memory and I think maybe you should stop accusing me of doing that. Thank you.

Agree. We were specifically discussing similar cases like Brandon Lawson etc. and why he might have removed his jacket on a cool night and walked/run a fair distance at night in a plowed field (which if you've never done it is quite difficult). No one knows what happened, but I think reasonable speculation and similar case discussion is generally fine here? I don't think drug use / suicide / murder tarnish anyone's memory personally.