Found Deceased CA - Susan, 65 & William Schmeirer, 64 (both found deceased) Amboy Crater, 13 June 2018

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William & Susan Schmeirer left their home in Williamsburg, Virginia on May 27 to go on a cross-country road-trip vacation. The couple was due to arrive in Palm Springs on or about June 2.

On June 13, the U.S Bureau of Land Management notified the San Bernardino Sheriff's Department of a vehicle, later confirmed to be owned by the Schmeirers, that was parked at the Amboy Crater Trailhead parking lot for approximately 10 days and appeared to be abandoned.

On June 16 using deputies, a helicopter, volunteers, and a trained search dog found the remains of a man that matched the description of William Schmeirer. Positive identification of the body and a cause of death is pending from the coroner's office.

Susan Schmeirer has not yet been found. The sheriff's department is continuing the search and volunteers are scheduled to conduct another major search operation of the Amboy Crater area this weekend.

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Virginia couple headed for Palm Springs missing, vehicle found abandoned
 
Right around the time they think the vehicle was abandoned we were having temperatures around 100 degrees. Just prior to that it was 15-20 degrees cooler. That trail is just under 4 miles round trip. I have no idea what day or what time they were there, but I suspect they underestimated the heat. I walk my dogs daily and I won't go out after 8:00 AM or so because it warms up quickly and then I wait until the sun is setting or even a bit after to make sure it's cooled down enough. The sun out here is brutal.

To be clear, I don't live in the Amboy Crater area, but I'm not too far away. There isn't much out that way. It's in the desert and fairly lonely.
 
Is this article talking about the remains they think could be William? Partial skeletal remains found near Crestline during search for missing person – Press Enterprise

The missing couple is not mentioned, it just says the remains were found Saturday during a missing person search. I'm not sure if this is in the same area as Amboy Crater Trailhead, however...

Attempting to answer my own question it sounds like the above may be a different location/different set of remains:

The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department searched for the couple by air and ground Saturday, June 16. Morongo Basin Search and Rescue volunteers and a trained search dog joined the hunt.

They found the remains of a man matching the description of William Schmierer around 7:30 a.m. Saturday off the main road toward the crater, east of a gazebo, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller.

Positive identification of the body is still awaiting confirmation from the coroner’s office and the cause of his death is pending an autopsy.

His wife’s remains have yet to have been found and she is still considered a missing person.

Search and rescue volunteers are scheduled to conduct another major search of the Amboy Crater area this weekend.

Body found in search for missing Virginia couple

Location bolded by me and the other remains were found near crestline: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Cre...e37a32d3eb5a9!2m2!1d-115.7911091!2d34.5438831

I hope that Susan is found soon.
 
Sheriff‘s press release:

Amboy- Missing Person Investigation – San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department





DATE/TIME: June 13, 2018 3:07 p.m.

INCIDENT: Missing Persons Investigation

LOCATION: Amboy Crater National Natural Landmark, 87300 block of National Trails Hwy, Amboy

VICTIM(S): Susan Schmeirer, 65 years old, resident of Williamsburg, Virginia; William Schmeirer, 64 years old, resident of Williamsburg, Virginia

SUMMARY:
On June 13, 2018, officials from the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM) notified Sheriff’s Dispatch of a vehicle that had been parked at the Amboy Crater Trailhead parking lot for approximately 10 days and appeared to be abandoned. BLM Rangers conducted a preliminary investigation and requested the assistance of the Sheriff’s Department. Sheriff’s aviation, 40K3, immediately responded to the location and conducted an extensive aerial search of the area, Unfortunately, they were unable to locate the victims.

Investigators found the couple who own the vehicle, Susan Schmeirer and William Schmeirer, had left their home in Virginia on a cross-country road-trip vacation on May 27, 2018, and were due to arrive in Palm Springs on or about June 2, 2018.

The San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station coordinated and conducted an extensive search of the area on June 16, 2018, utilizing Sheriff Deputies, a Sheriff’s helicopter, highly trained Morongo Basin Search and Rescue volunteers, and a trained search dog. Search personnel located human remains of a deceased male matching the description of William Schmeirer, but positive identification of the body is pending from the Coroner’s Division. The cause of death of the unidentified male is unknown and is pending autopsy. The whereabouts of Susan Schmeirer is currently unknown. The Sheriff’s Department is continuing the search and investigation, Search and Rescue volunteers are scheduled to conduct another major search operation of the Amboy Crater area this weekend.

While the Sheriff’s Department appreciates the overwhelming support local desert community members have provided in recent similar situations, the Department would like to remind members of public of the dangers inherent in conducting their own searches. With temperatures predicted to rise in the coming days, please remember, daytime temperatures in that area will be extremely high. Ground temperatures will be even higher due to the dark lava rock ground cover. There is poor or no cell phone service in this very remote desert area.

Anyone with information related to the investigation is asked to contact the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department Morongo Basin Station at (760)366-4175. Anyone wishing to remain anonymous may contact We-Tip at 1-888-78-CRIME.

Refer: Detective J. Naylor, Investigator; Sergeant D. Garvin, Search and Rescue supervisor

Station: Morongo Basin Station

Phone No. (760) 366-4175

Case No. 091800826

JOHN McMAHON, Sheriff-Coroner
San Bernardino County Sheriff-Coroner Department
 
I'm familiar with this area, I was raised in Mohave Valley, AZ . I live on the Central Coast, so going home to visit family we drive I40.

Strange story. So they over shot Palm Springs and drove to Amboy, which is in the middle of nowhere by the way. It's between Barstow and Needles, and is not exactly a destination spot. Were they into geology, rock collectors?

Body found in search for missing Virginia couple

The article says they had hotel reservations, and were going to visit their daughter. Wouldn't they have told their daughter of their plans?
 
Human remains matching the description of William were found, but officials are still waiting for the official coroner report. There is still no word on Susan’s whereabouts.

“It just devastated me. My heart almost stopped. Totally unexpected,” said Bob Hershberger, a friend who has known the couple for nine years.

Hershberger said the couple has done a lot of traveling in the last couple of years. He said they went to Asia, Europe and took a cruise to Antarctica.

The couple worked and volunteered for the College of William & Mary. The school issued a statement reacting to the Schmeirers’ disappearance:

"Susan and William Schmierer have been engaged and valued members of the William & Mary community. Our thoughts are with their family at this difficult time.

Susan Schmierer worked part-time in undergraduate admission during the 2010 to 2017 application seasons. William Schmierer was a member of the Swem Library Board from 2014 to 2016. Both have volunteered with Special Collections and they are the parents of two William & Mary alumni."

Friends ‘devastated’ after Williamsburg couple goes missing while visiting California landmark
 
I’m baffled why BLM would apparently be aware of the length of time a car is parked in the middle of nowhere (presumed abandoned) but not immediately notify authorities of a potential lost hiker situation. Granted the couple probably didn’t last through the first day but it seems in that heat near a landmark the first assumption should be a tourist off track. :(
 
Body of husband found in California desert as wife remains missing | Daily Mail Online

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The couple were last seen on surveillance cameras on June 2 near the parking lot where their car was later found abandoned

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The Amboy Crater sits in the middle of a sparse area known to reach grueling temperatures. It is a 1.5mile walk from the parking lot to the crater, and the hike up it can take 2-3 hours

upload_2018-7-5_23-4-54.jpeg
Rangers are pictured looking for the couple in June. They are still looking for Susan
 

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