IA IA - David Schultz, 53, Wall Lake, 21 November 2023 #2

[Rural_PC]

at that intersection and then drive north for 4 miles in 20 minutes?

Maybe this indicates someone driving the truck that is not experienced with its operation?

 

[ifindedout]

Climate

Am I okay to post the sac county Iowa snow accumulations from the national weather service? Hopefully my link works. It shows temps were warmer and the only snow fall was 1.0 inch on 11/26. It then continued to warm back up to 51 degrees by nov 30th. The snow would have been long gone by nov 30th

Bolded by me
Yes, it backs up your post. It also happens to be in the public domain because it's a work of the U.S. federal government.

 

[Moni1967]

Bolded by me
Yes, it backs up your post. It also happens to be in the public domain because it's a work of the U.S. federal government.

Thank you for the clarification!

 

[TL4S]

Maybe this indicates someone driving the truck that is not experienced with its operation?

I guess, for me, the idea of somebody attacking DS at the 71/20 intersection, then having another person drive the truck for 4 miles, is just too complicated. And high risk for the perpetrators. There would have had to be at least two people and a vehicle involved, and one of the people would have had to know how to drive a semi. That would almost have to have been targeted then, but why, and why the extra step of moving the truck those 4 miles when there were gravel roads that they could have turned down at some point to ditch the truck, where it could have gone even longer before being found? And if the goal was simply to get DS into another vehicle and drive off, why move the truck at all? Especially if someone doesn't know how to drive it well enough that it takes them 20 minutes to go 4 miles?

I can come up with reasons why this was done, like the gravel roads were too muddy, didn't want to leave tire or foot tracks, etc., but it still doesn't jive with me. And where was DS during this time? Was he attacked at the intersection, where other cars could have come upon them at any time? If nobody was around to witness the attack, why not just toss him in the trunk and get the hell outta Dodge instead of risk driving an unfamiliar rig? IDK...I don't think this option is off the table, based on the little information we know, but I have my doubts. Just my own thoughts.

 

[Seattle1]

Sorry, when I said way up north - this area is north but is about 2 hours or so from Des Moines from this area. Des Moines having that major interstate intersection. I don't know - I have heard of truckers being trafficked but not sure this is it.

I thought about the lights but it's pretty desolate. It didn't take too long for something to happen and a pulled over truck driver would t seem super unusual. Him wanting to turn north makes zero sense.

I don't think it's random. I feel that would be too random. I don't think he was into into anything incredibly nafarious either but maybe he did something once and someone wanted him to do it again? Or maybe he was doing something he should not have. I don't know him and don't think his wife knows anything at all nor is she part of it.

I have a family similar to him and just don't see him walking away either. I know people say that but feel the coat and such, being found across the side of the road in the ditch, were there to throw something off. Just doesn't make sense.

Welcome to WS @jw9688 -- locals are so very much appreciated and I thank you for sharing.
Both DS and his wife SS are natives -- having spent their entire lives around Sac County. In a limited population, everybody knows your business. By all accounts, seems to me nobody throwing stones here and remain genuinely concerned for DS -- including DS's broker LB.

 

[doublestop]

What are the chances David might pick up someone alongside the road--a hitchhiker, or someone indicating they were in trouble or needed help, who then pulled a weapon and told him where to go?

 

[Seattle1]

What are the chances David might pick up someone alongside the road--a hitchhiker, or someone indicating they were in trouble or needed help, who then pulled a weapon and told him where to go?

I've always thought this a plausible explanation but in the opinion of both SS and other truckers, they all say no trucker in this day and age lets a stranger inside their cab. JMO

 

[tarabull]

So maybe NOT a "stranger".

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I've always thought this a plausible explanation but in the opinion of both SS and other truckers, they all say no trucker in this day and age lets a stranger inside their cab. JMO

Also, Sarah stated in an interview that he would not pick up a hitchhiker, and that if someone he knew needed a ride somewhere while he was loaded, he'd drive, unload and go back and get them rather than letting them in the cab with him.

 

[Moni1967]

What are the chances David might pick up someone alongside the road--a hitchhiker, or someone indicating they were in trouble or needed help, who then pulled a weapon and told him where to go?

I have the same exact gut feeling. I saw on a previous post that DS had a gun. Does anyone know if it was located in the cab?

Also could anyone have been hiding in his cab after he initially stopped at the truck stop? But he also wasn’t robbed so that throws me off.

Is there still a possibility that this case is in fact somehow related to the Mark Riesberg case? They both went missing within three weeks of each other and marks body was found within 1 mile of DS truck. LE says they are not related.. but is that indeed accurate?

I wonder if DS have any enemies or owed anyone money?.. Was he a gambler?

 

[mst]

The only explanation that sits well for me as to the time taken after leaving truck stop and the truck stopping where it was found, is a meet up. I think possibly the truck stopping at the truck stop was for DS to reach out and coordinate meeting time. DS then left truck stop to get to the spot at the right time. Either right before the exit or when exiting, he received a message that whomever he was meeting was going to be late so he idled on the side until it was time to go. He probably had originally planned on meeting and then dropping piggies but had to alter his plans. After that, I don't know.

 

[Moni1967]

The only explanation that sits well for me as to the time taken after leaving truck stop and the truck stopping where it was found, is a meet up. I think possibly the truck stopping at the truck stop was for DS to reach out and coordinate meeting time. DS then left truck stop to get to the spot at the right time. Either right before the exit or when exiting, he received a message that whomever he was meeting was going to be late so he idled on the side until it was time to go. He probably had originally planned on meeting and then dropping piggies but had to alter his plans. After that, I don't know.

I really like this. It makes sense. SS says he was a man of the 80s but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t know how to work a pay by minute phone. Is it possible that he did have a burner phone for this type of situation?

 

[OldAce]

I guess, for me, the idea of somebody attacking DS at the 71/20 intersection, then having another person drive the truck for 4 miles, is just too complicated. And high risk for the perpetrators. There would have had to be at least two people and a vehicle involved, and one of the people would have had to know how to drive a semi. That would almost have to have been targeted then, but why, and why the extra step of moving the truck those 4 miles when there were gravel roads that they could have turned down at some point to ditch the truck, where it could have gone even longer before being found? And if the goal was simply to get DS into another vehicle and drive off, why move the truck at all? Especially if someone doesn't know how to drive it well enough that it takes them 20 minutes to go 4 miles?

I can come up with reasons why this was done, like the gravel roads were too muddy, didn't want to leave tire or foot tracks, etc., but it still doesn't jive with me. And where was DS during this time? Was he attacked at the intersection, where other cars could have come upon them at any time? If nobody was around to witness the attack, why not just toss him in the trunk and get the hell outta Dodge instead of risk driving an unfamiliar rig? IDK...I don't think this option is off the table, based on the little information we know, but I have my doubts. Just my own thoughts.

I believe this is going to be a real complicated surprise when a conclusion is reached. Motive will be the instigation.
I think David is dead. That he was taken control of at the 71/20 off ramp. By 1 or more. Every thing fits up until he turns right instead of left: witnesses to time at the loading point, pics at the 126, later DOT camera sighting, and the STOP sign at end of ramp. Many people were aware of his routes, shippers, competitive truckers, employees at either end.
This is where he would come to a full stop; in a somewhat "secluded" spot, and could be accosted either by a person on foot at edge of ramp. Or a car zoom in to block his start off with an armed person getting out to take him. The idea of a standing person fits for me, as the pass side window was halfway down. Person standing, (female ?) feigning injury, sickness, or recognized by David, etc. David stops alongside, lowers window to talk.

Several possibilities here.
Perp is known (or if female don't appear to be a threat) Conversation ensues and is allowed inside
Or story not accepted and person present weapon. Perp says unlock door, agile enough to hold on to the grab handles, lean back as door opens, still presenting threat David. (Not a very difficult maneuver)
Or just lean in and threaten with weapon and says turn right and move on slowly up northward.
In this case, I would be driving very slow and questioning the perp (whether I knew him or not-Stall).
Arriving at the stopped location (maybe in sight of the pickup car) commands David to stop and shut it down.
Then gets inside cab (if not already) and commands David to get out drivers side as he can keep him covered going out.
Possible altercation here to lose jacket as perp dismounts. Perp regains control and marches David up road to waiting car in field entrance where dog lost scent.
David is hauled away to his fate.

(Tractor was shut down properly as "cold start" by mechanic later caused no problem. Novice would have turned off key and turbos would seized, lock up and have to be towed.)
(David could have shut off lights hoping to attract query of any passersby as to why no markers.)
(Many ramifications of this scenario can be melded in to result in the actual. Do not believe the base will be far off.)
(Depending on motive, there is a good possibility his body will not be found.)

 

[mst]

I really like this. It makes sense. SS says he was a man of the 80s but that doesn’t mean he wouldn’t know how to work a pay by minute phone. Is it possible that he did have a burner phone for this type of situation?

It's also possible that the person/people he was meeting with was a number that was not out of the ordinary to be on his phone records. It could have been speaking rather than a text. We do know that from the initial info from LE that David had been in contact with family/friends in the wee hours of the morning and it wasn't his wife

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I have the same exact gut feeling. I saw on a previous post that DS had a gun. Does anyone know if it was located in the cab?

Also could anyone have been hiding in his cab after he initially stopped at the truck stop? But he also wasn’t robbed so that throws me off.

Is there still a possibility that this case is in fact somehow related to the Mark Riesberg case? They both went missing within three weeks of each other and marks body was found within 1 mile of DS truck. LE says they are not related.. but is that indeed accurate?

I wonder if DS have any enemies or owed anyone money?.. Was he a gambler?

I don't think Mark's body was found within a mile of DS's truck. It was somewhere in Jolley. I found a link with an address but the website is questionable. If that address was correct, it was 12-15 miles from DS's truck depending on which route you would take between the two. But Mark lived and worked closer to DS's truck location.

 

[mst]

I believe this is going to be a real complicated surprise when a conclusion is reached. Motive will be the instigation.
I think David is dead. That he was taken control of at the 71/20 off ramp. By 1 or more. Every thing fits up until he turns right instead of left: witnesses to time at the loading point, pics at the 126, later DOT camera sighting, and the STOP sign at end of ramp. Many people were aware of his routes, shippers, competitive truckers, employees at either end.
This is where he would come to a full stop; in a somewhat "secluded" spot, and could be accosted either by a person on foot at edge of ramp. Or a car zoom in to block his start off with an armed person getting out to take him. The idea of a standing person fits for me, as the pass side window was halfway down. Person standing, (female ?) feigning injury, sickness, or recognized by David, etc. David stops alongside, lowers window to talk.

Several possibilities here.
Perp is known (or if female don't appear to be a threat) Conversation ensues and is allowed inside
Or story not accepted and person present weapon. Perp says unlock door, agile enough to hold on to the grab handles, lean back as door opens, still presenting threat David. (Not a very difficult maneuver)
Or just lean in and threaten with weapon and says turn right and move on slowly up northward.
In this case, I would be driving very slow and questioning the perp (whether I knew him or not-Stall).
Arriving at the stopped location (maybe in sight of the pickup car) commands David to stop and shut it down.
Then gets inside cab (if not already) and commands David to get out drivers side as he can keep him covered going out.
Possible altercation here to lose jacket as perp dismounts. Perp regains control and marches David up road to waiting car in field entrance where dog lost scent.
David is hauled away to his fate.

(Tractor was shut down properly as "cold start" by mechanic later caused no problem. Novice would have turned off key and turbos would seized, lock up and have to be towed.)
(David could have shut off lights hoping to attract query of any passersby as to why no markers.)
(Many ramifications of this scenario can be melded in to result in the actual. Do not believe the base will be far off.)
(Depending on motive, there is a good possibility his body will not be found.)

Although I can definitely see this scenario, wouldn't the suspect risk being seen by another vehicle getting off the exit?

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

It's also possible that the person/people he was meeting with was a number that was not out of the ordinary to be on his phone records. It could have been speaking rather than a text. We do know that from the initial info from LE that David had been in contact with family/friends in the wee hours of the morning and it wasn't his wife

Excellent recall. Whatever happened with that early statement? We've never learned more about that supposed contact, have we?

 

[mst]

Excellent recall. Whatever happened with that early statement? We've never learned more about that supposed contact, have we?

Nope

 

[Seattle1]

I believe this is going to be a real complicated surprise when a conclusion is reached. Motive will be the instigation.
I think David is dead. That he was taken control of at the 71/20 off ramp. By 1 or more. Every thing fits up until he turns right instead of left: witnesses to time at the loading point, pics at the 126, later DOT camera sighting, and the STOP sign at end of ramp. Many people were aware of his routes, shippers, competitive truckers, employees at either end.

^^rsbm

More recently, SS indicated there were skid marks on the 71/20 off ramp. I'm hopeful local reporters will interview the SCSO for an update on the case and ask the sheriff to confirm.

 

[ifindedout]

Climate

Am I okay to post the sac county Iowa snow accumulations from the national weather service? Hopefully my link works. It shows temps were warmer and the only snow fall was 1.0 inch on 11/26. It then continued to warm back up to 51 degrees by nov 30th. The snow would have been long gone by nov 30th

Here's the NWS results for the Sac City area.

---

Climatological Data for SAC CITY, IA - December 2023
Date Hi Temp Lo Temp Avg Deviat. HDD CDD Precip. New Snow/Depth

2023-12-01	46	20	33.0	5.0	32	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-02	37	21	29.0	1.4	36	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-03	38	21	29.5	2.3	35	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-04	31	25	28.0	1.2	37	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-05	37	25	31.0	4.6	34	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-06	40	17	28.5	2.4	36	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-07	51	27	39.0	13.3	26	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-08	59	29	44.0	18.7	21	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-09	53	32	42.5	17.5	22	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-10	32	18	25.0	0.4	40	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-11	39	13	26.0	1.7	39	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-12	44	18	31.0	7.1	34	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-13	35	20	27.5	3.9	37	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-14	45	20	32.5	9.3	32	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-15	55	25	40.0	17.1	25	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-16	44	35	39.5	16.9	25	0	0.25	0.0	0
2023-12-17	44	30	37.0	14.7	28	0	0.07	0.0	0
2023-12-18	38	21	29.5	7.5	35	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-19	M	M	M	M	M	M	M	M	M
2023-12-20	45	18	31.5	10.1	33	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-21	43	19	31.0	9.9	34	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-22	45	34	39.5	18.7	25	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-23	50	32	41.0	20.5	24	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-24	51	35	43.0	22.7	22	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-25	54	32	43.0	23.0	22	0	1.55	0.0	0
2023-12-26	43	28	35.5	15.7	29	0	0.22	0.0	0
2023-12-27	31	26	28.5	9.0	36	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-28	34	24	29.0	9.7	36	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-29	32	23	27.5	8.4	37	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-30	46	24	35.0	16.2	30	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-12-31	41	24	32.5	13.9	32	0	0.00	0.0	0
Sum	1283	736	-	-	934	0	2.09	0.0	-
Average	42.8	24.5	33.7	10.8	-	-	-	-	0.0
Normal	31.7	14.0	22.9	-	1306	0	1.17	7.2	-

Observations for each day cover the 24 hours ending at the time given below (Local Standard Time).
Max Temperature : 6am
Min Temperature : 6am
Precipitation : 6am
Snowfall : 6am
Snow Depth : 6am

ETA: November 2023
Climatological Data for SAC CITY, IA - November 2023

2023-11-01	32	18	25.0	-16.6	40	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-02	48	20	34.0	-7.1	31	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-03	59	24	41.5	0.9	23	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-04	60	31	45.5	5.4	19	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-05	59	32	45.5	5.9	19	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-06	64	38	51.0	11.9	14	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-07	66	33	49.5	10.9	15	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-08	57	34	45.5	7.4	19	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-09	60	30	45.0	7.3	20	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-10	57	25	41.0	3.8	24	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-11	47	26	36.5	-0.2	28	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-12	55	36	45.5	9.3	19	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-13	65	31	48.0	12.2	17	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-14	66	32	49.0	13.7	16	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-15	66	33	49.5	14.7	15	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-16	66	33	49.5	15.1	15	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-17	63	25	44.0	10.1	21	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-18	48	23	35.5	2.0	29	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-19	63	27	45.0	12.0	20	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-20	58	30	44.0	11.4	21	0	T	0.0	0
2023-11-21	46	35	40.5	8.3	24	0	0.01	0.0	0
2023-11-22	42	18	30.0	-1.7	35	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-23	54	18	36.0	4.7	29	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-24	37	16	26.5	-4.4	38	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-25	26	15	20.5	-9.9	44	0	T	T	T
2023-11-26	27	18	22.5	-7.5	42	0	0.08	1.0	1
2023-11-27	34	11	22.5	-7.1	42	0	0.00	0.0	T
2023-11-28	28	10	19.0	-10.2	46	0	0.00	0.0	T
2023-11-29	35	9	22.0	-6.8	43	0	0.00	0.0	0
2023-11-30	51	26	38.5	10.1	26	0	0.00	0.0	0
Sum	1539	757	-	-	794	0	0.09	1.0	-
Average	51.3	25.2	38.3	3.6	-	-	-	-	0.0
Normal	45.1	24.4	34.7	-	908	0	1.57	2.7	-

Observations for each day cover the 24 hours ending at the time given below (Local Standard Time).
Max Temperature : 6am
Min Temperature : 6am
Precipitation : 6am
Snowfall : unknown
Snow Depth : 6am

ETA2: added meaning of each field, didn't work out too well