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

[Joe Friday]

I'm 62 and can't believe what I just read. I would never think, I could never imagine it, but there it is in print. I guess the farming community is no different committing fraud than any other entity. And to find out this has been going on for nearly 20 years in Iowa of all places. So there you go I guess Dave Schultz could have knowledge of some fraud and probably not even this case. Wow ! The other things I've been pondering is why didn't Dave give one of his twins a hug and kiss before leaving that night? I know they claim he was running late and didn't have time, but that is just untrue. A hug and kiss takes seconds and would have no impact on him being late. Furthermore he wasted I think it was 16 minutes at the truck stop? I can't remember. Anyway he had time to scroll through his phone and was seen frantically searching the truck on video but not enough time to kiss and hug one of his 10 year old twins. It just doesn't make sense.

BBM

I'm pretty sure David kissed the visiting grandkid (Grandson I think), Not one of the twins,

One of the twins then said "what about me" and David said no time and left after giving Sarah a kiss.

He may of given Sarah a kiss first, memory is shot. But Sarah said he kissed her too.

 

[SharonNeedles]

A man can disappear without an apparent trace hauling hogs up in Iowa... Risky

No. Y'all are letting your imaginations run away with you here.

 

[OldAce]

No. Y'all are letting your imaginations run away with you here.

If I was going to turn it loose, I would have sold this head start to someone for only $100.00. LOL

Ref my #120 Post: Not to imply that DS was in any way involved in weight/sorting issues.
My commentary was sort of in reply to the apparent "shock and awe" of some posts regarding the massive frauds referred to. Livestock cheating pales in comparison to some large corporations operations and a few sports figures participation.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

About 80 years ago I was heavily involved in raising hogs on our farm in Mississippi. I got to feed, ring their noses, help with castration/haul with a farm tractor and trailer to the packer. No where near the magnitude that has evolved, but I am well aware; then and now, feeding/handling hogs is a "messy" business. Fudging on weights by a buyer was known and watched even then. A top hog then was (as I remember) 200 to 220 pounds) and St Louis mkt was say $0.25 per pound. But, if the buyer (packer) said a couple of them looked a little light, he could only give $0.23 per pound.
Or they were heavier (easy with a hog on corn) and still out of the "top" price band.
You were at his receiving yard, your hogs on his scales, he was the "Market". Take the price an go home with a check, or reload them and take home. Folks, fraud has been prevalent from $1.00 to millions for years... I was 8 years old then.
(Addendum) It is almost impossible to tell the ham from a 199 lb hog from one from a 221 lb hog. Yes, I have worked in a packing house.2

Thanks for the insights and experience OldAce this is fascinating stuff.

So in my imagination DS was really just the 'runner' between upload barns and the Weichman's offload place? I know that if W's was unstaffed for the night that he would be responsible for solo unloading the hogs -but- in most circumstances would he just be collecting a ready loaded trailer, hooking it up, driving from A-B and returning the trailer back then parking up his truck.

Or when he picked up was he also loading the trailer cos that doesn't seem quite right to me unless he is arriving with the empty trailer and there's no farm hands.

He's not selecting the load of hogs in any way is he? He's just being told those 100 piggies in that pen are going in your trailer and then they're uploaded. Maybe he noticed they don't look well, sickly skinny, the 'cull'. Maybe some even expire or have medical events en route? But alls he's got to do is offload them at W's with or without the assistance of a handler right? If the paperwork declares a false weight and he's alone, what does he do? Would he even know?

 

[OldAce]

Thanks for the insights and experience OldAce this is fascinating stuff.

So in my imagination DS was really just the 'runner' between upload barns and the Weichman's offload place? I know that if W's was unstaffed for the night that he would be responsible for solo unloading the hogs -but- in most circumstances would he just be collecting a ready loaded trailer, hooking it up, driving from A-B and returning the trailer back then parking up his truck.

Or when he picked up was he also loading the trailer cos that doesn't seem quite right to me unless he is arriving with the empty trailer and there's no farm hands.

He's not selecting the load of hogs in any way is he? He's just being told those 100 piggies in that pen are going in your trailer and then they're uploaded. Maybe he noticed they don't look well, sickly skinny, the 'cull'. Maybe some even expire or have medical events en route? But alls he's got to do is offload them at W's with or without the assistance of a handler right? If the paperwork declares a false weight and he's alone, what does he do? Would he even know?

Typically, I would be told to go to an areas auction barn and pick up calves for Rath in Waterloo. My trailer would have been "double decked" and "bedded" with pine wood shavings. Auction over by 5PM, buyer paid and truck ordered, I would be dispatched, drive approximately 40/50 miles to site, arrive 7 to 8 PM.
I would arrive at the sale barn and being familiar loop around the loading out side. open my trailer doors, back it to the chute and walk back. By then, usually the yard man or "nite man" would appear and we would discuss, whose, going where, how many, bring me #... I usually divided the total head by 4. one half on top deck, rest on floor deck.
Larger ones last. Heavier weight on floor and largest of them on the very last. Weight on tandem axle distribution.

(Our trailers then were like typical dry vans, but with open slat sides rather than enclosed aluminum. nothing like the present saggy belly cattle pots they use now-We had floor and the mid height false deck or two levels)
(My rig then was tagged for 56,000 gross, and could scale 32,000 or 30,000 with the double deck..)

Rath loads were veal calves, weaned and eating but not yearlings yet. If load was say 200 head, he would send 50 down the alley and up the top deck chute. I would hop over and shoo them on up front and position a "cut gate" and tie off. Yell to him send me 50 more. Chouse them inside and close the inside trailer wood gate on them. Top loaded...
Then smallest half of the 100 left, same way and gated, then the final 50 of the largest left, close inside wood gate, pull up 10 feet, close outside metal doors. Pull on around to front, go in and wash up a bit, Get paper work on the load, pull out to the highway and take to Waterloo. 750 miles- About 15 hours
Khaki work pant and shirts, Wellington boots, no cap or cowboy hat. Note loaded on clean dry pine shavings. If careful clothing was OK.
Because I had the deck in, come back to E. St Louis and load top hogs basically same way. Exception was the bedding was now used and messy. So, coveralls and big rubber 3 buckle boots to crawl in to gate divided. Get loaded, wash boots with a hose every (stockyards has),fold up coveralls. Stick boots outside upside down between saddle tank and
cab with coveralls stuffed between. All outside, rode forever, no one ever stole them....
Edit:
A pic of the rig I had then 1956. Taken on the west end of the Indiana East-West Toll Road (now I90) the day it opened.

 

[Onebest]

Typically, I would be told to go to an areas auction barn and pick up calves for Rath in Waterloo. My trailer would have been "double decked" and "bedded" with pine wood shavings. Auction over by 5PM, buyer paid and truck ordered, I would be dispatched, drive approximately 40/50 miles to site, arrive 7 to 8 PM.
I would arrive at the sale barn and being familiar loop around the loading out side. open my trailer doors, back it to the chute and walk back. By then, usually the yard man or "nite man" would appear and we would discuss, whose, going where, how many, bring me #... I usually divided the total head by 4. one half on top deck, rest on floor deck.
Larger ones last. Heavier weight on floor and largest of them on the very last. Weight on tandem axle distribution.

(Our trailers then were like typical dry vans, but with open slat sides rather than enclosed aluminum. nothing like the present saggy belly cattle pots they use now-We had floor and the mid height false deck or two levels)
(My rig then was tagged for 56,000 gross, and could scale 32,000 or 30,000 with the double deck..)

Rath loads were veal calves, weaned and eating but not yearlings yet. If load was say 200 head, he would send 50 down the alley and up the top deck chute. I would hop over and shoo them on up front and position a "cut gate" and tie off. Yell to him send me 50 more. Chouse them inside and close the inside trailer wood gate on them. Top loaded...
Then smallest half of the 100 left, same way and gated, then the final 50 of the largest left, close inside wood gate, pull up 10 feet, close outside metal doors. Pull on around to front, go in and wash up a bit, Get paper work on the load, pull out to the highway and take to Waterloo. 750 miles- About 15 hours
Khaki work pant and shirts, Wellington boots, no cap or cowboy hat. Note loaded on clean dry pine shavings. If careful clothing was OK.
Because I had the deck in, come back to E. St Louis and load top hogs basically same way. Exception was the bedding was now used and messy. So, coveralls and big rubber 3 buckle boots to crawl in to gate divided. Get loaded, wash boots with a hose every (stockyards has),fold up coveralls. Stick boots outside upside down between saddle tank and
cab with coveralls stuffed between. All outside, rode forever, no one ever stole them....
Edit:
A pic of the rig I had then 1956. Taken on the west end of the Indiana East-West Toll Road (now I90) the day it opened.
View attachment 476612

Thanks for sharing and that was a gorgeous truck!

 

[Trobeld1]

BBM

I'm pretty sure David kissed the visiting grandkid (Grandson I think), Not one of the twins,

One of the twins then said "what about me" and David said no time and left after giving Sarah a kiss.

He may of given Sarah a kiss first, memory is shot. But Sarah said he kissed her too.

Definitely different times or just how different people are! No judgement here! My two sons would have cringed if their Dad tried to kiss them when they were ten. But they started driving the pickups at 9 and simpler tractors in hay fields, worked on motors with us, rode horses, ATVs, snowmobiles and dirt bikes. They wanted to and so we allowed and taught. Shoveling snow is a good memory for us. It was a family thing, all of us did it together (yes, kept several snow shovels) and always had hot chocolate when done. Almost always built a snowman too, tradition. It infuriates me these boys have most likely lost the man who would have taught them these things too!!!!!!!

 

[mst]

BBM

I'm pretty sure David kissed the visiting grandkid (Grandson I think), Not one of the twins,

One of the twins then said "what about me" and David said no time and left after giving Sarah a kiss.

He may of given Sarah a kiss first, memory is shot. But Sarah said he kissed her too.

Yes!

 

[crhedBngr]

I am curious, who is the person with whom David switched? Is it possible that the original load driver was the ‘intended mark,’ but David having to switch with that person could be a scenario of ‘wrong place-wrong time?’
Maybe this is a case of mistaken identity…

Good thinking!!

JMVHO.

 

[shimmer29!]

I am stuck on why it took DS so long to drive that last 3-4 miles after exiting the highway.

Me too! This is what makes the least sense out of nearly everything. 20 minutes to get 3 miles? That's a lot of starting and stopping, or putzing along at 1 mph.
I will also posit that him stopping for 16 minutes (or whatever it was) at the closed gas station doesn't make logical sense either. He hadn't driven anywhere near long enough to even be thinking about needing a break or a leg stretch. Why is he stopping, walking around outside the truck, looking at his phone?
Maybe whatever happened started happening at that closed gas station and then worsened/continued from there?

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Taking 20 minutes to make the 4-mile journey north on Union Avenue, which should have taken less than 5 minutes, would make sense if David stopped again for about 15 minutes the same way he did at Marker 126. I don't know why he would have done so, but I guess it's a possibility.

LE seem to be deliberately withholding details of David's movements after he reached the hwy 20/71 intersection, but I'm guessing they have a good idea of why it took so long to drive such a short distance.

 

[GC Light]

Not a truck driver but it being a 25 year old Pete could the transmission splitter be a bit quirky but not a problem for the regular driver. A different driver may be able to drive a manual 5 speed no problem but the splitter is a tricky to engage not allowing the truck to achieve highway speed so it is 12mph to get 3 miles in 16 minutes. The driver may have been on his way to Wiechmans as part of the plan but had to abort the original plan and have his accomplice pick him up.

 

[GC Light]

I believe LE has a handle on things and are taking their time to line up the ducks while waiting on forensic evidence and anyone talking to slip up if they haven't already. They are not asking anyone for info, not encouraging people to search and only offering as much as David had in his wallet for a reward.

 

[Bogbacal2]

At this point, between pig fraud and stuffing piggies with drugs, let’s throw aliens into the mix!
Just a little humor…

 

[Bogbacal2]

Typically, I would be told to go to an areas auction barn and pick up calves for Rath in Waterloo. My trailer would have been "double decked" and "bedded" with pine wood shavings. Auction over by 5PM, buyer paid and truck ordered, I would be dispatched, drive approximately 40/50 miles to site, arrive 7 to 8 PM.
I would arrive at the sale barn and being familiar loop around the loading out side. open my trailer doors, back it to the chute and walk back. By then, usually the yard man or "nite man" would appear and we would discuss, whose, going where, how many, bring me #... I usually divided the total head by 4. one half on top deck, rest on floor deck.
Larger ones last. Heavier weight on floor and largest of them on the very last. Weight on tandem axle distribution.

(Our trailers then were like typical dry vans, but with open slat sides rather than enclosed aluminum. nothing like the present saggy belly cattle pots they use now-We had floor and the mid height false deck or two levels)
(My rig then was tagged for 56,000 gross, and could scale 32,000 or 30,000 with the double deck..)

Rath loads were veal calves, weaned and eating but not yearlings yet. If load was say 200 head, he would send 50 down the alley and up the top deck chute. I would hop over and shoo them on up front and position a "cut gate" and tie off. Yell to him send me 50 more. Chouse them inside and close the inside trailer wood gate on them. Top loaded...
Then smallest half of the 100 left, same way and gated, then the final 50 of the largest left, close inside wood gate, pull up 10 feet, close outside metal doors. Pull on around to front, go in and wash up a bit, Get paper work on the load, pull out to the highway and take to Waterloo. 750 miles- About 15 hours
Khaki work pant and shirts, Wellington boots, no cap or cowboy hat. Note loaded on clean dry pine shavings. If careful clothing was OK.
Because I had the deck in, come back to E. St Louis and load top hogs basically same way. Exception was the bedding was now used and messy. So, coveralls and big rubber 3 buckle boots to crawl in to gate divided. Get loaded, wash boots with a hose every (stockyards has),fold up coveralls. Stick boots outside upside down between saddle tank and
cab with coveralls stuffed between. All outside, rode forever, no one ever stole them....
Edit:
A pic of the rig I had then 1956. Taken on the west end of the Indiana East-West Toll Road (now I90) the day it opened.
View attachment 476612

OldAce, would you have to clean the trailer after dropping hogs off? Seems like a huge job in itself. I know you hosed the boots and coveralls, but would you have to “disinfect” the he trailer after?

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

Me too! This is what makes the least sense out of nearly everything. 20 minutes to get 3 miles? That's a lot of starting and stopping, or putzing along at 1 mph.
I will also posit that him stopping for 16 minutes (or whatever it was) at the closed gas station doesn't make logical sense either. He hadn't driven anywhere near long enough to even be thinking about needing a break or a leg stretch. Why is he stopping, walking around outside the truck, looking at his phone?
Maybe whatever happened started happening at that closed gas station and then worsened/continued from there?

Not if it wasn't him driving and whoever was driving had no clue what they were doing and could barely concentrate on not running into the verge and possibly tipping

 

[jollymon1701]

I'm not clear on what role Weichman's has in this insofar as quality control and whether they're just another intermediate trucking transfer station or a farm or whatever -but- I do know if I were them, I'd be highly suspicious of taking a late load of piglets who'd been missing in the freezing cold and not fed or watered for that long. Never mind whether they'd been switched out!

Separate theory entirely: Is it possible DS had accidentally perpetrated a crime such as a very serious road traffic violation or something for example that caused serious harm to another and decided his best bet in life was to disappear himself rather than bring trouble or shame on himself and family? Because I can imagine driving a huge truck an accident can happen. This is just a wild idea and not a comment on the missing person's character in any way whatsoever.

JMO MOO

His truck was not damaged and if he had a major accident, he would not have been able to drive pending a safty investigation, drug test ect

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

I believe LE has a handle on things and are taking their time to line up the ducks while waiting on forensic evidence and anyone talking to slip up if they haven't already. They are not asking anyone for info, not encouraging people to search and only offering as much as David had in his wallet for a reward.

I really really hope so.

I thought it was a bit insensitive and clumsy to offer $2,000 reward. As if, well hey we've got his wallet here with $2k in it, so that'll do...

Maybe it's me but it seems almost hateful to the family. Also it's such a low amount, it's derisory almost. In fact it almost reads like 'hey David, if you want to come back and turn yourself in, we've got your wallet with your $2,000 dollars here'.

JMO MOO pure speculation and conjecture on my part

 

[shimmer29!]

I really really hope so.

I thought it was a bit insensitive and clumsy to offer $2,000 reward. As if, well hey we've got his wallet here with $2k in it, so that'll do...

Maybe it's me but it seems almost hateful to the family. Also it's such a low amount, it's derisory almost. In fact it almost reads like 'hey David, if you want to come back and turn yourself in, we've got your wallet with your $2,000 dollars here'.

JMO MOO pure speculation and conjecture on my part

Interesting take.

 

[Observe_dont_Absorb]

His truck was not damaged and if he had a major accident, he would not have been able to drive pending a safty investigation, drug test ect

My thought was that if he'd had an incident where someone else was harmed, possibly not the sort that would damage his truck (although one would imagine there'd be 'evidence') and fled the scene. That would not involve the things you mention.

Just an idea from out of left field and not suggesting this has in any way actually happened.

JMO MOO