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

[stickb0y7]

I’ve been sharing this info with my husband, who used to be an over the road trucker. The very first thing he said was no trucker with any training and experience at all would leave a truck like that . Someone else had to be driving. So here’s my theory. MOO. …I think it was someone he knew or was familiar with. They knew he’d be taking that exit. They incapacitated him in some way and one of the individuals had to drive his truck away. And not having a lot of experience driving a semi, they went as far as they could, and removed David and got the heck out of dodge. I feel like they turned north instead of south so they wouldn’t risk being seen by more possible loads being delivered that night.

Assuming the truck is a manual transmission, maybe it was driven the last 5 miles by a person unfamiliar with a trucks transmission and the best they could do was, say, 10 mph - that would account for the extended time it took to go that far.

 

[Copper]

I'm a bit surprised the truck stop where he stopped closes at 10 PM during the week - I'm surprised it closes at all. I have to admit, I didn't bother looking up the hours of operation initially because most truck stops (all truck stops I've experienced) are open 24/7/365. So yeah, that definitely changes things for me.

Is this the kind of place where they close down the convenience store but the gas pumps are operable 24/7? Or does the whole operation shut down? If the pumps were at least open, he could have stopped to fuel up. If not, I am so curious why the stop for about 15 min. Did he have a snack with him that he wanted to stop and eat? Was he tired and took a cat nap for 15 min? One other option is talking to or texting with someone. It's possible LE knows he did that and are leaving that info out. MOO

From my own experience driving that stretch of US20, I can't imagine enough traffic at that time of night to justify keeping the building open.

 

[Knox]

If it closes at 11pm, David likely pulled in shortly after closing time. Did someone need a lift?

jmo

That’s not the current hours, on the night David was there they closed at 10.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I'm a bit surprised the truck stop where he stopped closes at 10 PM during the week - I'm surprised it closes at all. I have to admit, I didn't bother looking up the hours of operation initially because most truck stops (all truck stops I've experienced) are open 24/7/365. So yeah, that definitely changes things for me.

Is this the kind of place where they close down the convenience store but the gas pumps are operable 24/7? Or does the whole operation shut down? If the pumps were at least open, he could have stopped to fuel up. If not, I am so curious why the stop for about 15 min. Did he have a snack with him that he wanted to stop and eat? Was he tired and took a cat nap for 15 min? One other option is talking to or texting with someone. It's possible LE knows he did that and are leaving that info out.

My guess…

My guess is that they don’t really classify it as a truck stop. It’s more of what I’d call a normal rest stop for most non trucking travelers. Large gift shop, food, restrooms, and of course gas, but it’s not like a huge Love’s truck stop. And Sparky’s is apparently a bit west which is more like a typical truck stop. Not sure why my text here is not displaying beneath my quoted post ! It seems like a place you may even want to visit for the shop offerings alone.

 

[crhedBngr]

I had to refresh my memory as to what a muck boot looks like.

Here is a link. I agree with other posters; a muck boot might be difficult to pull off ones foot.

https://www.dickssportinggoods.com/...ots-15mbommnchrhblckxfbo/15mbommnchrhblckxfbo

JMVHO.

 

[Knox]

One of the many other things that points towards foul play is Jake Rowley’s search efforts. He is getting information from LE. If there was evidence pointing towards David just up and leaving would that kind of effort be made? Those searches cost the organization money which I assume is hard to come by these days.

I’ve pretty much discarded the idea of a medical emergency. The area round the truck was searched by LE with their resources (on foot, dogs, and aircraft with FLIR). Then Jake searched it again with people and drones.

Seems pretty clear that David left the area in a vehicle, one way or another.

The only hope in my opinion is getting back the information on a tower dump. Hopefully whoever is responsible, had their cell phone with them.

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

 

[TL4S]

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

I do not.

What would be his reasoning to go all that way to pick up a load, then drive all the way to within a couple minutes of the delivery, only to abandon it randomly to walk away? I just can't see it, imo.

 

[charminglane]

One of the many other things that points towards foul play is Jake Rowley’s search efforts. He is getting information from LE. If there was evidence pointing towards David just up and leaving would that kind of effort be made? Those searches cost the organization money which I assume is hard to come by these days.

I’ve pretty much discarded the idea of a medical emergency. The area round the truck was searched by LE with their resources (on foot, dogs, and aircraft with FLIR). Then Jake searched it again with people and drones.

Seems pretty clear that David left the area in a vehicle, one way or another.

The only hope in my opinion is getting back the information on a tower dump. Hopefully whoever is responsible, had their cell phone with them.

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

I was thinking it was possible.
Maybe with a woman somewhere.
Now, sadly, I do not.
I am actually giving thought to the cartel needing a driver that someone posted about this being a thing a ways back on the thread.
That is not the sort of theory I usually gravitate to, but it makes sense.
Poof! He's gone.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

One of the many other things that points towards foul play is Jake Rowley’s search efforts. He is getting information from LE. If there was evidence pointing towards David just up and leaving would that kind of effort be made? Those searches cost the organization money which I assume is hard to come by these days.

I’ve pretty much discarded the idea of a medical emergency. The area round the truck was searched by LE with their resources (on foot, dogs, and aircraft with FLIR). Then Jake searched it again with people and drones.

Seems pretty clear that David left the area in a vehicle, one way or another.

The only hope in my opinion is getting back the information on a tower dump. Hopefully whoever is responsible, had their cell phone with them.

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

I don't really think he's alive and well, but with the limited information we have I don't discount it being possible. I don't discount anything being possible at this point.

Whether foul play is involved, or David just wanted to make it *look* like foul play is involved, is there anything we know so far that gives any definitive answers? If there is I haven't seen it.

In some ways this seems SO out-of-character, and SO suspicious, that it almost seems like exactly the kind of thing a person might do if they didn't want family and friends to suspect it was their choice.

 

[tarabull]

FWIW...

May 2023:

29 Iowans arrested in connection to Mexican drug cartels

The Iowans were part of a massive investigation that seized 43 million fentanyl pills and 91,000 pounds of methamphetamine.

www.desmoinesregister.com

August 2023:

Sheriff’s Across Iowa Asked to Report Cartel Crimes

Iowa (Radio Iowa)– Sheriffs in all of Iowa’s 99 counties are being asked to report local crimes that may be tied to international cartels ranging from illegal drugs to human trafficking…

kicdam.com

 

[TL4S]

I don't really think he's alive and well, but with the limited information we have I don't discount it being possible. I don't discount anything being possible at this point.

Whether foul play is involved, or David just wanted to make it *look* like foul play is involved, is there anything we know so far that gives any definitive answers? If there is I haven't seen it.

In some ways this seems SO out-of-character, and SO suspicious, that it almost seems like exactly the kind of thing a person might do if they didn't want family and friends to suspect it was their choice.

I agree with all of this. My only hesitation with DS staging something is mostly due to the endless opportunities he could have taken to stage it without baby pigs on board. I know some think he left it where it would be found relatively easily, but it just doesn't sit right with me. Jmo.

 

[crhedBngr]

One of the many other things that points towards foul play is Jake Rowley’s search efforts. He is getting information from LE. If there was evidence pointing towards David just up and leaving would that kind of effort be made? Those searches cost the organization money which I assume is hard to come by these days.

I’ve pretty much discarded the idea of a medical emergency. The area round the truck was searched by LE with their resources (on foot, dogs, and aircraft with FLIR). Then Jake searched it again with people and drones.

Seems pretty clear that David left the area in a vehicle, one way or another.

The only hope in my opinion is getting back the information on a tower dump. Hopefully whoever is responsible, had their cell phone with them.

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

RBBM

Unfortunately, I don't think DS is alive or well.

JMVHO.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

I agree with all of this. My only hesitation with DS staging something is mostly due to the endless opportunities he could have taken to stage it without baby pigs on board. I know some think he left it where it would be found relatively easily, but it just doesn't sit right with me. Jmo.

I know what you mean. It doesn't sit well.

But if David doesn't want his loved ones to suspect he left them by choice, what better way than to make them think: "He'd never leave the truck in the road! He'd never leave the pigs!"

 

[ChatteringBirds]

I am actually giving thought to the cartel needing a driver that someone posted about this being a thing a ways back on the thread

Do we know of any MP case in which a driver was abducted for his driving skills?

 

[charminglane]

Do we know of any MP case in which a driver was abducted for his driving skills?

Not that I know of.
That's why it is such an interesting concept/theory to me.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

One of the many other things that points towards foul play is Jake Rowley’s search efforts. He is getting information from LE. If there was evidence pointing towards David just up and leaving would that kind of effort be made? Those searches cost the organization money which I assume is hard to come by these days.

I’ve pretty much discarded the idea of a medical emergency. The area round the truck was searched by LE with their resources (on foot, dogs, and aircraft with FLIR). Then Jake searched it again with people and drones.

Seems pretty clear that David left the area in a vehicle, one way or another.

The only hope in my opinion is getting back the information on a tower dump. Hopefully whoever is responsible, had their cell phone with them.

Does anyone think he left on his own and is alive and well somewhere?

I don’t think he left on his own but whomever did this has created a scene where it almost seems that way.

I’m trying to recall how Jake got involved. I seem to recall LE searched for three days and gave up, as if they felt he walked away. Then Jake got called in about a week after he disappeared and then DCI got involved? If Jake never got involved would this all have been written off as a willing disappearance?

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Do we know of any MP case in which a driver was abducted for his driving skills?

I asked the same several days ago and someone here responded that they felt some cartel types would do that. If I can find the post, I’ll link it here.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

I agree with all of this. My only hesitation with DS staging something is mostly due to the endless opportunities he could have taken to stage it without baby pigs on board. I know some think he left it where it would be found relatively easily, but it just doesn't sit right with me. Jmo.

Right. I don’t think he’d want someone driving on that road with no street lights to crash into his rig and possibly die. If it had been pulled into one of the east-west cross streets (200th, 210, etc.), that’d be less likely to cause a crash. But it wasn’t.

 

[tarabull]

I think this is the prior convo/posts being recalled about cartels needing drivers...fwiw.

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

Would you say most rigs are still manual transmission and require changing gears and are not automatic? That depends on how new of a rig DS was able to afford. I have not been in a semi truck for about 15 years though, and please note that I’m not an expert on transmissions.

www.websleuths.com

 

[TenaciousTBacon]

LE has David's phone. If he's logged into location services like Google Maps or Gmail, they have not only his locations but the exact minutes he was at each location. That's how they know where he was and when. GPS is quite accurate. It's satellite based, not cell tower based. That's how Find My Phone can tell you down to the household who has your phone.

I'm thinking that the search at Brushy Creek Recreation Area tells us something about David's timeline and that location may have something to do with why he's missing. I'm still interested in his phone communications. The answer is probably there. Or at least a big clue.