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

[TL4S]

Isn't it strange that DS's phone would ping near Brushy Creek? I mean, unless it pinged there while he was actually on Hwy 20, but I think the cell pings would be more accurate than that (I know cell pings are always a source of debate here). Why would DS be down in that area at all, with his loaded trailer (I'm assuming he was already loaded, since he was seen at the Eagle Grove facility)? And it still bothers me that both that road and the truck location road are both called "Union Ave." Was he looking for someplace on a "Union Ave."? I'm just not sure about any of the information that's out, and how accurate it all is. He certainly wasn't just out driving around randomly that night hauling pigs. JMO.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Isn't it strange that DS's phone would ping near Brushy Creek? I mean, unless it pinged there while he was actually on Hwy 20, but I think the cell pings would be more accurate than that (I know cell pings are always a source of debate here). Why would DS be down in that area at all, with his loaded trailer (I'm assuming he was already loaded, since he was seen at the Eagle Grove facility)? And it still bothers me that both that road and the truck location road are both called "Union Ave." Was he looking for someplace on a "Union Ave.?" I'm just not sure about any of the information that's out, and how accurate it all is. He certainly wasn't just out driving around randomly that night hauling pigs. JMO.

Yes… I wish we knew more about the ping, the accuracy of it, the accuracy of pings in general in that flat area, etc. As always, we know so little!

 

[LC2]

I read all the local police departments posts with the missing fliers as well as the comments. Huge farming community there. In my opinion after reading, I think pick up location was searched. In my opinion, there were trucks that saw him leave there. In my opinion, it all happened on that roadway. It does not explain where his overalls and boots went although we don't actually know for sure that he had them. This case is absolutely baffling.

I think it did too. I think someone could have been in the truck with him , making him drive a certain way. He knew he was in trouble and tried to get out when the truck stopped at the stop sign (I read the truck was near an intersection??) there was maybe an altercation in the ditch (hence the jacket). This would mean there is another vehicle involved though to get him out of there. It is also just baffling how a semi can sit in the middle of the road for 12 hours and no one reports it?? And this friend that almost hit it at 5:30 am? It’s dark then. Truck was off. Not strange to them??

 

[detectivewannab]

How much would the little pigs be worth? Maybe someone was going to steal the pigs and something went wrong?

 

[detectivewannab]

Isn't it strange that DS's phone would ping near Brushy Creek? I mean, unless it pinged there while he was actually on Hwy 20, but I think the cell pings would be more accurate than that (I know cell pings are always a source of debate here). Why would DS be down in that area at all, with his loaded trailer (I'm assuming he was already loaded, since he was seen at the Eagle Grove facility)? And it still bothers me that both that road and the truck location road are both called "Union Ave." Was he looking for someplace on a "Union Ave.?" I'm just not sure about any of the information that's out, and how accurate it all is. He certainly wasn't just out driving around randomly that night hauling pigs. JMO.

This is rural Iowa. Cell phone towers miles and miles away from each other.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

This is rural Iowa. Cell phone towers miles and miles away from each other.

I believe it takes three towers to triangulate a location. Would you say in that particular area that there are countless dead zones of no service?

 

[Ozzie]

I don't think David was at Bushy Creek Recreational area with his semi. His phone was most likely turned on and he either received a call, made a call, received a text or sent a text and his cell pinged off the closest tower when he was driving, and the closest tower was possibly at or near bushy creek area...about 10 minutes away from highway 20. If he left eagle grove, the easiest and fastest way, would be highway 20, especially for a semi driver.

 

[TL4S]

In the Mollie Tibbetts murder trial (in Brooklyn, IA), cell phone data was used to track the route her phone traveled, down to the very roads they took and at what speed. I don't recall how many towers were used, but it was a rural area. JMO.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

I believe it takes three towers to triangulate a location. Would you say in that particular area that there are countless dead zones of no service?

When you look back on Google Street View, the new Hwy 20 was only built around 2010-2012. It's really new. I'd be surprised if the area directly along the highway isn't well-covered by cell towers.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

When you look back on Google Street View, the new Hwy 20 was only built around 2010-2012. It's really new. I'd be surprised if the area directly along the highway isn't well-covered by cell towers.

Especially closer to Sac City. Wish we knew if the last ping was near Brushy. Was the phone turned off (suspicious) after that?

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

It is frustrating, and I understand how they feel. In some of the larger departments, LE will assign an officer to be the family liaison. The LO will be available, (often at the home in the early stages of the investigation), and will keep the family updated as much as possible. They can also be the eyes and ears for investigators as far as family dynamics. They will not divulge sensitive information, but will share as much as possible and serve to ensure the family that their case is a priority. Unfortunately, the smaller LE agencies cannot spare an officer for full time liaison duties and when investigators are busy, the family feels left out..
There are a couple of other reasons why LE may not be as forthcoming about their investigation as a family would like. For one, when LE doesn’t have a POI, anyone, including family members, can be considered a suspect. Secondly, sometimes family members will go to the press or tell someone else what investigators are up to which can really hinder an investigation or tip off a suspect.
Most times it is not for a lack of empathy that investigators don’t give the family of victims full disclosure, but because in the end, the most important thing is to solve the case. That is ultimately what is most important to the family.

This is a wonderful explanation of the process that should be shared on all relevant threads here!

 

[TL4S]

Absolutely not a cell tower expert here, but I did look up where there were FCC registered cell towers in the area of Brushy Creek. There's one just SE of Stanhope (SE of Brushy Creek), one just NE of Webster City (NE of Brushy Creek), and another a bit west of Duncombe (NW of Brushy Creek). I'm thinking phones traveling along Hwy 20 would ping from the Webster to the Duncombe towers, but I'm totally guessing there. Perhaps DS's ping was off the specific sector and distance of the Stanhope tower that covers the Brushy Creek area?

I wouldn't be surprised if the towers are spread enough out there to make the ping information harder, but I would be surprised if LE thought it worth having a large search of the area if not based on better data. IDK, though.

 

[stickb0y7]

Absolutely not a cell tower expert here, but I did look up where there were FCC registered cell towers in the area of Brushy Creek. There's one just SE of Stanhope (SE of Brushy Creek), one just NE of Webster City (NE of Brushy Creek), and another a bit west of Duncombe (NW of Brushy Creek). I'm thinking phones traveling along Hwy 20 would ping from the Webster to the Duncombe towers, but I'm totally guessing there. Perhaps DS's ping was off the specific sector and distance of the Stanhope tower that covers the Brushy Creek area?

I wouldn't be surprised if the towers are spread enough out there to make the ping information harder, but I would be surprised if LE thought it worth having a large search of the area if not based on better data. IDK, though.

Here's locations from towermaps.com, assuming these are accurate.

Also, yes when they built new 20, a bunch of towers were added along it. I grew up in a town on old 20 about 100 miles east of where this all happened.

 

[TL4S]

Here's locations from towermaps.com, assuming these are accurate.

Also, yes when they built new 20, a bunch of towers were added along it. I grew up in a town on old 20 about 100 miles east of where this all happened.

Thank you! I was looking for a map and couldn't find one. Imo, there are enough towers to reliably place him near Bushy Creek, although I don't understand why he'd be there.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Thank you! I was looking for a map and couldn't find one. Imo, there are enough towers to reliably place him near Bushy Creek, although I don't understand why he'd be there.

My guess is that his initial loading location in Eagle Grove is northeast of Brushy and that his route back would take him down 17 south to 20 west. Brushy Creek Lake is a large park area, but it looks like that area closer to 20 is called Brushy as well.

 

[Chimera]

Following.
Odd case, as it seems David wasn't the type to just walk away from his life !
Sad.
I need to catch up a lot; do LE have his phone ?
Omo.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Following.
Odd case, as it seems David wasn't the type to just walk away from his life !
Sad.
I need to catch up a lot; do LE have his phone ?
Omo.

Yes, it was left in his truck with his wallet. LE apparently called his wife from DS’s phone that day to let her know they’d found the truck. Hope they used gloves.

 

[Lisbeth_S]

Yes… I wish we knew more about the ping, the accuracy of it, the accuracy of pings in general in that flat area, etc. As always, we know so little!

Went (briefly) down the rabbit hole of cell phone location accuracy.

Found 2 interesting articles:
Junk Evidence: A Call to Scrutinize Historical Cell Site Location Evidence
Structuring the Evaluation of Location-Related Mobile Device Evidence

TLDR - best case scenarios are shown in the pic. But there are many factors potentially impacting on it.

Obviously this is the result of a brief research and I'm in no way an expert with inside knowledge.
I was just curious and looking for decent sources of info.

 

[Lisbeth_S]

Absolutely not a cell tower expert here, but I did look up where there were FCC registered cell towers in the area of Brushy Creek. There's one just SE of Stanhope (SE of Brushy Creek), one just NE of Webster City (NE of Brushy Creek), and another a bit west of Duncombe (NW of Brushy Creek). I'm thinking phones traveling along Hwy 20 would ping from the Webster to the Duncombe towers, but I'm totally guessing there. Perhaps DS's ping was off the specific sector and distance of the Stanhope tower that covers the Brushy Creek area?

I wouldn't be surprised if the towers are spread enough out there to make the ping information harder, but I would be surprised if LE thought it worth having a large search of the area if not based on better data. IDK, though.

I guess it may also depend on whether they used cell towers triangulation or GPS triangulation (which uses satellites instead of cell phone towers). The actual location of the towers may not be relevant if they used GPS tracking.
Again, JMO, I'm not an expert by any means.

 

[neesaki]

11 days and it feels like eternity.
And we aren't even family.

I know. I’m like, how do people even do this to each other. That poor man. I can’t even imagine. And his poor family. Heartbreaking .