SEARCH DEBRIEF FOR KEITH SCHMIDT
Dickinson, North Dakota
June 15, 2025
Keith Schmidt, 53 (on date of disappearance) of Dickinson, North Dakota was last seen on May 20, 2024.
Dickinson Police Case# DPD24-04742.
Schmidt was last seen on a neighbor’s home security camera at 6:03AM leaving his residence alone and on foot. He has not been seen or heard from since. His cellular phone was left at home. His wallet is unaccounted for.
In the time since his disappearance, Dickinson Police have done the basic investigation steps. Searches of the residence, digital (cell phone, email, social media, bank accounts), and searches of the neighborhood in the vicinity of his home and select locations in or near the city. The family farm, situated north of Watford City about three miles, has also been searched.
In April 2024, a citizen/family/friend search effort was initiated to perform searches of locations in Dickinson in efforts to find Schmidt or any sign of him.
Badlands SAR, with approval of the Dickinson Police Department, was permitted to assist in coordinating and conducting searches using trained search team members and assets as well as civilian volunteers recruited through the citizens spearheading the effort.
Three weekend searches were conducted on April 25th and 26th, May 3rd, and June 14th, 2025. A total of 48 hours was logged in active searching over the four dates.
April 25th:
Badlands SAR with the assistance of Search and Rescue Dogs of the United States and Western Montana Search Dogs performed ground and K9 searches of several locations on public and private properties with negative findings.
April 26th, May 3rd, and June 14th:
Badlands SAR and citizen volunteers performed a public search on foot and with ATVs of locations on public and private properties with negative findings.
The searches were specific only to the facts that they were within a statistical range of past cases fitting the criteria of the case and the likelihood of remoteness, seclusion, or just out of sight.
Schmidt left no note or information about leaving or otherwise. This created the challenge of where to even begin looking and the only information is that of the camera footage which while helpful, also isn’t. It gives a time and date with a direction of travel from the residence, but being that it is in the midst of a city and neighborhood, the urban search factor and a time delay for any search efforts drastically inhibits the needed clues (scent, other surveillance footage, etc) to pinpoint what and where to search beyond the last known point, the residence.
That to this fact has been done with no new leads, findings, information, tips, or other tangible evidence.
Upon conclusion of searches on June 14th, it was determined that due to the negative results over searches of any areas within the identified radius utilizing ground, K9, and ATV assets and in addition to the challenge of new vegetative growth at a height that gives a notable hinderance to search efforts with the available resources at hand, search efforts for Keith Schmidt through the means of Badlands SAR coordination and operations coupled with that of other search teams and civilian volunteers, these efforts have been exhausted for the time being and are therefore suspended pending any further leads or identified areas of search necessity through new information or tips.
If anyone has any information on the whereabouts of Keith Schmidt or can provide information as to his disappearance, please contact the Dickinson Police Department. The case agent is Sergeant Jeremy Moser.
Thank you to the many citizen volunteers, family and friends of Keith, property owners and businesses for aiding in these operations and search efforts. Thank you also to the Dickinson Police Department for permitting Badlands SAR to assist and provide services in implementing coordinated search efforts in this case.
We continue to ask all property owners in the Dickinson city and outskirts to check your properties, buildings, vehicles, and anything or anywhere that has been vacant or unvisited since May 20, 2024 to please check those locations. If anything is found out of place, suspicious, obvious, or that you know doesn’t belong, please contact the appropriate law enforcement agency. The smallest observation or finding just may help in this case or in something else.
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Dickinson Police Department - North Dakota
The Dickinson Press
missingpersonscenter.org
