Found Deceased VA - Richard Schumacher, 69, Bland County, 30 Jul 2018

[unicornpff]

Well... I called Bland County Sheriff's Office yesterday and asked to speak to someone about his case. I was told the Deputy Chief was handling that investigation, was not in, but told me to leave a message. I did. Left 2 contact phone numbers. No return call.

I wish I could say that surprises me

 

[2Hope4]

I saw a mention of him having a facebook, it's OK to link it here!

I'm surprised I haven't gotten a flyer from this on my own FB.

I haven't looked into the case, but from what little is posted on this thread, there's not information out there to go on!

If he does have a health condition, and is getting worse, he may have decided to go on a ride to wherever, and let life play out, or suicide.

Have there been any public statements by family or friends? Anything other than the links in the first post?

 

[2Hope4]

The West VA state fair has been going on this week. Anything out there to suggest he may have gone to there? Does anyone know if fliers were handed out at it? There's camping available at the fair.

 

[2Hope4]

Pam Schumacher said her husband never let anyone know when he was riding or where he was going.

“He just went for a ride,” she said.

She said she last saw her husband of 38 years on Friday, July 27, when he came to her house for dinner. She lives nearby and cares for her father. A neighbor saw him Monday, July 30, and said Richard said he was going to “ride the little dragon,” Pam Schumacher said.

Search continues for missing Bland County man

But if his phone pinged in West VA, then he may have made the trip on little dragon, and kept going. Of course his phone could have pinged in West VA and him not be with his phone.

 

[2Hope4]

And he doesn't live with his wife of 38yrs. She hadn't seen him since Friday July 27, though a neighbor saw him on Monday July 30. Did she talk to him after that Friday?

 

[2Hope4]

His wife said he had no plans to stay anywhere overnight because he would have asked her to look after his dog, Jack.

“When he’s going somewhere, he knows I have to let Jack out,” she said, adding that Richard never drives at night because he has night blindness. There has been no recent activity on his bank account, she said.


Search continues for missing Bland County man

 

[2Hope4]

She contacted the Bland County Sheriff's Office on Aug. 1 shortly after 3:30 p.m. about her husband's disappearance.

On Monday, at about 9:10 a.m., Shumacher's phone pinged in the New Kirk Street area of Princeton, West Virginia.

There was no further activity on the phone...

Missing Bland County man's phone pinged in West Virginia

 

[2Hope4]

Richard Schumacher

 

[2Hope4]

Ok, not sure where the posts about him maybe have an illness came from, but if it was the photo on his wife FB, that's her Dad who is also named Richard. So I don't think the missing man has lost tons of weight.

 

[carterkatt]

2Hope4 - thanks so much for coming over here and breathing some life into this case! As usual... You are a wonderful detective!!! You've revealed a lot of interesting tidbits. So, in your opinion.... Why no searches or more from the media???

 

[Mustang65gal]

Ok, not sure where the posts about him maybe have an illness came from, but if it was the photo on his wife FB, that's her Dad who is also named Richard. So I don't think the missing man has lost tons of weight.

That's one point we have discussed.. People that know this gentleman from the local IGA did NOT recognize him from the flier that has been distributed online.. and I say online because only one place in town that I have seen has an actual flier put up.. Even the store Ms. Shumacher works at doesnt have one up... (of course that might be store policy but in a situation like this, I'd hope for leniency by management) To the best of my knowledge there have been no searches and Im not even sure what searches were done at the area of the pings.. Media exposure to this has just died!!

 

[unicornpff]

I live in the area like Mustang and it's been pretty much silent - the only time his disappearance has been mentioned was the initial announcement. To our knowledge they have not reviewed cameras along Rt 16; the road he supposedly was known to ride his motorcycle on. Again, I would hope if they suspect him of "just taking off" they would have proof and not assume that's the case - I hate to think someone's in serious danger and it's assumed by others he just decided to leave. Regardless, I think the community should be informed of the status; it's irresponsible not to - some of us are concerned it's been dropped - if they know he took off for other reasons and/or is safe we should be alerted. Numerous locals have stated how they did not recognize the man on the flier as him at first glance - bad photo? Perhaps; who knows. It's important to note in the newspaper article linked above the comment re: him telling a neighbor going for a ride and never letting anyone know etc was stated by his wife - we've never seen a statement from the actual neighbor or even know WHO it is.

 

[Mustang65gal]

Police seize cash, meth in Bland County search

Also... interesting but not sure it's extremely relevant... The time line for this above drug bust coincides with this missing person...

According to this the bust was made 7/29
Mr. Schumacher went MIA 7/30
This wanted man was captured finally on 8/1

Again, just like Unicorn stated.. as locals, we are extremely concerned by the situation for numerous reasons.. We are concerned the welfare and safety of a neighbor, even a neighbor we didnt know, and we're concerned by a lack of action by all parties concerned.. As I stated this has started conversations between myself, my SO, and my friends as to how long you go from hearing from me before you become concerned and are spurred to action.. If I ride up a back road and dont let people know where I am, will anybody bother to follow up a ping?

And as always my largest question is why isnt his family and friends screaming from the rooftops for help from any sources available? If I wasnt getting satisfaction locally, rest assured I'd be calling radio and tv stations and clogging everyones social media up with pictures and pleas for help.

 

[2Hope4]

I don't know why more isn't being done by family. May be lack of knowledge, and putting full trust in LE. But in many cases we see here, if the family doesn't demand more publicity, and do interviews, etc, the case fades into the background.

From the looks of it, he has 2 kids. I am surprised more isn't being said by them. But in truth, we dno't know what type of person Richard is. We don't know if he was a good father or not. We don't anything about him, other than he doesn't live with his wife, and he rides a motorcycle.

With that phone ping in WV, police may feel like there's no need for local searchers, as they believe he made it out of VA. If that's true, then it's a wait to see if his phone pings again, if he uses debit/bank cards, is stopped in a traffic violation, etc.

 

[carterkatt]

Maybe one of you locals will have more luck calling LE. Try Deputy Chief Jerry Turpin. That's the name I was given..... 407-928-0262. He's in charge of the case.

 

[sallye818]

I'm wondering if LE has evidence, or at least suspicions that (1) he left voluntarily so they're pulling back or (2) he went off the side of the mtn on his motorcycle and they're just not rushing to search. Either way, it's strange.

 

[unicornpff]

I'm wondering if LE has evidence, or at least suspicions that (1) he left voluntarily so they're pulling back or (2) he went off the side of the mtn on his motorcycle and they're just not rushing to search. Either way, it's strange.

True they may be leaning towards him leaving voluntarily - if so I think they should update the community and I hope it's b/c they have actual proof and isn't an assumption.

 

[carterkatt]

I'm wondering if LE has evidence, or at least suspicions that (1) he left voluntarily so they're pulling back or (2) he went off the side of the mtn on his motorcycle and they're just not rushing to search. Either way, it's strange.

Why do you think they'd not "rush to search"? Too big of an area? Are the cameras all along the area?

 

[Mustang65gal]

If Mr. Schumacher went Rt 16 which is the Back of the Dragon area, there is cameras all thought that.. it's a plethora of turns and mountains that bring you from Marion VA to Tazewell Va... (which is again still on the WV border, not too awfully far from the pings-definitely less than an hour)....

 

[carterkatt]

If Mr. Schumacher went Rt 16 which is the Back of the Dragon area, there is cameras all thought that.. it's a plethora of turns and mountains that bring you from Marion VA to Tazewell Va... (which is again still on the WV border, not too awfully far from the pings-definitely less than an hour)....

Who is responsible for the cameras? VDOT? Private company? I know at the Tail of the Dragon in Tennessee, private companies take pictures of the people riding by. They post the pictures on their websites. You can look at the pics by date/time and buy the pics if you want. It would be wonderful if it was something like that!!!