Trucker and father-of-two David Schultz, 53, mysteriously vanishes leaving trailer packed with baby pigs and his wallet and phone behind on rural Iowa highway – as his devastated wife says ‘this is not something he would do’
The wife of a trucker who disappeared on a rural Iowa highway two weeks ago said she is “confused and in shock” about his disappearance.
David Schultz’s truck was found on a stretch of state highway on Nov. 21, his trailer still filled with the piglets he was transporting.
Schultz’s wallet and phone were found in the cab of the car, and his jacket was found on the side of the road.
Talking to KTPP News, his wife Sarah said: “I’m going through a process that was initially confusing and shocking. It’s still confusion and shock, but anger is starting to set in.
“I’m trying to keep it together for the sake of the kids, and the fear turns to anger. This is a very strong fear.”
David Schultz’s truck was found on a stretch of state highway on Nov. 21, his trailer still filled with the piglets he was transporting.
Sarah Schultz, pictured here, said she tried to save the relationship for herself and her two children but was overcome by confusion and shock.
Hundreds of people volunteered to search for Schultz after his mysterious disappearance.
She continued: “I have been a member of this community my entire life. (There is) an outpouring of love and prayer from churches around the world who are all praying.”
Schultz also told the Sioux City Journal, “David wouldn’t do that. He will never leave. His family is his life.
The father of two did not arrive as expected with a load of hogs on Nov. 21 in Sac City, Iowa, a small farming town about 90 miles northwest of Des Moines.
The truck was found later that day, less than 10 miles northeast of its destination, Jake Rowley said.
Rowley is a regional team leader for the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit search and rescue organization that typically responds to natural disasters.
Schultz’s truck was not running when it was found in the middle of a two-lane highway.
Sarah previously said: “I haven’t heard from him, which is not unusual, you know, I don’t know when he’s loading and unloading.”
“The guy he’s dragging knocked on my door and said, ‘Hey, we can’t find David, have you heard of him?’ He said he didn’t unload the pigs. I said, so it’s loaded?
“And that immediately alerted me because he would never stop to sleep, he just wouldn’t.”
The father of two, who had seen her with his twin sons, did not arrive as expected with a load of hogs on November 21 in Sac City, Iowa.
The truck was found later that day, less than 10 miles northeast of its destination, Jake Rowley said.
Rowley said his truck was headed north when it should have been going south to get to Sac City.
The disappearance has stunned nearby communities in Iowa, prompting more than 250 volunteers to join the search.
Rowley said the United Cajun Navy has volunteered to take over the search to allow law enforcement to focus on the investigation, but he hopes to hear more from DCI Iowa and other investigators.
“They may be doing something on the computers, but they’re just not very active in this scenario,” Rowley said. “In my opinion, an organization the size of DCI should be able to come in and make a splash.”
After the disappearance, hundreds of people volunteered to search for Schultz, but after searching 100,000 acres of land near the highway, efforts were suspended as searchers considered their next steps.
Search leaders were confident they would have found Schultz if he had left due to a medical emergency or some other problem.
Rowley also announced on social media that he is reaching out to local businesses asking for a reward for information.
The Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation is assisting the Sac County Sheriff’s Office and Lake View Police Department in this case.