NORTHWEST, IA – David Schultz, a 53-year-old truck driver who went missing before Thanksgiving, has been positively identified after a body was discovered not far from where his deserted semi was found on a secluded highway. However, specifics about his death are yet to be established.
On Thursday, the Iowa Department of Public Safety reported the medical examiner’s office used dental records to identify the remains as those of Schultz following a forensic autopsy. According to preliminary autopsy results, no signs of trauma or serious injury were found, ruling out suspicions of foul play linked to his death. Additional test results are pending.
The body was uncovered in a field on Wednesday, in the vicinity of where Schultz’s semi had been located, parked in the center of the road on Nov. 21.
Sarah Schultz, the deceased’s wife, spoke with reporters and confirmed the individual found was wearing boots that matched her husband’s. Additionally, his keys were located in the pocket of his pants.
Despite her relief at the discovery, she expressed her lingering distress. “I’m glad we know where he is now,” Sarah Schultz commented. “There’s still a lot of questions. Things don’t make sense.”
She referred to the unresolved question of whether the body had been at the location throughout or if it was recently moved there. Sarah Schultz depicted her husband as a devoted family man committed to instilling values of respect and work ethic in his children.