Medical Examiner Determines David Schultz’s Cause of Death: Hypothermia in the Setting of Acute Drug Intoxication

(Sac City) The Sac County Attorney announced the conclusion of the investigation into the disappearance and subsequent death of David Schultz, who was reported missing under suspicious circumstances in November 2023.

Sac County resident David Schultz’s semi-truck and trailer were found abandoned north of the intersection of N14 and D15 in northeast Sac County on November 21, 2023. On April 24, 2024, Schultz’s deceased body was discovered a little over half a mile from his abandoned truck.

The medical examiner determined “hypothermia in the setting of acute drug (methamphetamine) intoxication” as the cause of Schultz’s death and the manner of his death as “accidental”. The Attorney’s Office says it is clear from the evidence gathered at the scene and the body’s state of decomposition that Schultz had been in the field for months.

The Attorney’s Office says, “In the months that followed the discovery of Schultz’ body, law enforcement conducted an exhaustive investigation, which yielded no signs of foul play. The investigation uncovered that Schultz had been trucking for nearly 30 consecutive hours with little to no rest, motivated to support his business and young family. The combination of severe sleep deprivation and methamphetamine use is believed to have induced a medical emergency, causing Schultz to abandon his truck and ultimately succumb to the elements in the field where he was later found.”

The Attorney’s office stated that in efforts to find Schultz, many committed volunteers and search and rescue professionals searched many square miles. “The vast size of the search area and environmental conditions made it challenging to locate Schultz’s deceased body. Search operations focused on areas of fields where shrubbery and vegetation were present, such as fence lines and field borders, under the belief that a person would be more easily seen in open areas. In addition, the search teams focused on areas that appeared more probable for someone to seek refuge or become trapped. “

It was noted, “The cornfield where Schultz was discovered presented unique challenges that impeded detection. The cornstalks in the field, both flattened and standing, some approximately at shin height, effectively hid or camouflaged Schultz’s body, which was lying supine from a visual inspection carried out from a far distance. For example, Schultz’s body could not be observed from a well-traveled county road about 200 meters from where he was discovered. In addition, the farmhand who discovered Schultz while he was tilling the ground to prepare for planting was elevated in a tractor and did not notice Schultz’s body until he was approximately 13-meters from it.”