Overview

Last seen: September 22, 2012 — Brice Prairie/Onalaska area, La Crosse County, Wisconsin.

Main circumstances: Schroeder was brought home from a church gathering at about 2:10 p.m. His son arrived roughly 15 minutes later and Schroeder was gone. He apparently left on foot without his phone, wallet, identification, money or necessary medication. A tracking dog later followed his scent along nearby railroad tracks before losing the trail. He remains missing, and the publicly available evidence does not establish homicide or another specific cause of his disappearance.

Detailed Case Breakdown

David Wayne Schroeder Missing Person Case: What Happened to the Wisconsin Father Who Vanished in 2012?

David Wayne “Dave” Schroeder disappeared from the Brice Prairie area near Onalaska, Wisconsin, on September 22, 2012. More than a decade later, there has been no publicly confirmed discovery of Schroeder or definitive explanation for what happened after he apparently walked away from his home.

Schroeder’s disappearance remains listed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, and his NamUs case number is MP17847.

A Father Disappears from Brice Prairie

Schroeder was 45 years old when he disappeared. He lived with his family in Brice Prairie, an unincorporated community in La Crosse County near Onalaska.

On Saturday, September 22, 2012, Schroeder attended a church gathering with his family. According to accounts subsequently published about the case, he was not feeling well and his wife drove him home. She reportedly dropped him off at approximately 2:10 p.m., and he indicated that he intended to rest.

Approximately 15 minutes later, Schroeder’s oldest son arrived at the residence. Schroeder was already gone.

He Apparently Left on Foot

Nothing indicated that Schroeder had driven away. Investigators and his family concluded that he apparently left the residence on foot.

He reportedly left behind important belongings, including his wallet, identification, money and cellular phone. Of particular concern was medication needed for his diabetes. The Wisconsin Department of Justice continues to warn that Schroeder was without his diabetic medication and could require medical treatment.

The state’s missing-person poster describes him as approximately 6 feet 5 inches tall and 300 pounds, with black/graying hair and brown eyes. He walked with a noticeable limp favoring his right leg.

He was last known to be wearing a bright blue Journey Lutheran T-shirt, blue jeans and black shoes. Other case records have provided additional possible clothing and personal items, including a wedding ring and possibly a coat or hat.

Search Dogs Followed a Trail Toward Railroad Tracks

One of the most significant pieces of information to emerge from the search involved tracking dogs.

Published accounts state that a dog followed Schroeder’s scent from the vicinity of his residence and for approximately a mile along nearby railroad tracks. The scent trail eventually ended, and investigators were unable to determine where Schroeder went afterward.

No publicly verified sighting has established Schroeder’s whereabouts after September 22, 2012.

The circumstances created several possibilities, but none has been publicly proven. The available official information does not establish that Schroeder was the victim of homicide or another crime.

Medical Concerns Made His Disappearance Urgent

Schroeder’s health was an important concern from the beginning.

In addition to diabetes requiring medication, case profiles report that he had other health conditions. His family considered leaving without warning highly unusual, particularly because of his close relationship with his children and involvement with his church.

Early reporting also described Schroeder as having been under significant stress before his disappearance. A former lead investigator was quoted in historical news coverage as believing that Schroeder may have left while despondent about circumstances in his life. That was an investigator’s theory, however, rather than a determination of what ultimately happened.

Schroeder’s Family Eventually Had Him Declared Legally Dead

As time passed without a confirmed sighting or physical evidence establishing Schroeder’s whereabouts, his family came to believe that he had died.

The Charley Project reports that the family had Schroeder declared legally dead approximately a year and a half after his disappearance. A legal declaration of death does not establish the manner, location or circumstances of a person’s death, and Schroeder’s remains have not been publicly reported as recovered.

His disappearance therefore remains unresolved.

Latest Publicly Available Case Information

As of the latest publicly accessible records located for this article, David Wayne Schroeder remains listed as a missing person by the Wisconsin Department of Justice. The state’s current case material continues to identify September 22, 2012 as his disappearance date, Onalaska as the missing location, and NamUs MP17847 as his national missing-person reference number.

The Doe Network also added Schroeder to its database in August 2024 under reference 6361DMWI, providing renewed online documentation of the unresolved disappearance.

No credible publicly available source located during the current review announced an arrest, identified a suspect, reported the recovery of Schroeder’s remains, or disclosed a recent investigative breakthrough. The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office remains the relevant law-enforcement agency, and its Investigative Bureau handles missing-person investigations.

The Sheriff’s Office currently lists 608-785-9629 as its business number and 608-782-7575 for non-emergency dispatch. Wisconsin’s missing-person poster for Schroeder specifically directs people with information about his disappearance to 608-785-5942 and the statewide 1-800-THE-HOPE (1-800-843-4673) number.

What Happened to David Wayne Schroeder?

The central mystery remains what happened during the short period after Schroeder was dropped off at home and before his son arrived.

Available accounts indicate that he apparently walked away without transportation, identification, a phone, money or medication. A tracking dog later followed a scent trail toward and along railroad tracks, but investigators were unable to trace him beyond that point.

More than a decade later, there is still no publicly established answer.

Anyone with information—even information that seemed insignificant at the time—is encouraged to contact the La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office and reference David Wayne Schroeder / NamUs MP17847.