Overview of MISSING: Bonnie Lee Schultz
This Crime Junkie episode (hosts Ashley Flowers & Britt) retells the disappearance of Bonnie Lee Schultz from Indianapolis on the night of July 3–4, 1997. On the surface it’s a familiar true‑crime pattern — marriage trouble, a wife tells her husband she wants a divorce, she disappears after a night out — but the episode emphasizes investigative holes, shifting witness statements, family divisions, and alternate theories. The story ends with unresolved questions and a promised Part 2 that explores new contradictions and theories.
Key facts & timeline
- July 3, 1997 (evening): Bonnie tells her husband Richard (Rick) Schultz she wants a divorce. She kisses their daughter Gretchen goodbye and drives off in her blue 1990 Mercury Sable to meet co‑workers.
- Late night/early morning July 4: Bonnie attends dinner and then a house party to watch fireworks, later goes to the Time Out Lounge bar (Broad Ripple area). Co‑worker Anita leaves ~2–2:30 a.m.; bartender Phyllis and others remember Bonnie and co‑worker John Guybe staying later.
- ~3:30–4:45 a.m.: John says he and Bonnie left and spent more time talking outside; he last sees her at Compton Street after turning left to go home — Bonnie continued straight toward her house (62nd St route). This is the last confirmed sighting by others.
- July 4 (5:10 p.m.): Rick reports Bonnie missing to Marion County Sheriff's Department. Initial deputy takes report but treats it casually (tells them to call back if she returns); a detective is not assigned until Monday.
- Early investigation: Anita admits she lied to Rick about Bonnie’s last movements. John and Anita both interviewed; John later passes a polygraph, Rick fails his polygraph.
- August 6, 1997: Rick is recorded in a formal interview (transcript later released to family/story); police did not do an immediate in‑person recorded interview on the first weekend.
- No body, no crime scene, many investigative gaps noted by family and later reporting.
Main people
- Bonnie Lee Schultz — missing mother of two; married 26 years; recently begun working at RGIS; expressed unhappiness and desire for divorce.
- Richard (Rick) E. Schultz — husband; reported Bonnie missing; viewed with suspicion by police and some family members.
- John Guybe — co‑worker at RGIS; confirmed affair with Bonnie; last person to see her.
- Anita Cardone — co‑worker and friend; accompanied Bonnie that night, later admitted she lied to Rick.
- Phyllis — bartender/owner connected to the bar (Time Out Lounge); remembers the night and who stayed.
- Diane DeSando — close friend who Bonnie confided in.
- Detective(s): Marion County deputy responded initially; detective assigned later. Sergeant Kistner (cited later) reviewed tapes; many early investigative choices criticized.
Key evidence & leads
- Last confirmed sighting: John’s account of their conversation in the parking lot and Bonnie continuing down 62nd Street after he turned at Compton.
- Bonnie’s clothes/missing items described by Gretchen: light tan purse, sandals, navy pants, striped blue shirt, a herringbone necklace, wedding ring, gold watch and a “Number One Mom” pendant (distinctive child‑made pendant).
- The “Number One Mom” necklace: Gretchen presented it to detectives and said it was in a different place than usual. The item was briefly in police possession, reportedly shown to a psychic (no useful result), and later returned to Rick.
- Polygraphs: John passed; Rick failed — increased police suspicion of Rick.
- Possible sightings/feelings of being followed: John later says he had a gut feeling someone was watching that night and previously saw a car follow Bonnie, but he did not follow.
Investigative problems and controversies highlighted
- Slow/limited early action:
- Deputy took report Friday evening but left; detectives were not assigned until Monday.
- No early, thorough canvass or immediate recorded interviews with some key people.
- Rick was not interviewed in person for a recorded statement until a month later (August 6, 1997) in the record available to the family.
- Handling of the children:
- Police reportedly interviewed the children without Rick present (state law permits interviewing minors), which family members found distressing; Rick had initially asked to be present for Gretchen.
- Evidence handling:
- Necklace was removed, examined informally (psychic) and returned; no record of forensic analysis mentioned.
- Alleged cut/scratch on Rick’s face and broken glasses noted by family early on are not corroborated in responding deputy’s notes — missed opportunity for photos or documentation.
- Communication and record access:
- Family members received limited information early on and were initially reassured by Rick; this delayed their involvement in searches.
- Requests for original police audios/files were denied to reporters/family in later years.
Leading theories & unanswered questions
- Spouse-as-suspect: Motive (divorce/financial tensions) and some suspicious behavior/comments by Rick have made him the primary suspect in many eyes (and in police suspicion after a failed polygraph). Questions include why he apparently knew details (like the 62nd Street route) that Anita claimed she did not tell him, and why he delayed or controlled some early communications.
- Stranger or third‑party involvement: John reported feelings of being watched and a vehicle following Bonnie on a separate occasion; investigators considered whether someone else followed her from the bar that night.
- Missteps masking evidence: The slow initial response and lack of early scene preservation may have eliminated key opportunities to collect evidence that could support any theory.
- Credibility gaps: Anita lied to Rick initially (to protect Bonnie), statements shifted over time, and small but odd comments from Rick (e.g., about Bonnie not knowing how to use an ATM) raised eyebrows.
- Family division: Some relatives changed their view to suspect Rick after a detective allegedly told them something (the exchange about wearing a wire and Rick’s comment “you’ll never figure this out” is cited by family as a turning point). Others (including Bonnie’s son Josh) insist they need definitive proof.
Notable quotes & moments
- Host framing: “When you go beyond the surface level of a case, things are never as simple as they appear.”
- Diane’s immediate reaction on learning Bonnie was missing: “You son of a— you killed her.”
- Gretchen presenting the “Number One Mom” necklace and saying it was not in its usual place — an image that spooked investigators.
- Rick (from his recorded interview): described surprise at divorce talk and emphasized a desire to find intermediate solutions (mortgage/financial arrangements) rather than immediate separation.
- Family anecdote: At a later meeting Rick allegedly asked a detective if he was wearing a wire just before getting the necklace returned, then told the detective “you’ll never figure this out,” which significantly altered some relatives’ perceptions.
What the episode stresses as needed (implicit recommendations)
- Re‑examine early investigative records, notes and interviews from July 1997 to see what was missed or inconsistently documented.
- Reassess physical evidence (the necklace and any other items), and review whether forensic testing might now be useful.
- Re‑interview witnesses with current perspective — especially those who were reluctant or who changed statements (Anita, John, bartenders, patrons).
- Clarify chain of events (who knew what and when) around Rick’s knowledge of Bonnie’s route and his movements the night/morning she disappeared.
- Consider whether the original case file has unpursued leads or administrative gaps that can be remedied.
Where to find more & next episode
- The episode promises a Part 2 that explores additional contradictions, new theories, and surprises about Bonnie’s disappearance (available to Crime Junkie fan club members now; general release follows).
- Source documents and reporting are available via CrimeJunkie.com (hosts note police records requests were denied in part).
Summary takeaway
- Bonnie Lee Schultz vanished after a turbulent night on July 3–4, 1997. The last confirmed time she was seen was leaving the Time Out Lounge after talking with co‑worker John. The case remains unsolved. Family members and investigators point to both suspicious behavior by her husband Rick and to significant investigative shortcomings in 1997. The episode frames the disappearance as more complicated than an obvious domestic homicide and sets up a deeper Part 2 that examines alternative theories and unresolved contradictions.