Diane Marie Schulte, a 22-year-old woman described as extremely introverted and reserved, was last seen at her home on Delaware Avenue in Nampa, Idaho, on the morning of March 25, 1977. Her husband of two years, Fred Thomas Schulte Jr., reported that he left for work at approximately 7:20 a.m. while Diane was home and not feeling well, a condition she had also mentioned the previous day. When he returned from his job that evening, Diane was gone.
There were no signs of forced entry or a struggle within their residence. Diane's personal belongings, including her purse and money, were left behind, and her car remained parked in the driveway. Her three cats were found secured in a spare bedroom, which was her usual practice when she would leave the house. However, tellingly, her wedding ring and watch were found on a desk, items she reportedly only removed if she was at home or intended to be gone for a very short period.
The investigation into Diane's disappearance took a dark and complicated turn just over a week later. Fred Schulte had agreed to take a polygraph test regarding his wife's case. Before the test could be administered, on April 3, 1977, Fred was found deceased inside Diane's car. He had been driving at a high rate of speed on Highway 95 when he died by suicide from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, causing the car to go down an embankment. He left behind two notes; one was a will, and the other expressed his love for Diane and his despair over her disappearance, stating he could not live without her. Neither note contained a confession or offered any information about Diane's whereabouts. This act, so close to his scheduled polygraph, was seen as suspicious by some investigators, who theorized it could be an admission of guilt.
Despite suspicions, Fred has never been officially named a suspect in Diane's disappearance, and foul play is suspected. An examination of the Schulte home after Fred's death revealed some unsettling details. Investigators noted that a living room rug was missing and a four-inch piece had been cut out of a drape. They also discovered a dent in the floor that could have been caused by a bullet. A search of the property, including digging up the garden, yielded no sign of Diane. Diane was known to be a homebody, with her primary interests being reading, macrame, and caring for her cats. She had very few friends in the Nampa area and was estranged from her parents, though she maintained a close relationship with her grandmother in Michigan, with whom she spoke frequently by phone. Her case remains unsolved, and she has not been seen or heard from since that March morning in 1977.Last Seen: Mar 25, 1977
