WILLIAMSBURG, VA. (THECOUNT) — Remains found in the California desert may be that of a Virginia couple that disappeared on their way to California to meet other family members on June 2.
William and Susan Schmeirer departed their Williamsburg, VA., residence for a May 27 road trip to meet up with family in Palm Springs, California. They never arrived.
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An abandon vehicle belonging to the couple was found June 13, parked at the Amboy Crater Trailhead parking lot in California, about 100 miles from Palm Springs. Police estimated the vehicle has been parked for about 10 days, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office said.
When the sheriff’s office launched a search of the area, they found human remains.
“Search personnel located human remains of a deceased male matching the description of William Schmeirer,” a sheriff’s office spokesperson said. “Positive identification of the body is pending from the Coroner’s Division. The cause of death of the unidentified male is unknown and is pending autopsy. The whereabouts of Susan Schmeirer is currently unknown.”
The sheriff’s office search for Susan was suspended over the weekend due to extreme heat.
“By 10:30 a.m. ground temperatures hit 130 degrees and by 2 p.m. the ground temperatures reached 165 degrees with an air temperature of 117 degrees,” the sheriff’s office said. “Due to the hot temperatures by 10:30 a.m., the use of search dogs was terminated. The rough terrain and weather conditions disabled two sheriff’s department off-highway search and rescue vehicles.”source
Schmierer’s family hired a drone service to fly over the desert and continue the search while authorities regroup. The company identified several areas of interest.
Police will resume the search weather permitting.
The couple worked and volunteered for the College of William & Mary in Williamsburg.
Susan Schmierer, 65, worked part-time in undergraduate admission during the 2010 to 2017 application seasons. William Schmierer, 64, was a member of the Swem Library Board from 2014 to 2016. Both have volunteered with Special Collections and they are the parents of two William & Mary alumni.