We Searched the River Where Bonnie Lee Schultz Vanished | Forensic Files

Hi Crime Junkies. Um, not in studio today. I am in the field. I'm at the White River. And if you caught our
episode on Bonnie Lee Shults, you might know why I'm here. So, after that episode, we got a ton of tips from
people. And actually one of those tips was from somebody who was like scouring Google Earth, and they saw this specific
anomaly that looked maybe like it was blue, like maybe it was big at this specific spot in the White River. We
obviously passed that along to police. Um, we talked to Chaos Divers who had done a search. It seemed like that area
had not been searched yet. We actually got together again with Chaos Divers, and we are now down here at the river
to go see if we can find whatever that was on Google Earth in 2005, if it's still there, and then maybe determine if
whatever it is is connected to Bonnie. So, this is a house that is actually closest to where we could see what
looked like a car in the water behind. So, we came over here and >> Directly behind it?
>> Yeah, like directly behind. So, we thought this would be the best point to put in. But, and the homeowner was
great. Like she let us come on and look, but it's so overgrown behind the house,
and it it's like a sharp cliff. Like we would not be able to get down to the water.
>> If you accidentally drove off, if you got in an accident, to me it's like you
could I think you could get out. Like if to me if her car is in here, like just seeing the the river right around
this area, I feel like she like she's not in the car. >> If she drove into the water, that's
right. But, >> That's what I'm saying. >> So, like if somebody put her in the car
>> That's what I'm saying. I just don't think I don't think it I don't think if her car is in the river, it was like a
car accident, like a one-person car accident. Not in the White River. This isn't like some big body of water where
you like go in, you can't get like And every place I was going around here, like it the speed is so slow. First of
all, no one said she was wasted. But, even if you were like wasted and like going off, like you're not going at a
high rate of speed. I don't know. Again, I I know this area and I've always known
this area, but there's something different about driving it like to where we're looking now that I was like
there's no way you I don't think accidentally a one one person accident drive off and get stuck
in the car. The car is put there to get rid of the car. >> Yeah. I and I look I like looked at all
the different routes she could have taken. There's only a few places she even would have crossed
the river itself where she could have driven in and I think any one of those places there would have been some sign
that a car there had been an accident. If it is her car and it's here, I don't think it could have been put in anywhere
that she could have driven in. I think somebody would have had to put it in closer to this location.
>> If the person who saw it from after our episode, like if you if you can see it
from Google Earth, I don't I don't feel like it's like so buried that we're not going to be able to find it.
>> No, if it's here, we'll find it. And if it's not here, then it could have >> here.
>> Something was here, right? In 2005. I don't think we've been able to like the river it's so bizarre cuz it was
that one shot from 2005 where the water was clear enough to see something and I went through like every other year it
was always like brown and murky and you couldn't see anything. Once a car comes to rest, it like it tends to settle and
it's less likely to keep going. So, if it was like first floating and it traveled sort of early on like right
after 1997 and this is where it came to rest, it could have been there for years
at that point and maybe it still is. I think there's a better place up the road that is going to have like a more
gradual slope and easier, but it's not far. Here with Danny and Mary Kate and Ruthie
who so graciously allowed us to come on the property to access the water and they told us when we got here that we're
not the first ones to be here this week. In fact, a couple of guys showed up yesterday looking for
>> 3 days ago, I think. >> Okay. A few days ago. >> That was the first I'd heard of the case
after they let I you know, I was still with the kid wrangling. I couldn't spend too much time with them when they're
here. Uh immediately Googled it or talked to AI about it as soon as this as soon as
they left, but Yeah, that's the first I heard about it. >> Did they have like equipment like
searching equipment with them? >> Yes, they did, but I'm trying I And they they did say they would come
back with sonar, I believe. >> So okay, so they're a little more than just like amateurs. They're coming I
don't have sonar hanging around. So yeah. So um so and did they find anything? I
think you mentioned that they actually did pull something out. >> Yes, they said that they found one or
two car parts, I think. >> That's right. Yeah, so the report was they they they found some car parts, a
brake pad I think they said. They said that they talked to ChatGPT and ChatGPT said it was consistent with a car from
'92. Uh so that's when we started to think maybe they're onto something. >> This ground it's all ground.
>> So is there any chance it could be in silt? >> I mean there could be, yeah. I mean
that's the spot where the low head dam is. >> Right. >> it's it should be there's like one tree
that like sticks out. >> so the object >> was >> right there. >> Could it be where the where the trees
are concealing or do you think it's just all too shallow? >> Just think it's too shallow. I mean
there's nothing there. >> I just if it was under where the reflection of the trees are, is there
any chance that that is like a deeper spot? I don't I just don't remember exactly.
Cuz I feel like whatever I I feel like whatever I saw was like kind of close to the edge.
>> If there was a vehicle in there, somebody would have seen it. As clear as that is and as
as rocky. Now that down there looks a little deeper. I could possibly from here it ain't too far.
Just walk up there. I'll was walk in the water instead of putting a boat in. >> If it was like rocky but then there were
also areas of silt, is it possible that >> It could get uh >> That it could >> get uncovered.
>> Yeah. >> Absolutely. >> All right. So, in this area, I'm just going to tell you that there's big
boulders. It's not just sand. There's not just deposits. This is big boulders. Big boulders.
Well, I'm getting deeper. I did get deep. I did get deep. All right. So, I am in
about 5 and 1/2 ft of water. So, I am where that spot is. But, everything I've hit
has been solid. It's pretty deep here. I was actually surprised. About 5 ft deep.
I'm 6 ft, so uh right out there there's a little bit more depth. But, over here, it's about
4 and 1/2 to 5 ft deep. With my feet, I can touch almost everywhere except for one spot. And it's
about 7 ft deep, so the only thing I can say is I'll just get my gear on, float down there,
dive it, and that's for sure going to tell me cuz I could see from here to probably almost every probably
a good 5 or 10 ft of visibility, so and that's the only spot I can't touch and I can't feel. Everything else are
these rocks. Be on my mind that we could have missed something, so with that being as deep as it is in that little
spot, it's only from here to you that I had to put down and push with the I mean, it is it is just enough for a
car. You are 100% right. So, I will get my gear on and I will dive down and search it.
>> How long have you been doing this? >> 6 years. >> Wow. >> Hold on, 6 years. I'm going to go ahead and turn the
cylinder on. Check the valves. 2870 Right now, I'm just checking my dump valves to make sure they're
working. >> And what would that be? For someone And what would that be for someone who doesn't know what that is?
>> So, the dump So, this air This fills up with air. >> Okay. >> And it's an it's an inflator. It
literally I've got a big buoy on my back now. It compensates my weight, my gear,
and everything and lifts me out of the water at a slow rate of speed if I wanted to, or it could hold me on top of
the water so I can relax. >> Got you. >> And then whenever I dump this, that lets all the air out and then I get
negative >> Cool. >> instead of positive buoyant. 2884 >> Is that good? >> PSI, yeah. I should be able to stand the
water for at least 45 minutes to an hour. Well, probably two or three hours since it's
only like 3 ft 4 ft deep in a lot of those areas. >> How far do you think you're going to go
down? >> Only about 7 ft. >> Okay. >> I can touch the bottom, but I can't like I was taking the stakes
>> Yeah. >> and just basically like a skier would >> Yep. >> and I was holding >> I was crawling
cuz I couldn't touch the ground, but I can jump up and then hit the ground with my with my
feet, so >> Got you. >> We're good. When the middle it's a little deeper and all I want to
do is try to get on my back and just float down and let the current take me down instead of try to walk. It's hard
enough to walk with these boots and those rocks to where I can actually go in the middle there and get in that
little deeper water. It's only two or three foot, but at least I can travel a little bit so I don't have cuz 80 lb on
my back. >> So, I'll float back to that spot and then >> Then I'll just dive. >> the burner. Okay.
>> I got my flashlight and my mask and that allow me to look around and I'm just
literally just going to go circle around that deeper hole that I couldn't walk I couldn't go through with
the stakes. I know where it's at. >> He was holding >> He was holding something up. It's only
It looks like That might be a tire. I'm not sure. >> Wait, what? >> He was holding something up.
>> Wait. >> He held something up like it was waving in the end. I want to say tire. I'm not
sure. I fully unconfirmed. Well, I tried to bring this rim with me. >> He just yelled out that he found a rim.
He's struggling with something. We don't want We want to move it? Well, yeah. I mean, I don't want it to
like go farther down. Like I'd rather Yeah, you don't want it to to go down and if it's anything that can be like
tied back to her car. >> I feel the rim about >> How far down was it? >> 3 ft. 4 ft.
>> We reached out to the guy who owned Mercury Sable of Indianapolis in the '90s. So, he's going to send us what the
rim was and then we can compare. It's pretty It's been down there a minute, I feel
like. >> That's the only thing I could find down there. >> Well, they had hubcaps on the Mercury
Sable, so but they had spoke hubs and closed hubs, so >> That's the only thing I could find.
>> Okay. >> I couldn't find any remnants of a car, any kind of emblems, anything.
>> It'd be hard to find a number on this, too. So, this was the only thing that he
found while he was down there that looked like it could be from part of a car. Holy crap. Is that for the That's for
yeah, Mercury Sable. This was Yeah, it's I mean, it's listed on eBay as being We
would have to fact check it, but it's being compatible from 1990. >> Oh my god. >> Wow, this is a
>> It's It looks really similar. >> It's just like it. >> What about these holes? Yeah, yeah.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Holy crap. I think the next thing is to text IMPD. Yeah, I sent a text
letting them know. See if they want it. I want to hold it until until they want to If they don't want to
take it, then I think I don't know if I don't know if getting the rust off of it will
even do anything. Like cuz that's my next step, but like that won't even that tells anything new. I just texted some
people I know locally who own Ford dealerships cuz they would have Mercury. Cuz um my buddy said like there might be
some old-timers there who like really would like recognize these, but I I like I don't want to mess anything up before
>> Yeah, I don't know. Let's wait Let's wait till we hear from IMPD. >> Hello, this is Courtney.
>> Hey Courtney, it's Bill Carter IMPD. How are you? >> Hey, fine. How are you? I'm here with
Ashley >> Flowers, too. >> Hi. >> She's there? >> Yeah. Hey, what's up? >> in the water?
>> Uh we did not go in the water. We had some someone who's much more trained to
go in water than I am. I stood on the sidelines like a pro. >> I can see Ashley out there uh paddling
around, but so are they complete there? >> Yeah, they're they're they're done. He
said the He The only thing he found was this um this rim, and so we just don't know what you want us to do with it.
If anything. >> Is it like a Is it a Mercury rim? Can they tell? >> So, it's it's all rusted. We We were
looking up and we're just looking up stuff on eBay um and online, and it looks consistent with like what would
have fit a car for like a 1990 Sable. >> Okay, I'm actually in Kentucky, but I can have the on-call come and get it.
>> Okay. >> Or since >> I mean we can >> the fastest. >> We can I mean like again, I don't know
that you guys if you guys are going to do anything with it immediately. I'm happy to hold on to do you guys
until you're in town. >> to your guys' office. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Is that Is that too much?
>> No. And there are There were apparently some guys who were here 2 days before us who went in the
river and found like a brake pad as well. So, we're they if they come back, um the owners are going to try and get
their information and and maybe they might have something for you guys as well. >> Well, that Here's my thing on that whole
thing, okay? So, she has connections to that Is it the Riverview Yacht Club or the There's something up there.
>> It's the Riviera. >> The Riviera. So, if that car went into the Riviera, Riviera, there was a
massive flood that came through there after Bonnie went missing and it would it could have washed that car there.
Then we talked to one of the home home home owners and he said that water the water level
of the river was like so high up. So, it wouldn't it would not have been uncommon
for that car to get stuck there and washed there. Um and we've drowned it and a bunch of other stuff, but that's
probably the deepest part of the river right there is what they told us. >> And yeah, as we as we were looking at
the Riviera is literally right next door to the property that we're on and it There's like a place where you could
easily see like a a car going in. I just don't know that you'd have Yeah, I'm not
getting into theories here, but yeah. >> I mean, she could have I I don't know. >> Yeah.
>> always at a loss with her. >> Yeah. >> Cuz we have searched, oh my god. And I I
know I know you probably talked to Sergeant Casey here, but the waters we've searched are just shoo.
>> Yeah. >> Everywhere and I just don't know where she's at. I wish I knew. >> Yeah.
>> Uh but that was definitely that was possible when we saw that. But but yeah, I can get that.
I can come by your guys' office. >> Perfect. We'll hold on to it for you. Yeah. >> All right, thank you so much.
>> Thanks, Bill. >> Thank you. Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Bye. >> Bye. >> If that does come back to her car, then
uh it's going to be an escalating thing. And I don't think the I don't think the
city would have any any qualms on taking a dozer and shoveling that rock to see if there's a car under there. Everybody
knows the story, but we're just trying to get waterways and this keeps spreading out until she's either found
or all the places are searched. >> Yeah. >> So, that's what we do.

In 1997, Bonnie Lee Schultz disappeared from Indianapolis, Indiana, along with her car, a 1990 Mercury Sable.

For decades, there were no answers. But, after covering Bonnie’s case, the Crime Junkie team received a tip: a possible vehicle visible in the White River on a Google Earth image.

So when spring conditions made it possible, Ashley Flowers and the Crime Junkie team partnered with Chaos Divers to investigate. What they found could change everything.

In this special behind the scenes look into a Crime Junkie investigation, you’ll follow the search as the team investigates a potential lead in the White River in Indianapolis, Indiana, works with Chaos Divers to examine a deep section of the river, uncovers an object that raises serious questions, consults with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD), explores the nearby Riviera Club in Indianapolis and its possible connection to Bonnie, and analyzes historical flood data from 1997, including record-high water levels.

This is a real-time investigation into a case that may not be as cold as it once seemed. -------- Follow Crime Junkie: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crimejunkiepodcast Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrimeJunkiePodcast/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/CrimeJunkiePod Crime Junkie is created and hosted by Ashley Flowers.

About Ashley Flowers Ashley Flowers is the top female podcaster in the U.S. and the host of Crime Junkie, the #1 podcast among women and the #1 true crime podcast globally. As the Founder of Audiochuck, she has built a top-tier podcast production company that has garnered over 2.6 billion downloads, captivating audiences with its gripping storytelling through 10+ chart topping podcasts. Ashley and her team are dedicated to creating responsible true crime content that respects victims and their families.

Follow Ashley: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ASHLEYFLOWERS/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/ash_flowers TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@ashleyflowerscrimejunkie Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ashleyflowers.af/

Chaos Divers: https://www.youtube.com/@UCNpWg19YS5pknCOFv7NXNJg

Check out these other great crime channels: @annieelise One of Canadas Most Horrifying Cases | The Disappearance of Tori Stafford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywNmkEE8cB8 @KendallRae Stalked, Harassed & Set Up To Take The Fall: The Murder Of Kristil Krug https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cp-kNjjrWW0 @christinaarandall They ALL Had Secrets, Then They Disappeared | The Missing Scientist Case Keeps Getting Stranger https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q1bMEP27pc @bellafiori The Case of Russell Stager https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0LoFOvK358

Brief Summary

Chaos Divers search the White River for clues in Bonnie Lee Shults' case, discovering a potential car rim linked to her disappearance.

Key points

Searching the White River. The team investigates a tip about a possible car in the river linked to Bonnie Lee Shults.
Discovery of a Rim. A diver finds a rim that may be connected to a car from the 1990s.
Implications of the Find. The team discusses the potential significance of the rim they found in the river.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

I feel like she like she's not in the car.

Speculating about Bonnie's fate.

1:23WatchMay 20, 2026

Tension

75/ 100High tension

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