Schneiter_Linda Jane_ 25 May 1947

Body Of Montana Girl Found In Car At Malad

With all evidence pointing to suicide, officers this week closed the case of an 18-year-old Montana State University coed who was found dead late Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 16th, in a car parked in a private garage at Malad.

Body of Linda Jane Schneiter, 18, Belgrade, Montana, missing from classes at Bozeman since January 25, was found by Griff L. Jenkins, Malad, when he returned home from an extended business trip to Burley. The garage had not been used since Mr. Jenkins left on January 6th.

Investigation was conducted by Oneida Sheriff Kenneth Wharton and Malad Police Chief W. E. Thomas, who determined that the girl apparently took her own life by driving into the garage, closing the door and leaving the motor running. Their report was confirmed by a Pocatello pathologist, Dr. E. B. Webb, who performed an autopsy and said all evidence pointed to death by carbon monoxide poisoning. There was no indication of any injuries. With these facts, the officers ruled an inquest unnecessary.

The 1965 model car, belonging to W. L. Iverson, Sunburst, Montana, was stolen in Bozeman. Miss. Schneiter had been attending classes since January 3rd at Montana State in Bozeman. She had been seen in the car in West Yellowstone shortly after her disappearance but there was no trace of her since. Sheriff Wharton said there was no evidence of where Miss. Schneiter was headed or what she was doing in Malad.

In a small notebook found by the body, the girl had left the address of a Bozeman family with whom she had been living, wrote the family a brief note and another was addressed to the owner of the car and apologized for taking it.

Born May 25, 1947, Miss Schneiter was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Schneiter, Route 1, Belgrade, Montana.

The body was flown to Montana Friday and a sergeant of the Montana Highway Patrol returned the stolen car Monday.