Friends, family and Sheriff’s deputies aren’t sure what happened to Logan Schiendelman, a 19-year-old Tumwater man last seen May 20.
His car, a black 1996 Chrysler Sebring convertible, was towed from the shoulder of southbound Interstate 5 that day. It was found at milepost 92, near Maytown. Schiendelman’s personal belongings — including his wallet and cellphone — were found inside.
Sgt. Carla Carter of the Thurston County Sheriff’s Office said there has been no activity in his bank account.
“We’re not sure what happened,” Carter said. “But there was some indication, perhaps, of some burgeoning mental health issues.”
Schiendelman’s great aunt, Mary Ware of Rochester, described her nephew as quiet and sensitive. She said he spent a lot of time working on her 5-acre farm.
“I just really enjoyed having him around, and my husband did, too,” Ware said. “He’d do things like stomp on big spiders for me; he was very helpful.”
Ware played football at Tumwater High School, and graduated in 2014. He then attended Washington State University for one year, but had a hard time adjusting, Ware said. When he came home for the summer after his freshman year, he decided not to go back.
Since then, Schiendelman has worked three or four jobs. He lived with his grandmother, Ginnie Schiendelman, who raised him.
Ware said he had no real reason for Logan Schiendelman to leave home without notice.
“He lived a comfortable life,” Ware said. “He lived in a nice house with all the comforts of home.”
It would be especially strange, she said, for Logan Schiendelman to leave behind his wallet and phone.
Ginnie Schiendelman last saw him the morning of May 19 when she left for work. Ware said when Schiendelman wasn’t home May 20, his grandmother “pinged” his cell phone to find out where he was. The phone showed he was near his mother’s house in Olympia, so Ginnie Schiendelman didn’t worry.
A family member called Logan’smother on May 22, and she said she hadn’t seen her son in about a week. That’s when the family began to worry.
They filed a missing person’s report May 23. Friends have launched a Facebook campaign and passed out fliers.
Ware said she has no idea what may have happened to Schiendelman, or how his car ended up on the side of I-5.
“Every 10 minutes I am saying to my husband, ‘Maybe this happened’ or ‘Maybe this happened,’ ” Ware said. “But I have no idea. There just doesn’t seem to be an explanation.”
Amelia Dickson: 360-754-5445, @Amelia_Oly
This story was originally published May 30, 2016 5:11 PM.