The case of an 18-year-old who went missing in Marion almost two weeks ago has so far stumped law enforcement, search parties, family members and friends who are out looking for Levi Schneider.
Levi was last seen on July 7, according to his father Ray Schneider, but he was not officially declared as a missing person until July 15. Since then, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office and search and rescue crews have canvassed the area he was last seen, using manpower, helicopters and dogs in the search.
But so far, nothing has turned up.
“We seem to be beating our heads against the wall,” Undersheriff Dave Leib said on July 17, the same day dogs searched the area around Levi’s grandparents’ house in Marion.
Levi was last seen when his stepfather dropped him off at his grandparents’ house, Ray Schneider said. The grandparents were gone for five to 10 minutes, he said, and when they got back, Levi was gone.
“We don’t know where he went, we don’t know who he was with,” Ray said.
His family describes him as 6-feet-one-inch tall, weighing 180 pounds. He also recently shaved his head. They said he has no car or cellphone.
Once he learned Levi was missing, Ray drove over from Great Falls and hasn’t left since. He put up a couple hundred posters about Levi’s disappearance in downtown Kalispell, and received several tips, one directing him to a local hotel.
The search came up empty, Ray said.
Levi has been living in Kalispell for about a year and a half, Ray said, moving here to live with his mother just before his 18th birthday.
“He has a lot of family up here on his mom’s side,” Ray said. “I was over here a month ago and he looked good.”
The sheriff’s office is following up on tips and phone data, Leib said, but most of it is coming up empty. As of July 19, there were still no developments in the case.
Ray has also received a few calls about seeing Levi, but nothing substantial.
“I have yet to have one solid sighting of him. I thought I seen him yesterday myself with my own eyes but I did not see the face,” Ray said. “But it sure looked like my son.”
“I’m not leaving until I find my son. I will stay here until he comes back or until I know where he is.”
Anyone with information on Levi Schneider’s whereabouts is asked to call the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office at 406-758-5585 and ask for a detective; Ray Schneider is also taking calls at 406-231-0134 and 406-752-0382.