Dad was aiming for buzzard when he shot his daughter: Police
Share this @internewscast.com

Background: The location in Waterloo, Ill. where Emma Schultheis was fatally shot (Google Maps). Inset: Emma Schultheis (Quernheim Funeral Home).

An Illinois man was charged with a felony after police said he shot his 14-year-old daughter while trying to kill a buzzard.

Monroe County Sheriff’s Department reported that 34-year-old David Schultheis turned himself in following a warrant for his arrest on charges of reckless firearm discharge. In the wake of his daughter Emma Schultheis’s death on July 21, investigations revealed he had attempted to shoot a buzzard inside a brick office in Waterloo, Illinois, using a handgun.

Police said Schultheis fired at the bird without looking.

A police statement described how Schultheis “inserted only his arm into the room — keeping his head outside to avoid ricochet — prior to firing.” The bullet allegedly “hit the buzzard, passed through, exited through a window, and tragically struck his daughter, Emma Schultheis, who was waiting outside.”

Officers arrived at around 1:34 p.m. on July 21 and found Emma wounded. Despite efforts by medical staff, she was pronounced dead at the hospital. She was less than a week away from turning 15.

Authorities also discovered that 58-year-old Karen Schwarze allegedly tried to hide Emma’s death and the Taurus .40 caliber pistol Schultheis used. She is accused of attempting to “influence others to withhold information from law enforcement during the investigation’s initial phase,” police said. Her exact connection to Schultheis was not disclosed.

Schultheis was processed and released after turning himself in on a reckless discharge charge. Monroe County Sheriff Neal Rohlfing informed the Bellville News-Democrat that a pretrial detention request was not filed. Schultheis was set to appear in court on Thursday.

Schwarze was due to surrender soon, facing charges of concealing a homicidal death and obstruction of justice.

Sheriff Rohlfing told the Bellville News-Democrat that the shooting was “not intentional,” adding, “We feel terrible for the family and friends.”

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Mother Avoids Prison After Attempting to Use Fake ‘Rent-a-Hitman’ Website for Son’s Murder

Left: Jazmin Paez, left, appears in court on March 23, 2026, to…

Landscaper Records Distressed Nanny’s Reaction to Toddler’s Accident, Authorities and Mother Report

Inset: Suzanne Michelle Buhler (Placer County Sheriff’s Office). Background: Markham Ravine Park…

Couple’s Month of Road Rage: Alleged Spitting Incident at Walmart Involving 8-Year-Old Sparks Police Investigation

Insets, left to right: Alexander Black and Arianna Foster (Maricopa County Sheriff”s…

Duo Caught Red-Handed in Walmart Theft and Chase with Police

Staff Report GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Two individuals, Jack Caverly Mason II, aged…

Texas Resident Throws Bucket of Bones Over FBI Fence – Shocking Incident Unfolds

A man from Texas is facing charges of corpse abuse after allegedly…

Accused Individual Seeks Dismissal of Charges in Brothel Owner’s Rape and Murder Case

A man accused of the heinous crimes of rape and murder against…

Florida Woman Shoots Partner in Heated Argument, Sleeps Peacefully After: Police Report

Diane Wetherbee (Custer County Sheriff’s Office). An Idaho woman is accused of…

Road Rage Incident: Pregnant Woman and Good Samaritan Attacked, Officer Bitten in Chaotic Confrontation

Inset: Mandolyn Shaffer-Brockwell (Orange County Jail). Background: Shaffer-Brockwell”s arrest during a road…

Tragic Shooting Incident: Mother Pleads for Safety Before Ex-Boyfriend’s Fatal Attack; Sentencing Follows Heartbreaking Loss

Left inset: Rueben Rocha (Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office). Right: Jordin Miranda Castillo…

Tragic Turn for Doctor’s Wife During Scenic Getaway: Near-Death Cliff Incident

The trial for Dr. Gerhardt Konig, an anesthesiologist from Maui accused of…

Teen Found Deceased in Orchard After Leaving AutoZone; Ex-Boyfriend Detained for Disposing of Her Driver’s License

Left inset: Melanie Camacho. Right inset: Vicente Jasso (Madera County Sheriff’s Office).…

Quadruple Amputee Cornhole Player Charged with Murder and Body Disposal After Witnesses Allegedly Decline Assistance: Police Report

Inset: Dayton James Webber (American Cornhole League/YouTube). Background: The 10000 block of…