Ronald Alan Schulz

{{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=May 2026}} {{Infobox person | birth_date = {{birth date|1965|3|29}} | birth_place = Jamestown, North Dakota, U.S. | death_date = {{circa}} {{Death date and age|2005|12|8|1965|3|29}} | death_place = Iraq | death_cause = Shot in the back of the head }} '''Ronald Alan Schulz''' (March 29, 1965 – circa December 8, 2005) was an American civilian contract worker in Iraq who was kidnapped and killed by Iraqi insurgents.

==Early life== Schulz graduated from Jamestown High School in Jamestown, North Dakota in 1983. He joined the United States Marine Corps and served from 1984 to 1991. After leaving the Marines, Schulz moved to Alaska.<ref name="MacPherson, James 2008"/>

==Death in Iraq== In 2005, Schulz went to Iraq as a civilian contract worker initially doing electrical work for KBR (Kellog Brown & Root). He had left them to do electrical work for an unspecified private security organization. On or around November 25, 2005, Schulz was kidnapped by unknown insurgents, although the U.S. government didn't announce the kidnapping until December 6.<ref name="MacPherson, James 2008">MacPherson, James, "North Dakota Family To Bury Slain Hostage", ''San Diego Union-Tribune'' (Associated Press), October 31, 2008.</ref>

On December 6, 2005, the Islamic Army in Iraq uploaded a video to the internet showing Schulz sitting in a white plastic chair with his hands tied behind his back. The group threatened to kill him in 48 hours unless the U.S. government freed all Iraqi prisoners and paid compensation to Iraqis affected by military offensives led by U.S. troops against militants in the Sunni Muslim-dominated Al Anbar province. On December 8, 2005, the group declared that they had killed Schulz after the U.S. refused to give in to their demands.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. hostage killed, Iraq militant group says|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna10382110|access-date=January 31, 2013|newspaper=NBC News|date= August 12, 2005}}</ref>

On December 19, 2005, the militants uploaded a video showing Schulz's death, in which he is shot in the back of the head with an automatic rifle. The video included footage of Schulz's identification card.<ref name="MacPherson, James 2008"/><ref>[https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4541386.stm BBC|Iraqi group shows 'hostage death']</ref> Schulz's remains were found in a grave in Iraq in September 2008 along with those of Susan Bushra, his Kurdish fiancée. The remains were confirmed to be Schulz's in October and they were returned to North Dakota for burial.<ref>{{Cite web|title=FBI: Remains of ND civilian recovered in Iraq - USATODAY.com|url=http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2008-10-30-104464297_x.htm|access-date=2021-01-07|website=usatoday30.usatoday.com}}</ref>

==Notes== {{Reflist|2}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Schulz, Ronald Alan}} Category:1965 births Category:2000s missing person cases Category:2005 deaths Category:American people taken hostage Category:Foreign hostages in Iraq Category:American people imprisoned in Iraq Category:Kidnapped American people Category:Missing person cases in Iraq Category:People from Jamestown, North Dakota Category:United States Marines Category:Civilian casualties in the Iraq War Category:American people murdered abroad Category:People murdered in 2005