In 2013, Kelsie Schelling Sent An Ultrasound Image To Her Boyfriend — Then Disappeared

Donthe Lucas is awaiting trial for his ex-girlfriend's alleged murder but, after six long years of searching, her body has never been found.

June 14, 2019
Kelsie Schelling [Investigation Discovery]

Photo by: Kelsie Schelling [Investigation Discovery]

Kelsie Schelling [Investigation Discovery]

By: Mike McPadden

PUEBLO, CO — According to police, on February 4, 2013, 21-year-old Kelsie Schelling visited a doctor in Denver, confirmed she was eight weeks pregnant, and texted an ultrasound image to her boyfriend in Pueblo, 21-year-old Donthe Lucas.

Lucas allegedly asked Schelling to come meet him. Authorities say she made the two-hour drive and then waited for Lucas in a Walmart parking lot. At 11 P.M., she is said to have texted him that she was “tired of waiting.” Lucas reportedly then requested that she drive to a street near his grandmother’s house, which she did.

At 11:30 P.M., records indicate, Schelling texted to Lucas, "Where are you? I've been here for over an hour just waiting.” That was the last time anyone ever heard from her.

Hours later, Lucas allegedly drove up to an ATM in Schelling's Chevrolet Cruze and used her bank card to withdraw $400. Surveillance video reportedly shows Lucas driving the car back to the Walmart lot.

Footage from the lot taken on February 7 depicts what’s been described as a hooded male figure drive off in the Chevy Cruze, which authorities say was later found at a local hospital.

When detectives questioned Lucas, he allegedly said he met up with Schelling and that she went with him to the ATM, after which he left her back at Walmart. Police have stated that the security video does not back up this version of the events.

From there, investigators continued to work the case, but the trail grew colder until 2017. Early that year, police had picked up Lucas on three counts of identity theft for using Schelling's bank card, but the charges were dropped.

In April 2017, officers dug up the backyard of a residence where Lucas had previously lived. A month later, police excavated a nearby field. Shortly after the second dig, authorities say the original house was damaged in a fire that was looked into as possible arson.

Even though those searches failed to produce evidence of Schelling's remains, on December 1, 2017, police charged Donthe Lucas with alleged murder. At the time, Lucas was already in custody on an unrelated robbery charge.

Since then, Lucas’s trial has been repeatedly delayed, as his defense team has filed dozens of motions. His lawyers also reportedly named Schelling's father as an alternate suspect, citing an alleged “history of violence” against his daughter.

At present, Lucas is scheduled to stand trial beginning on July 30, 2019.

In the meantime, Schelling's family has upped the reward money for information leading to her killer’s conviction to $100,000.

For more on the case of Kelsie Schelling, watch Investigation Discovery's Still a Mystery on ID GO!

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