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Cold Case Revisited: Missing Mail Carrier Harold Schroetter

By Caroline Lowe, WCCO-TV

FALCON HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) -- As Caroline Lowe prepares to start a new adventure at KSBY in California, she's spending the next couple of weeks revisiting cold cases she's profiled over the past several decades as a crime reporter for WCCO.

Lowe keeps a wall of photos of the victims next to her desk so she'll never forget them. When she clears out her desk for the last time, Lowe said she'll put the photos in an album to take with her to California.

Many of the victims' relatives have contacted her in recent days and before she departs, Lowe will be sharing their stories.

It's been more than two years since Harold Schroetter left his Falcon Heights home on a February morning. Schroetter, who was 57 years old, has not been seen since and police suspect foul play. A woman who lived with the postal carrier reported him missing.

Several days after he disappeared, Schroetter's car was found near Jackson Street and Arlington Avenue in St. Paul. His blood was found in the trunk of his roommate's car.

His family and police believe he was murdered. His son would like a chance to bury his dad.

"I know it would mean a lot to my dad because he served his country, he was very proud of that, to be able to actually be buried out at Fort Snelling, which is what his plan was," said Schroetter's son Nicholas. "He wanted to have a proper military funeral and everything that was due to him for his 20 years of service. It's partly for me but a lot also for what I knew that he wanted and what he has a right to."

Investigators have suspected foul play almost from the beginning.

"They need to be held accountable," said Schroeder's former wife, Bonnie. "I still think someone out there knows something and that someone will come forward, do the right thing."

Spotlight on Crime has posted a $50,000 reward to help solve the crime.

Anyone with information on what happened to Schroetter should contact St. Anthony Police at 612-782-3350 or the Minnesota Bureau of criminal Apprehension at 651-793-7000.

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