Ronald Alan Schulz

Ronald Alan Schulz, (born March 29, 1965 in Jamestown, North Dakota - d. on or about December 8, 2005 in Iraq), was a US 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.

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 US government didn't announce the kidnapping until December 6.

On December 6, 2005, The Islamic Army in Iraq issued a web video 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 Anbar province. On December 8, 2005, the group declared that they killed Schulz after the U.S. refused to give in to their demands.

On December 19, 2005, The group issued a web 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.

Schulz's remains were found in a grave in Iraq in September 2008 along with those of Susan Bushra, his Kurdish fiancee. The remains were confirmed to be Schulz's in October and they were returned to North Dakota for burial.