OSAGE COUNTY, OKLAHOMA — A 10-year-old girl reported missing Saturday evening in the rural Webb City community was safely recovered after an intense multi-agency search and a high-speed police chase that ended in the death of the suspected abductor, according to the Osage County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident began around 6:00 p.m. on June 28, when deputies responded to a missing child report at a residence near Shidler. Given the urgency, law enforcement agencies quickly launched a large-scale search involving more than 20 personnel from the Osage County Sheriff’s Office, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and other local and state agencies.
Search teams deployed drones, K-9 units, and ATVs, coordinating a grid sweep of the area while investigators gathered information from family members. Though the case initially did not meet the criteria for an AMBER Alert, authorities shared the child’s photo and information across social media platforms to expedite public awareness.
Through interviews and cellphone data triangulation, deputies identified a suspect and tracked him to a remote ranch north of Lyman, near the Kay County and Cowley County, Kansas line — a rugged, sparsely populated part of Osage County.
Authorities found the suspect’s vehicle hidden in a field and attempted to approach. As law enforcement identified themselves and activated their emergency lights, the suspect fled the scene, initiating a 20-mile pursuit across rural roads and terrain.
The chase eventually looped back toward Webb City, where officers had established containment positions. There, the suspect briefly stopped his vehicle near the victim’s home, allowing the girl to safely exit. Deputies quickly secured her and reunited her with her family. She appeared unharmed but was taken for precautionary medical evaluation.
The suspect then continued to flee, heading toward State Highway 11 at a high rate of speed. During the final stage of the pursuit, the suspect’s vehicle ran off the road and crashed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as 51-year-old Jimmy Allison Schimmeles Jr., of Shidler.
The Oklahoma Highway Patrol is leading the crash investigation, while the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is assisting with the broader case, including Schimmeles’ death and the circumstances surrounding the abduction.
Officials have not yet confirmed the suspect’s relationship to the child or potential motive for the abduction, citing the ongoing investigation.
“This could have ended much differently,” said a spokesperson for the Osage County Sheriff’s Office. “We are grateful for the teamwork and fast action by everyone involved that led to this child’s safe recovery. Protecting our most vulnerable is always our top priority.”
Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the Osage County Sheriff’s Office at (918) 287-3131.
