ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, October 28, 1996 TAG: 9610280092
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: LURAY
A body discovered in the Shenandoah National Park may be a Foreign Service officer missing since Aug. 30, park officials said.
The body found Saturday about 3 1/2 miles from Skyline Drive had identification papers of James S. Schneider, 27, of Arlington, said park spokeswoman Lyn Rothgeb. She said the body had a gunshot wound, and a gun and handwritten suicide note were nearby.
Soon after Schneider was reported missing, his car was discovered, but a search had turned up nothing until Saturday.
At the time of his disappearance, Schneider's family suggested something had gone wrong recently in his professional life. He was hired by the State Department in Arlington in November 1995.
According to The Washington Post, Schneider applied to the CIA before being hired by the State Department. The newspaper said a polygraph test in June indicated he was lying when he denied having discussed classified data with foreign nationals while in the Navy.
An autopsy will be conducted at Fairfax County's medical examiner's office.
- Associated Press
LENGTH: Short : 33 lines KEYWORDS: FATALITYby CNB