Sounds more to me like he did the desert search just to please the media (just like you said, OJ looking for the "real killer"). OK, we all react differently to tragedy and stress, but most men I know would have come back obviously agitated and upset, crying even, that she still hasn't been found. Wishing "this whole thing was just over with" - again (reaction statement), but over with? I hope he means, "I hope we find Danielle soon", and not "this is such a waste of time - why don't you all get out of my front yard?"
As you said, I would hope he meant that he wished they would find Danielle but it sure didn't sound that way.