He had one shoe off and the other shoe in his hand. Was Wheeler's a tragic death related to a bipolar episode, a government-sanctioned assassination plot, or as others believe, a random downtown mugging gone wrong? In fact, he didnt communicate with either of them for the rest of his time alive. Another relevant detail is that Wheeler suffered from bipolar disorder. He moved easily among Washington's elite, working most recently as a military consultant. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. They were close to him when, and if, he had a psychotic break. On December 28, he left his home in the morning, telling his wife that he had to go to Washington D.C. for some important work, not unusual considering how busy he liked to keep himself. True crime docuseries Unsolved Mysteries Volume Two, now available on Netflix, kicks off with a disturbing first episode. He was stopped by police while driving a maroon 2020 Dodge Grand Caravan that was also sought by police, based on video reviewed by officers, authorities said. And still wearing his West Point ring to boot? No. He appeared disorientated and anxious in the video, it could be that he thought he was being followed and was extremely paranoid and hid in the dumpster. The person had a relationship with Murphy, and was last seen with her on Monday, around the time her family last had contact with her, according to Wheeling police. Investigators said his body was disposed of in a dumpster. Its I go to dinner, not Her huge ego, but she responds to both. DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 CHICAGO APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ A witness did come forward to state that they shared a cab with Jack at around 11 p.m. that night, which Jack had climbed into after hearing that it was headed to Newark. Dill also reported a bare footprint. Sources tell FOX 32 News that authorities are investigating to see if there is a connection between the toddler and Dobbs. After spending the day in Washington, he traveled to New Castle, Delaware, where he owned a house. Murphy's 1-year-old daughter, Jacklyn "Angel" Dobbs, remains missing. He didn't, however, have a strong sense of direction and was often losing his car. Some of the things listed in the medical examiners report included aspiration of blood, contusion, rib fracture, lung collapse, soft tissue hemorrhage, external neck injury, swollen lips, laceration and injury to the mouth. The cause of death was blunt force trauma.". He reached his destination, worked for the day, and then left to go to New Castle, his second home, for the night. However, an autopsy report suggested that Jack had taken quite a beating. The theory of him being in the dumpster and getting compacted makes sense. He was also seen on CCTV cameras at a parking garage, looking distressed as he claimed his briefcase had been stolen while he walked along in only one shoe. Seems fairly obvious no? Where the Cast of 'Boy Meets World' Is Now, Don't Despair, But 'The Last of Us' Is Nearly Over, 'The Last of Us' Season 2 Might Start Filming Soon, Facts You Didn't Know About That '70s Show, The Cast of 'The Mandalorian' in Real Life, 'The Mandalorian' Season 3, Episode 1 Recap, 'The Mandalorian' Season 3 is About to Commence. For what it's worth, Klyce believes her husband's death was a planned assassination. As mentioned in the episode, Wheeler's emotional distress and his death seem unconnected to each other. Wheeler also spoke about an interest in hacking to people he knew, in relation to an informal investigation he was making into corruption of Delaware public officials. Wheeler considered the construction "sacrilegious" and was in the process of filing legal challenges against the homeowners. Reply Bing987 . Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. That's why it is so sad and ironic, his friends say, that he himself would be murdered, and his body dumped with the garbage into a landfill not far from his home. Then the theory of mugging comes into play, yet even that seems next to impossible, mainly as Jack had been carefully disposed of, and he still had some cash, his West Point ring, and a Rolex on his being when he was recovered. Someone attempted to set the house across the street from Wheelers residence on fire that night. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? WHEELING, Ill. - A 21-year-old mother who was found murdered in Wheeling this week was strangled to death, according to autopsy results released Thursday afternoon. Scenario One: Wheeler Was Killed By An Outside Agency He served three presidents -- Ronald Reagan, George H.W. All the show tunes! He got his start writing for the legendary DC Comics digital fanzine Fanzing, before receiving his own column, The Mount. And what about the people that drove him from the pharmacy to the garage? Unsolved Mysteries: Every Jack Wheeler Death Theory, Explained, Unsolved Mysteries: What To Expect From Volume 3, Everything Unsolved Mysteries Leaves Out About The Oslo Plaza Woman, Unsolved Mysteries: How The Original Series Is Still Solving Cases, Why Unsolved Mysteries On Netflix Doesn't Have A Host. "So some of those details they would have because they were the law enforcement that spoke to that couple, but we dont have any of those details.. Wheeler did not go to work the following day on December 29he emailed that his home had been broken into and that his cellphone, badge, and briefcase were missing. Investigators struggled to tie the murder, burglary, and the smoke bomb incident although they could not dispel it as mere coincidence. Then, when the garbage truck came in the morning to dispose of the dumpster, the machinery man-handling him could have killed him, leaving him with wounds and contusions that resembled a beating. The last footage of Wheeler was him wearing a dark hoodie, walking past the DuPont Hotel in downtown Wilmington. When you look at the autopsy and the degree to which he was beaten, its just not consistent with a fall from the dumpster. He also added that Jack could not have been mugged as street robbers leave the body where they attack and usually dont load it into dumpsters. Maybe the suitcase was lost elsewhere or thrown away. We may earn a commission from these links. 1. Unsolved Mysteries is available on Netflix now. ga('ads.send', { Somebody didnt want his body to be found. Unsolved Mysteries explored the Washington insider's 2010 death. }) Unsolved Mysteries is back and more haunting than ever.The first episode of the season's second volume explores what happened to John "Jack" Wheeler. Jack was devoted to causes that were for the great benefit of the country such as being executive director of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial," Bayard Marin, Wheelers attorney, said. It was possible that Wheeler had some mental breakdown due to his disorder or he was being physically attacked. Murphy was a 2018 graduate of Stevenson High School and lived with her daughter at the apartment building, Wheeling police said. The consensus of homicide stems largely in part from severe injuries to Wheeler's body: blunt force trauma, broken ribs, and contusions on his face. However, while this theory seems plausible on the surface, it does nothing to explain some of the odder aspects of the case, such as why Jack Wheeler's phone was found at the arson site across the street from his home. A person of interest in Murphy's murder and Dobb's disappearance was located in Missouri. Although the injuries don't add up, my guess was that he had had a mental break. Netflix owes us answers after that ending. }); Inside the kitchen area, Dill found the door ajar, a plant tipped over, spices and cleaning supplies knocked onto the floor and broken dishes in the sink. While Jack Wheeler was not a munitions expert, it still seems unlikely he would make such a rudimentary mistake given how meticulous he was in all other aspects of his work. #UnsolvedMysteries. Wheeler's death was ruled a homicide, due to the intensive damage dealt to his body, which included a punctured lung, broken ribs and a wound on his head. ga('ads.send', { However, the main problem with this theory is that Wheeler wasn't robbed: He still was wearing an expensive watch and his West Point ring when his body was found. The former aide of President George W. Bush . Plot details forUnsolved Mysteriesahead. gads_event = event; 3. Robert Dill, Jacks neighbor at the time, discovered Jacks second-floor window was open. Her death was ruled a homicide. The victim had very strong ties to the government which could be understood by merely glancing at his career. }); Fell asleep in the dumpster. He told the people in the parking garage that his briefcase had been stolen. I vote for him. eventAction: 'view' John "Jack" Wheeler, a veterans' advocate and D.C. insider, went missing in 2010. Wheeler's body was discovered December 31, 2010 in the Cherry Island Landfill in Wilmington, Delaware. The footage shows him walking toward Rodney Square at around 8:40 p.m. This was the last time anyone reported seeing him alive. } In his later years, Wheeler had become particularly focused on a house that was being built across the street from him in New Castle, DE, that had also been a battleground in the Revolutionary War. There wasnt much damage but police found a cell phone at the scene and when they examined it, discovered it was Wheelers. Yeah, I mean everytime they dump something new in the dumpster things are going to get pressed against him. Still, his murder remains an utter mystery, and it is unclear whether the property dispute is related to Wheeler's death. "The sensational aspects of Jack's murder were what first attracted me. Related: Unsolved Mysteries: Every Jack Wheeler Death Theory, Explained. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { As mentioned in the episode, Wheeler's emotional distress and his death seem unconnected to each other. Jack served in the Vietnam War and after he came back he began planning a memorial for all who fought and died there. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), Wheelerwho was also diagnosed with bipolar disorderwas found dead in a landfill after a night of . Wheeler's autopsy also revealed that he had suffered a heart attack, but still listed the cause of his death as blunt force trauma. The footage clearly shows that he was distressed and agitated, looking over his shoulders and into corners every few seconds as if he was scared that somebody would jump out. Why would someone break into your house, destroy your spice rack and throw your Comet all around? One Jack Wheeler theory was assassinated by the U.S. government before he could talk. So either someone robbed him of it and set off the smoke bombs or he did it. The autopsy lists a number of severe injuries, including a collapsed lung, broken ribs, swollen lips, and external neck injury, lacerations, and more. Wheeler's death has saddened many of his close friends, including former CIA Director Jim Woolsey and author James Fallows. Family, friends, and investigators express in the episode their hope that someone has information about what happened to Wheeler in his final days. On December 31, 2010 the body of John "Jack" Wheeler III was . eventAction: 'click_ads' Jack Wheeler was last seen by his wife on December 28, 2010, as he left their home in Harlem by train to return to work in Washington DC. "The home construction dispute is one aspect we are considering," Farrall said. His wife claimed that he had been independently investigating the construction project and might have stumbled across a secret worth killing for as part of the investigation. The neighbor called the police to report a burglary in the Wheelers home, but the police had just before been notified of Jack Wheelers beaten bodystill endowed with his West Point ring and Rolexwhich had been discovered in a landfill by a truck driver. The video footage and eye-witness accounts of encounters with Wheeler during his two days in downtown Wilmington would seem to confirm that something had happened to him, with some theorizing that he may have suffered a stroke or developed amnesia as a result of a traumatic encounter. Roughly forty minutes later, Wheeler was seen on another security camera in a Wilmington parking garage, looking disheveled and holding one of his shoes. Some conspiracy theorists have connected Wheeler's death to various theories regarding government corruption in Washington DC. He appeared to be cautious of his surroundings as if he was scared that he was being stalked. let gads_event; Jan Scruggs, founder, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, said, Jack was a very exceptional person, a graduate of West Point, a graduate of Harvard Business School, a graduate of Yale Law School. This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. As shown in the Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2episode, police were eventually able to trace Wheeler's body to a particular garbage truck and found his DNA in a dumpster in Newark, Delaware; a city nearly 15 miles southwest of where Wheeler was last seen alive and roughly the same distance from where his body was found. According to the Washington Post, he also emailed his therapist that morning saying that he felt dazed, boxed in a corner regarding a fight with his wife, Kathy. Wheeler declines their help. Some investigators theorized he might have died after seeking refuge in the dumpster, but. Jack was working in the area of cybersecurity. "Whats puzzling about that case is it wasnt just a random assault or street mugging. However it happened, some theorize is that a confused Wheeler may have been mugged on the streets of Wilmington or Newark and suffered a heart attack as a result of the stress of the encounter (the Unsolved Mysteriesepisode leaves out that Wheeler's bodyshowed signs of cardiac arrest). Jack wandered around Delaware disoriented and unable to contact anyone for help. Even weirder was the presence of Wheeler's ceremonial West Point sword and shield on the floor, covered in spilled cleaning supplies. However there is still the question of his stolen work ID badge. With his background and long list of connections, it seems unlikely that there wouldn't be someone Wheeler could have turned to if he were about to become a whistleblower and was in fear for his life. Bush and George W. Bush, for whom he was a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. On December 31, 2010, at 9:56 a.m., Jack Wheeler's body was found dumped in the Cherry Island Landfill in Wilmington, Delaware, a place where he had no business being at that point in time. . Days before his death, Wheeler had filed a lawsuit attempting to halt the construction of a house across the street from his home in New Castle. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES FROM FOX 32 NEWS. On December 31, 2010 the body of John "Jack" Wheeler III was discovered in a Delaware landfill after it had come off of a dump truck. When Michael Lawson contacted the New Castle Police Department after Wheelers body was found and identified on the same day, he was informed by one of the detectives that they were actually en route to Wheelers house to investigate a potential burglary. That just sounds like a pro to me.. The police have largely dismissed this idea, yet they have no explanation for how Wheeler's phone wound up at the arson site. Wheeler next appeared on surveillance camera in the Nemours building in downtown Wilmington the following day, on December 30. And how could it have happened without him? And why wasnt the two guys he hitched with questioned?! But you could say I came for the murder and ended up staying for the man, right, because he lived a really fascinating life," Volk says. The show uses re-enactments and in-depth interviews with professionals and loved ones to retell the circumstances surrounding old cases that are, well, unsolved. He had left his car in the city before he went home for Christmas, so it seemed as if he just wanted it back. Also, Jack had some cash on him when his body was found, had his Rolex and West Point ring. Since then he has gone on to write for over a dozen websites, including 411 Mania, Comics Nexus and The Cult of Nobody. The screen is still black as we hear birds cry and then, the first image we see is tons of garbage. And why dont they ask more introspective and investigative questions to his wife about her husbands demeanor, mood, idiosyncrasies days before he died? 3:30 p.m. Wheeler is spotted in the area of 10th and Orange streets in Wilmington. eventCategory: event.slot.getSlotElementId(), The second season of the hit Netflix series features a number of different cases, with one episode focusing on the mysterious 2010 disappearance of former presidential aide Jack Wheeler. Jack WAS a patriot. I think your theory is right, some kind of mental break/psychosis. (opens in new tab)Wheeler's body was found on December 31, 2010, in a landfill, under mysterious circumstances. I am failing to understand why his injuries are not believed to be consistent with being crushed by the trash compactor. This mirrors the recent Unsolved Mysteries episode on Jack Wheeler, which aired last October. He made it to Newark, crawled into the Dumpster to keep warm, and was crushed by the trash compactor. So, Which Band Inspired 'Daisy Jones & The Six'? Here's everything we know about who killed Jack Wheeler, plus details on the White House aide and exclusive intel from series co-creator and executive producer Terry Meurer. Wheeler's body was discovered New Year's Eve as it was being dropped from a Newark, Del., city Dumpster into the Cherry Island landfill in Wilmington. window.adsContainer = {"position2":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Above_Next_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position3":{"code":"Article_Mobile_300x250_ATF_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position4":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position5":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle1_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position6":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle2_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position7":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle3_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position8":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle4_Rel","max_width":300,"max_height":250},"position9":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle5_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position10":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle6_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position11":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle7_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position12":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle8_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position13":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle9_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position14":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle10_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position15":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle11_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250},"position16":{"code":"Article_Mobile_Middle12_Rel","max_width":320,"max_height":250}} Because of a bipolar episode, Wheeler's guard might have been down, he was lost and couldn't find his car, and therefore, in the right terrible circumstance, someone might have taken advantage and killed him. The first episode of Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 examined the curious death of Jack Wheeler. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. However, no concrete motive or evidence has ever surfaced in the decade since the dedicated public servant was killed. It is unclear how Wheeler wound up in that dumpster and if he was alive or dead at the time. Clueless and 8 Mile star Brittany Murphy was only 32 years old when she passed away from what her autopsy declared was pneumonia. hitType: 'event', Investigator Joe Salerno said that since Jack had a very strong network with the government, "he may have been a target of a murder-for-hire type situation. Steve Volk, an investigative journalist, said, "What we know is that at the time of his death, he was working as a consultant for the Mitre Corporation, which is a defense contracting firm. Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 explored the mysterious and violent death of Washington insider Jack Wheeler, which most believe was murder. The discovery prompted an investigation into his mysterious death and the investigation unearthed some bizarre circumstances surrounding the days before his death. How Shanann Watts' Family Feels About Netflix's, Love True Crime? I mean this guy was extremely bright. Related: Everything Unsolved Mysteries Leaves Out About The Oslo Plaza Woman. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, murdered, and his body dumped with the garbage into a landfill, Wheeler's body was discovered New Year's Eve. eventAction: 'click_adunit' Terry added: We were not able to speak to that couple. At least, not directly. An autopsy found that he was a victim of homicide, but police are not releasing any details of the medical report. Murphy's 1-year-old daughter, Jacklyn "Angel . John P. Wheeler III, (opens in new tab)known as "Jack," was a graduate of prestigious military academy West Point with a long and impressive resum: presidential aide to Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush, a critical part of getting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial built, and eventually a consultant at Mitre working on classified information in cybersecurity.