Roughly forty minutes later, Wheeler was seen on another security camera in a Wilmington parking garage, looking disheveled and holding one of his shoes. (Featured Image Credit: Netflix). We know that the 66-year-old husband and father's body was discovered in a Delaware landfill on Dec. 31, one day after his disappearance. According to an Associated Press report, Wheeler was seen on December 29, 2010, wearing a single shoe and . Unsolved Mysteries Volume 2 | Official Clip | No Evidence | Netflix, How Unsolved Mysteries Could Find Real Answers. In 2017, Wheeler's wife Kathy Klyce toldWashington Post she believed he messed with the wrong person. 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. 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. Jack Wheeler did not have a known connection to the Nemours building, and investigators in Unsolved Mysteries believe his activities denote the behavior of someone trying to hide. eventAction: 'click_image_ads' That same night, a smoke bomb went off in the house that was under construction right across from his place. 2023 FOX Television Stations, from SAT 8:00 PM CST until WED 4:30 AM CST, Newton County, until SUN 12:00 PM CST, Lake County, Kenosha County, from SAT 12:00 PM CST until WED 6:00 AM CST, Jasper County, from SUN 6:00 AM CST until MON 6:00 AM CST, Lake County, Newton County, is in effect, Kane County, Lake County, McHenry County, Porter County, Jasper County, Indiana State Police trooper killed after suspect fleeing from police strikes him with vehicle on I-69, 6 injured, 2 seriously in 3-car crash on Near West Side, Feds raid suburban Chicago home of businessman who ran for state office, Lightfoot loses re-election bid, this is the date she will leave office, Police investigate 4 smash-and-grabs in Chicago suburb, Man found shot to death in North Side home: police, Police Chase: Gunman waits for kids to cross street near Lakewood; Opens fire at several different locations, Chicago weather: Slushy, stormy conditions take hold Friday, Replay Lincoln Park transforms into iconic 'Paddy's Pub'. Clueless and 8 Mile star Brittany Murphy was only 32 years old when she passed away from what her autopsy declared was pneumonia. if(document.querySelector("#ads")){ A Washington insider with an exemplary career as a soldier and security expert, Wheeler's beaten and bruised body was found in a landfill in Wilmington, Delaware. However, an autopsy report suggested that Jack had taken quite a beating. DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 CHICAGO APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS. I feel like when it was said he heard the cab was traveling to Newark maybe he thought they said New York. It is unclear how Wheeler wound up in that dumpster and if he was alive or dead at the time. From 1978 to 1986, Jack served as special counsel to chairman, and secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), from 1988 to 1989, he was in President G H W Bushs transition team, from 2005 to 2008, he worked as the special assistant to the secretary of the Air Force, and from 2009-2010 he worked as a consultant in Mitre Corporation. Subsequently, all the dumpsters in Newark were examined, and a partial DNA match with Jack from inside one of them was found. And since the trash surrounding his body was determined to be from there as well, it is plausible that it happened. (This theory shares some similarities to anotherUnsolved Mysteriesdeath Rey Rivera, who some believe died as a result of his own delusions.) 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}} Since he was the caretaker of Jacks house, he went into the house and saw the house was in disarray. In fact, he didnt communicate with either of them for the rest of his time alive. Come morning, Katherine tried calling him, but he didnt pick up. pg.acq.push(function() { Investigators said his body was disposed of in a dumpster. if(document.querySelector("#google_image_div")){ If there was a robbery, it was never reported and doesnt quite fit into a psychotic break. }); In 1966, he graduated near the top of his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and then went on to earn a business degree from Harvard and a law degree from Yale. Getty Images. This subreddit is about unsolved mysteries. 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 driving the car panicked and hid the body in the nearest dumpster, that would explain the extreme injuries and that he wasn't robbed. The mystery surrounding Wheeler's death was never solved. }); He reached his destination, worked for the day, and then left to go to New Castle, his second home, for the night. Episode One of Netflix's Unsolved Mysteries Volume Two details the death of a former Pentagon official and presidential aide. I bet they were wheelers. Cops say they don't know who killed Jack Wheeler or why they did it. Nevertheless, some people believe that his murder was the direct result of a professional hit job, considering all the evidence, or the lack thereof. He also, interestingly, asked for train fare, despite refusing the offer of a cab from parking attendants the night before. This was the last time anyone reported seeing him alive. Wheeler declines their help. Volk is right. Jack said No, thanks,'. Additionally, it seems unlikely that Wheeler would have gone to ground without making some kind of effort to make sure his wife and children were protected if he thought he was being targeted by assassins as the result of a long-term investigation into government corruption. (More on that later). Jack was working in the area of cybersecurity. He also maintains a personal blog called My Geeky Geeky Ways which hosts his extensive episode guide for the television series making up The Arrowverse as well as his comedic Lets Play videos. The former aide of President George W. Bush . Across the street from his house, an investigation concerning the setting off of smoke bombs established him as a suspect after his cell phone was found at the scene. It was,apparently (opens in new tab), not the only office building he went to; he also visited a Mitre office. 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. The police have largely dismissed this idea, yet they have no explanation for how Wheeler's phone wound up at the arson site. He didnt beat himself up.". As mentioned in the episode, Wheeler's emotional distress and his death seem unconnected to each other. He left that place around 8:30 p.m., strangely wearing a hoodie, never to be seen again. Murphy was a 2018 graduate of Stevenson High School and lived with her daughter at the apartment building, Wheeling police said. A lot of people claim to be patriots. A prominent figure and a strong advocate for veterans, Wheeler was known for his passion about the causes he supported. On December 31, 2010 the body of John "Jack" Wheeler III was . Matt Morrison has been writing about comics since before the word "blogging" was coined. Internet theories surrounding Jacks case range from a random downtown mugging to a secret government assassination plot. At 6.42 pm the same day, Wheeler was seen at a garage trying to find his car but he was at the wrong garage. My wife suggested something that I thought fit the details given, maybe while he was meandering around Newark he wandered out into the street and was hit by a car, he was dressed in all black. In 2017, Wheelers wife Kathy Klyce told the Washington Post that she believed Jack set off the smoke bombs in the home across the street from theirs, and also that he was experiencing a bipolar episode at the time of his death. And what about the people that drove him from the pharmacy to the garage? Also whats up with the sword and shield on his kitchen floor powdered with comet or something? Theories about Jack Wheeler's mysterious death run the gamut. However, there have always been other theories about Wheeler's mysterious death. It's also believed that a professional assassin would have shot Wheeler from a distance, rather than beating him to death physically. He is dressed differently from the day before. Given the nature of his work and the circumstances of his death, there are no shortage of theories regarding who might have wanted to kill Jack Wheeler, though the evidence in the case is wildly contradictory in regards to the most-likely suspects. Some theories suggest that he was on the run from something or someone and had decided to climb into the dumpster himself to get some warmth for the night. By the way, whenever I need a ride somewhere I always go to the pharmacy and ask someone to take me. 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. I am failing to understand why his injuries are not believed to be consistent with being crushed by the trash compactor. Related:Unsolved Mysteries: What To Expect From Volume 3. Another theory due to his status within the government is that he was killed by the Chinese, because of his knowledge of cyber-security secrets. "So we do know who that was, and they did not have anything to do with his disappearance.. window.googletag.cmd.push(function() { Phone records show that he worked in DC for only a day. This December marks the 10th anniversary of Wheeler's death, and since the episode began airing, conspiracy theories regarding what happened to Jack Wheeler have flooded the internet. Since then he has gone on to write for over a dozen websites, including 411 Mania, Comics Nexus and The Cult of Nobody. America is trying to figure out: How does a prominent government figure show up dead in a landfill like trash? The injuries Wheeler sustained simply could not have been the result of his being harmed by a trash truck. Also, Jack had some cash on him when his body was found, had his Rolex and West Point ring. And still wearing his West Point ring to boot? To add to the confusion, a couple of days before Wheelers body was found, somebody had set off smoke bombs at a construction site across the street from his house. As a high-ranking official who was well-connected, knew a lot of important information relating to cybersecurity and was suffering from a mental health disorder, he could have been seen as a liability. The screen is still black as we hear birds cry and then, the first image we see is tons of garbage. There's also the fact that muggers who kill their victims usually don't bother with hiding the body, much less transporting it 15 miles out of their way to a dumpster in another city. 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. 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. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The autopsy lists a number of severe injuries, including a collapsed lung, broken ribs, swollen lips, and external neck injury, lacerations, and more. Ahead, we're showcasing the best fashion and beauty looks you can recreate now. These Are the 30 Best True Crime Podcasts. He was a graduate of West Point Academy, Yale and Harvard and was a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force through three. 3. Bush, and George W. Bush. John "Jack" Wheeler, a veterans' advocate and D.C. insider, went missing in 2010. Murphy was discovered during a well-being check by Wheeling police after she failed to report to work on Tuesday. Another relevant detail is that Wheeler suffered from bipolar disorder. Jack's body was found in a Delaware landfill one day after his disappearance in December 2010, having last been seen alive on a street in Wilmington. They left his watch, they left his money," Meurer tells Parade.com. In light of the case getting attention again as part ofUnsolved Mysteries Volume Two, many have been sharing their theories online of what could have happened to Jack. Terry added: We were not able to speak to that couple. Bush and George W. Bush, for whom he was a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force. Notifications can be turned off anytime from browser settings. Related: Everything Unsolved Mysteries Leaves Out About The Oslo Plaza Woman. Like those would be some of the first people I would talk to. He didn't seem panicked at all to us, maybe senile or in a confused manic state which would explain losing his possessions. His body was later crushed by the compactor of the garbage truck that picked up his dumpster, resulting in the blunt force trauma that caused his death. Related: Unsolved Mysteries: How The Original Series Is Still Solving Cases. The chief problem with this theory is that few believe Wheeler would have sought shelter in a garbage dumpster, even if he were afraid of being watched on the street, after spending most of his first night on the run in the basement of an office building. Jack had been driven to the parking garage from a pharmacy, but it is not clear who took him between the two places. Bush and George W. Bush. Also, Jack was wearing only one shoe, carrying the other in his hand, and repeatedly telling the personnel there that his briefcase was stolen. NY 10036. But they also pointed out that he was diligent with his medication, so it wasnt likely. The Mountbatten-Windsors have been recastagain. 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. Looking for a new Netflix series to binge or the best movies to watch on Amazon Prime? ga('ads.send', { Jack served in the Vietnam War and after he came back he began planning a memorial for all who fought and died there. 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. He was trying to stay out of sight because someone might have been following him.". Around that same time, he sent an e-mail to Mitre, telling them that there had been a break-in in his home and that his Mitre badge, wallet, key fob, briefcase, and cellphone had been taken. Never even addressed this and the journalist thought those minutes were the biggest mystery. Because he was such a well known figure people just dont want to accept that its not a conspiracy theory. Reportedly he was rambling about how his briefcase had been stolen. He had left his car in the city before he went home for Christmas, so it seemed as if he just wanted it back. Therefore, the authorities decided to retrace his last few days alive, which was initially thought to be relatively easy, since Jack rarely went anywhere without his cellphone and briefcase in hand. 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. 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. document.querySelector("#ads").addEventListener('click',function(){ The last footage of Wheeler was him wearing a dark hoodie, walking past the DuPont Hotel in downtown Wilmington. For what it's worth, Klyce believes her husband's death was a planned assassination. John Wheeler: Decade after White House aide's body was found in dumpster, agencies still clueless about murder. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? Apparently, he spent the night and part of the day there. 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. Anyone with information can call Wheeling police at (847) 459-2632. Its I go to dinner, not Her huge ego, but she responds to both. But Jack didnt inform the police or his wife about any of this. hitType: 'event', But at this point, he said, police have no information about Wheeler's whereabouts that week. Wheeler's body was discovered December 31, 2010 in the Cherry Island Landfill in Wilmington, Delaware. Wheeler was, at the time, embroiled in a legal battle against the houses construction, and his cell phone was found there after his death. On the one hand, some people say, as the result of a bipolar episode, Wheeler could have been confused and disoriented, and therefore made a seemingly odd decisionsuch as climbing into a dumpster for warmth in the middle of the night. Taking to Twitter, one fan wrote: "@Unsolved did police interview the guys who gave Jack Wheeler a ride from the pharmacy to parking garage about what they talked about? Surveillance footage showed him visiting a local pharmacy at night on December 29 looking for a ride to Wilmington, where he had left his car in a garage. SkyFOX was over the scene where a body of a toddler was found Thursday. That reward was worth $25,000 just for information, for the record. If you have information about Wheeler's death, visit unsolved.com. hitType: 'event', SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES FROM FOX 32 NEWS. Wheeler's death was ruled a homicide. Fallows wrote a tribute to Wheeler in the Atlantic Magazine online, saying, "I feel terrible for his family and hope they will eventually find comfort in knowing how many important things he achieved. Some investigators theorized he might have died after seeking refuge in the dumpster, but his brutal wounds are inconsistent with thatWheeler was pretty badly beaten, according to the report. ga('ads.send', { We are one of the worlds fastest growing eventAction: 'click_adunit' Unsolved Mysteries executive producer Terry Dunn Muerer is hoping, with this season, to change that. He served three presidents -- Ronald Reagan, George H.W. His family confirmed that Jack was directionally challenged, and his behavior could have been due to his Bipolar disorder. If it was a psychotic break, I am not sure how this fits in. A well-educated man, not used to being homeless would not jump in a dumpster night 1 on the streets. 1. He got his start writing for the legendary DC Comics digital fanzine Fanzing, before receiving his own column, The Mount. Surely he talked during that trip? And why dont they ask more introspective and investigative questions to his wife about her husbands demeanor, mood, idiosyncrasies days before he died? These Are the 30 Best True Crime Podcasts, bipolar disorder could have predispositioned. Jan. 3, 2011— -- John Wheeler fought for dignity and honor for the fallen of the Vietnam War. At around 7:15 P.M., EST. What robber is barefoot? Wheeler lived in Washington, D.C. and part-time in the historic district of New Castle, Delaware. Then the compactor made it worse when it crushed the body further. Jack Wheeler was a graduate of Yale, Harvard, and West Point, a military consultant, and served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force under Presidents Ronald Reagan, George H.W. He was also limping, or maybe that was his normal gait, at the pharmacy. Witnesses and family members say that Wheeler arrived at the wrong parking garage in Wilmington as his car was actually parked in a different garage. That in and of itself seemed strange lol. Seems the simplest explanation is he had a mental break. On Dec. 31, 2010, Wheeler's body was discovered as a garbage truck was being emptied at the Cherry Island Landfill in Wilmington, Delaware. Per the crime scene, Wheeler's body had ended up there because it had been in a dumpster in Newark, DEmiles away from Wilmington. 40 minutes later, he was captured on tape by a security camera at a parking garage in Wilmington, limping and carrying one of his shoes. 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 consensus of homicide stems largely in part from severe injuries to Wheeler's body: blunt force trauma, broken ribs, and contusions on his face. 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. In 2011, Kathy Klyce told Slate that she suspects the murder was a hired hit. In the end, nothing about who could have possibly wanted to harm Jack in such a way was found. #UnsolvedMysteries. The theory of him being in the dumpster and getting compacted makes sense. }); let gads_event; However there is still the question of his stolen work ID badge. "We have no suspects at this time," Lt. Mark Farrall of the Newark police told ABC News. Netflix owes us answers after that ending. This is the last known sighting of Wheeler, who in the footage, seems to be walking in the opposite direction of his home. An endangered missing person advisory issued Thursday did not say where in Missouri the person and van were located. His death was ruled a homicide caused by assault and blunt force trauma, and his body was later traced to a dumpster in Newark, Del., more than 13 miles away from where he was last seen in Wilmington. Jacqueline and Robert Kennedy were escorted to the VIP suites on the seventeenth floor and the autopsy began at 7:35 P.M. Family, friends, and investigators express in the episode their hope that someone has information about what happened to Wheeler in his final days. At 6 p.m. that day, he was seen on camera at a pharmacy near his New Castle home, where he asked the pharmacist and several patrons for a ride to Wilmington, as he had left his car there before Christmas. In its very first episode, Washington Insider Murder, the show chronicles the bizarre homicide of a former presidential aide, who was found dumped in a landfill in Wilmington, Delaware. It is possible, however, that the stress of his briefcase and phone disappearing may have triggered a manic episode. Heres how it works. On December 28, 1010, smoke bombs were set in the aforementioned home construction, and Wheeler's phone was found at the scene. 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. Known as a font of comic book history trivia, he has delivered lectures on the history of American Comic Books, Japanese Manga, Doctor Who, and Cosplay at over a dozen conventions and served as an Expert In-Residence for a course on Graphic Novels for Librarians at the University of North Texas.