DE DE - John 'Jack' Wheeler, 66, Wilmington, 30 Dec 2010

[J. J. in Phila]

Here is one with a witness account: [video=youtube;0uXJT3dQpro]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uXJT3dQpro[/video]

 

[Razz]

The video was released, but Wheeler was in Wilmington.

Here is a link: [video=youtube;8rECG8hl9D8]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rECG8hl9D8[/video]

This wasn't it. He was wearing a hoodie I think and no one knew where he had slept that night.
This particular clip, I thought, was when he was looking for his car.

I also noticed a big fat briefcase in the hallway there. I wonder if that,'s the one he "lost".

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[Razz]

Here is one with a witness account: [video=youtube;0uXJT3dQpro]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uXJT3dQpro[/video]

This happened on 12/29 where he's walking around with the shoe in his hand. I think this was at the courthouse in Wilmington.

It was on 12/30 where he had a sweatshirt on and as he was walking to the east side of town in Wilmington he put the hoodie up. Don't know why they didn't release that video but he was in a very bad way by then.

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[colette]

This wasn't it. He was wearing a hoodie I think and no one knew where he had slept that night.
This particular clip, I thought, was when he was looking for his car.

I also noticed a big fat briefcase in the hallway there. I wonder if that,'s the one he "lost".

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I saw a trash bag/trash can near elevator and a snow shovel by the ticket area but I never saw a brief case.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

This happened on 12/29 where he's walking around with the shoe in his hand. I think this was at the courthouse in Wilmington.

It was on 12/30 where he had a sweatshirt on and as he was walking to the east side of town in Wilmington he put the hoodie up. Don't know why they didn't release that video but he was in a very bad way by then.

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I vaguely remember the hoodie one. I'm not sure if it was released or not.

 

[Razz]

I saw a trash bag/trash can near elevator and a snow shovel by the ticket area but I never saw a brief case.

Wow. You're right. But a small trash can.

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[J. J. in Phila]

I read that Wheeler suffered from Asperger syndrome: http://www.newsweek.com/john-wheelers-death-his-vietnam-demons-66735

That could explain some of Wheeler's action. I'd also suggest the possibility of a ministroke or some of disruption of oxygen to the brain.

 

[Razz]

I read that Wheeler suffered from Asperger syndrome: http://www.newsweek.com/john-wheelers-death-his-vietnam-demons-66735

That could explain some of Wheeler's action. I'd also suggest the possibility of a ministroke or some of disruption of oxygen to the brain.

Yes. And he was bipolar, too. I'm thinking he hadn't been good with taking his meds. I believe he was suffering from a psychotic break.
He had previously been hospitalized for it. I believe it's somewhere in my timeline.

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[Black diamond clmbr]

I don't understand, his injuries seem to match exactly what would happen to someone when the vehicle compacts trash. He had lost very important items to him like his cell phone and work ID badge, plus the house being built on land that was sacred to him. These are enough to make any person have an anxiety attack, mental break, etc. Much less someone who already has bipolar disorder. It seems like because of his reputation some don't want to believe he hid or slept in a dumpster. If he was in an altered state from his disorder, it is very possible that he simply hid in the dumpster, the truck came and dumped him, then compacted him unknowingly. He would still be alive, so it wouldn't appear post mortem to the examiners. Jack Wheeler was trully the definition of a patriot. The fact that he was such a fierce advocate for veterans and accomplished what he did is amazing. That is true not even taking into account his challenges from doing all this while overcoming bipolar disorder. I sincerely hope the family and authorities are not discounting this explanation simply because the situation of someone who was very well respected voluntary going into a dumpster during a time of duress would disgrace his reputation. He is an advocate and a hero despite the circumstances shortly before his demise.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I am not sure he was bipolar.

 

[CocoChanel]

Netflix has a new episode of Unsolved Mysteries about this tragic case titled Washington Insider Murder. Mr. Wheeler’s death was officially ruled a homicide. But the mystery remains how this happened. The new episode shows many of the surveillance clips, including the one where he is wearing a hoodie, that track his movements in the days leading up to the discovery of his body in the landfill in Delaware. He seems a bit unsteady in all of them, and then increasingly agitated. It breaks my heart to think he may have been confused and in trouble but unable to think clearly enough to ask for help. He was a military hero who proudly served his country for years, including being a key factor in establishing the Vietnam War Memorial. God bless him. His story needs to be told.

 

[MassGuy]

I don't understand, his injuries seem to match exactly what would happen to someone when the vehicle compacts trash. He had lost very important items to him like his cell phone and work ID badge, plus the house being built on land that was sacred to him. These are enough to make any person have an anxiety attack, mental break, etc. Much less someone who already has bipolar disorder. It seems like because of his reputation some don't want to believe he hid or slept in a dumpster. If he was in an altered state from his disorder, it is very possible that he simply hid in the dumpster, the truck came and dumped him, then compacted him unknowingly. He would still be alive, so it wouldn't appear post mortem to the examiners. Jack Wheeler was trully the definition of a patriot. The fact that he was such a fierce advocate for veterans and accomplished what he did is amazing. That is true not even taking into account his challenges from doing all this while overcoming bipolar disorder. I sincerely hope the family and authorities are not discounting this explanation simply because the situation of someone who was very well respected voluntary going into a dumpster during a time of duress would disgrace his reputation. He is an advocate and a hero despite the circumstances shortly before his demise.

I hadn’t heard of this case before, and just watched the Unsolved Mysteries episode. I completely agree with you, and believe this was a tragic accident.

This man was clearly in the throes of a mental health crisis, and was not behaving rationally.

The odds of some sort of targeted killing occurring that precise moment of instability, coupled with the other stuff, is just a bridge too far.

I’ve heard of several cases where people have fallen asleep in dumpsters, and most of them ended tragically (crushed by garbage compactor). I think this is just like that.

The ME got this wrong.

 

[jslk]

Definitely agree with posts above; this appears to be a tragic perfect storm, but not a homicide

 

[J. J. in Phila]

I have to say that, while I would not rule homicide out, an accidental death seems at least as likely.

 

[MassGuy]

I have to say that, while I would not rule homicide out, an accidental death seems at least as likely.

Yeah. If this was a homicide though, I think it’s far more likely to have been a random, spur of the moment thing, as opposed to the targeted conspiracy they are making it out to be.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Yeah. If this was a homicide though, I think it’s far more likely to have been a random, spur of the moment thing, as opposed to the targeted conspiracy they are making it out to be.

Probably not a conspiracy and random, but not a robbery. He still had his jewelry and, I think, his wallet.

For murder, I've thought about something where he got into an argument that became physical. Asperger syndrome could have added to that. Wheeler may have had problems interacting with someone that helped escalate an encounter.

I do find the possibility of an accidental death to be quite possible.

 

[lonewanderer]

Depending on what theory you believe will change the timeline.

I believe he was home (New Castle) the afternoon before the "bombs" were
thrown at the Marini home. Dec. 29

I believe he left his.New Castle home (in a hurry) on Dec. 30 and walked (ran)to the Pharmacy where he asked the pharmacist for a ride. (6:00 p.m.) It's a bit of a hike from his.home.to the pharmacy but very doable.

Around 7:00 that evening he was seen and videotaped in a Wilmington parking garage.
At the pharmacy, he had a briefcase. At the parking garage he didn't.
And he was limping and carrying one shoe in his hand. What happened from the time he left the pharmacy to the parking garage. How did he arrive there?

On the 31st he was seen wandering around downtown Wilmington . He was last videotaped.walking from downtown to an area deemed 'unsafe" At tjat time, he was wraring a hoodie. This is the film they did not release to the public.

Jan 1: was discovered in the Cherry Hill dump as he was being dumped from a truck originating in Newark, DE with pickups only in Newark.

Please keep an open mind about the Marini home. I think the "bombs were most definitely wete thrown by Wheeler. This is what I feel may have been a last straw for someone building the home.

I did not see him with a briefcase in the pharmacy during the newly released Unsolved Mysteries, but I could have overlooked it.

 

[lonewanderer]

Ok a few details to ask questions about while the (Unsolved Mysteries) episode is swimming around in my head.

What time did the smoke bombs go off and what time did he send the emails to his employer claiming that he lost his phone and other items? I ask this because of the phone found at the smoke bomb scene. Did he set off the smoke bombs himself and then realize he misplaced the phone pretty quickly?

Where the HELL did he get the hoodie? How? Why? When?

I don't think the kitchen scene was a sign of a struggle or attempted robbery, as it was discovered sometime after he left the house (right? fact check me please).

I skimmed through the long postings on this topic already, and would like to give my two cents;

Killed by punks theory: To me, not impossible, but could vary in style. There is a way he could have been killed by a group that where not punks at all, but terrified guys who attacked him after he scared the heck out of them with his aggressive behavior (if he was getting increasingly aggressive). It could have been like "oh crap, we killed him" and placed him in the dumpster.

Hit by a car: Similar to accidental death by punks/not punks. He could have been hit by a car, and the person driving it may have placed his body in the dumpster out of fear. This person could have been drunk, could have been a person who could not afford to have the publicity etc. I have a similar possibly theory in the Blair Adams case.

Throw in the dumpster/slept in: I think his size is my biggest problem with him being shoved or tossed into the dumpster. In one of the reports, it showed that he was 63 inches (five feet 3 inches) and 245 pounds. As a former soldier, I know it is hard enough to move a 200 pound person pretending to be dead or injured by yourself. Even a two person lift would have been very tough moving dead weight that shifts uncontrollably.

Compacted in the dumpster: The episode was fairly vague about his injuries, but one of the three stated options (punks, car, sleep) could have had him being compacted by accident, either alive or dead.

The Shoe: A really strange detail is him taking his shoe off in the parking garage. I have a couple of abstract theories for this.
1) He hurt his foot when he trashed the house. He could have been so upset at losing his phone, that he destroyed the house looking for it. Eventually making the mess he did, and probably kicking something. This in turn would have hurt his foot, as he was walking with a noticeable limp (which was never specified if he always had). He might have taken the shoe off because his foot was swelling.
2) Many of the thread posts suggest he may have had bipolar and/or Asperger's. As an Aspie, many things are uncomfortable and it wouldn't be a total shock to me if he took off his shoe because his foot was blistering, stepped in a puddle, or something along those lines.

These are just my two cents and get the brain jogging. I like to try posting before bed so I won't be thinking about it while I am trying to sleep.

 

[Razz]

Good theories. If you go back a couple of pages, I laid out a pretty detailed timeline that can hopefully answer some of your questions.

About the hoodie. No clue but I'm hoping homeless shelters were searched and maybe a place in downtown where he could have bought a cheap hoodie. And by this time, he may have been paranoid and wanted to hide his identity as he must have been aware of all the cameras downtown. Or, he was cold and needed a jacket.

Beau Biden was the D.A. at the time and for whatever reason, he sealed the autopsy report and the film of him walking away in his hoodie.

I also believe it was JW throwing the smoke bombs later in the evening, the night before he went downtown. I think he lost his phone there. After the neighbor turned on his porch light, the smoke bomber left.

Don't know how he communicated with his daughter as his phone was missing then. I think part of the communication was to cover up his exploits from the night before.

The police returned to JW's home and searched it again. They left with a bag.
JMO but I think they found his smoke bombing clothes up on the third floor or somewhere in the house where he discarded them and changed back into his suit.

All the above is jmo.

 

[J. J. in Phila]

Snipped for length only:

Ok a few details to ask questions about while the (Unsolved Mysteries) episode is swimming around in my head.

What time did the smoke bombs go off and what time did he send the emails to his employer claiming that he lost his phone and other items? I ask this because of the phone found at the smoke bomb scene. Did he set off the smoke bombs himself and then realize he misplaced the phone pretty quickly?

Where the HELL did he get the hoodie? How? Why? When?

I don't think the kitchen scene was a sign of a struggle or attempted robbery, as it was discovered sometime after he left the house (right? fact check me please).

He could have bought or even found the hoodie. They are available is drug stores.

I didn't see this program. Could you elaborate on the e-mail.

The kitchen was discovered by his wife when she came back home, I think. IIRC, Wheeler's sword had been out and some of the floorboards were pulled up.