GUILTY DC - David Messerschmitt, 30, murdered in Washington hotel room, 9 Feb 2015 #1

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colette

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Mr.Messerschmitt had texted his wife that he would be home in about an hour @ 7:34 PM, the next morning he was found stabbed in a downtown Washington hotel room. Minutes after that text, an unidentified person being sought for questioning in the death walked into the lobby of the Donovan hotel at Thomas Circle, according to surveillance video released by District police. That person in a hooded jacket was seen pacing the lobby and at one point pressing an elevator button. The person is also seen climbing a stairwell. It is unclear if this person is male or female.

The hotel is about a mile from the law firm where Mr. Messerschmitt worked. His wife says he was acting normally that day. LE is offering a $25,000 reward.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...5c6bf6-b2ad-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html

Here is a LE video of the person from their Youtube website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFggi_25c84
 
Thanks for the thread Colette...I have been following this case with a lot of interest.

I wonder what his phone records have determined, and I also wonder if this unidentified person who was seen pacing, pushing an elevator button and then climbing the stairs, was seen accessing a phone. Maybe the two had communicated? Truly bizarre.
 
From your first link:

"Police officials initially said that Messerschmitt had been reported missing by relatives 24 hours before he was found dead, but records indicate that his body was discovered in Room 400 less than 10 hours after the missing person report was filed."

"A police inventory of the room’s contents includes a bag, gloves, an umbrella, flip-flops, earmuffs, shorts, a jacket, deodorant, keys, vitamins and shampoo. A police official said that list is not complete."
 
Mr.Messerschmitt had texted his wife that he would be home in about an hour @ 7:34 PM, the next morning he was found stabbed in a downtown Washington hotel room. Minutes after that text, an unidentified person being sought for questioning in the death walked into the lobby of the Donovan hotel at Thomas Circle, according to surveillance video released by District police. That person in a hooded jacket was seen pacing the lobby and at one point pressing an elevator button. The person is also seen climbing a stairwell. It is unclear if this person is male or female.

The hotel is about a mile from the law firm where Mr. Messerschmitt worked. His wife says he was acting normally that day. LE is offering a $25,000 reward.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local...5c6bf6-b2ad-11e4-886b-c22184f27c35_story.html

Here is a LE video of the person from their Youtube website.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFggi_25c84
First question is what was he doing in that hotel room, or if it was normal for him to keep a room there and who knew he was staying there. Secondly, the POI does not appear to be Caucasian, in my opinion. I also noticed in the article the wife has an Asian name which leads to my third question, if it is possible the POI is someone the wife knows. Finding it odd she says he was acting normally that day, however, she hadn't actually seen him since the day before? Not passing judgment, just questions...

:waitasec:

MOO
 
I'm glad to see a thread here for Messerschmitt. My mother had been telling me about the killing since Messerschmitt's hometown is near mine, but I hadn't seen anything about this on the Internet. The article Blondie posted doesn't give any new information but raises a lot of questions: In what way do they believe he was set up? Why would he have been set up? Who would set him up and why would they want him dead? Did the items found in the hotel room belong to Messerschmitt? He certainly wouldn't need flip flops and shorts this time of year. Someone was ready for any season. Of course, the flip flops may have been worn in the shower or hot tub, if there was one. Was the room reserved for out-of-town clients? Was Messerschmitt working on any unusual cases?

Also, Panthera's observation that Messerschmitt's wife has an Asian name while the POI in the surveillance video appears Asian is good. I imagine DC lawyers would have a lot of international clients. I believe the video is a big clue because the POI acts very suspicious. He/she kept his/her hood up and hand in front of face while walking through the lobby and in front of the elevators (making sure no one was on it?), then looked toward the lobby doors before stepping onto the elevator as though he/she wanted to make sure no one else was heading for the elevators. But, he/she stepped back out quickly, perhaps deciding that riding the elevator was too risky because someone on another floor could be waiting to board? As the POI started toward the lobby again, someone walked through the lobby doors and so the POI turned back around and pretended to be catching an elevator until the coast was clear again. Then, he/she opted to take the stairwell.

One additional thing I noticed about the video is that the POI appears lumpy, like his/her clothing is stuffed with something -- e.g., plastic bags -- to alter his/her appearance. The pictures of the POI's face are very clear, though. I hope he/she is identified and found soon.
 
With the cold weather DC has been having, the gloves, ski mask, and hood, seem normal for the area.
Just as the bag in the room had gloves and ear muffs.

Who was the room registered to and what time did they check in? How many nights did they register for? The wife says she hadn't seen husband since Sunday. Did he check into hotel because he was in meetings late Sunday and they started again early Monday morning so it was quicker and easier to stay at the hotel?

Wonder if there was video of this POI coming back down the steps or the elevator? They did not just go up the stairs.

Don't you have to be missing so many hours for LE to take a missing persons report for an adult?

ETA: Sorry, IndyAnna's post did not appear on my computer before I typed my post! Our winds have been horrendous all night with it being 23 but wind chill of 7! Guess things are not showing up quickly.
 
I am following this case also as he is from my area and his parents reside near me, although I do not know them. I was also wondering who's name the room was under. I had read various accounts that said the wife had not seen him since Sunday and another Monday? If he was missing and he had kept a room for clients wouldn't that be the first place the wife would have looked? Also the wife is Asian, but to me the POI looks to be a black female or male.
 
In comments under one article about this case someone said that the bar at the hotel was a popular stop for happy hour in area. He may have met someone in there and had plans for a meet up later, except the person had plans for murder and robbery instead.
 
I'm glad to see a thread here for Messerschmitt. My mother had been telling me about the killing since Messerschmitt's hometown is near mine, but I hadn't seen anything about this on the Internet. The article Blondie posted doesn't give any new information but raises a lot of questions: In what way do they believe he was set up? Why would he have been set up? Who would set him up and why would they want him dead? Did the items found in the hotel room belong to Messerschmitt? He certainly wouldn't need flip flops and shorts this time of year. Someone was ready for any season. Of course, the flip flops may have been worn in the shower or hot tub, if there was one. Was the room reserved for out-of-town clients? Was Messerschmitt working on any unusual cases?

Also, Panthera's observation that Messerschmitt's wife has an Asian name while the POI in the surveillance video appears Asian is good. I imagine DC lawyers would have a lot of international clients. I believe the video is a big clue because the POI acts very suspicious. He/she kept his/her hood up and hand in front of face while walking through the lobby and in front of the elevators (making sure no one was on it?), then looked toward the lobby doors before stepping onto the elevator as though he/she wanted to make sure no one else was heading for the elevators. But, he/she stepped back out quickly, perhaps deciding that riding the elevator was too risky because someone on another floor could be waiting to board? As the POI started toward the lobby again, someone walked through the lobby doors and so the POI turned back around and pretended to be catching an elevator until the coast was clear again. Then, he/she opted to take the stairwell.

One additional thing I noticed about the video is that the POI appears lumpy, like his/her clothing is stuffed with something -- e.g., plastic bags -- to alter his/her appearance. The pictures of the POI's face are very clear, though. I hope he/she is identified and found soon.
Excellent observation, in my opinion, regarding the "lumpy" clothing. If this individual isn't the one who killed Messerschmitt, they certainly are acting as if they are. No one who isn't afraid of being caught on camera is going to behave in such a manner. In fact the odd behavior and clothing only made them more noticeable. I am also curious why LE believes Messerschmitt may have been set up. Was someone else registered in that room? It all comes back to what he was doing there, who knew he was in there, and who would gain most from his death. Personally I believe the connection is much closer to home than a disgruntled client.

MOO
 
Craigslist hookup gone wrong? Or Backpage? That was my first thought, when I first read about this murder. If he lived just a few miles away in Capitol Hill, why would he need a hotel room at all?
 
Is there no ''exit'' video of this person leaving the building??

JMO - looks like a man to me in the video
 
Craigslist hookup gone wrong? Or Backpage? That was my first thought, when I first read about this murder. If he lived just a few miles away in Capitol Hill, why would he need a hotel room at all?
That is what is the most baffling. There hasn't been any answer to the most important question: Why was he there? It is difficult to believe that if he was not regularly staying in that hotel, or that room, that someone would randomly know he was in there to murder him. Was someone else registered and they were the target? Who else knew exactly where he was? When he informed his wife that he'd be home in an hour, did she know where he was? How ironic if he was about to leave that someone entered the room and murdered him.

MOO
 
It looks like a young Asian male in the video to me. Of course video cameras sometimes distort faces and figures. It depends on the curvature of the lens, IMO.

I read where it may have been a setup. Family maybe? Insurance money? The wife did not seem very consistent in her statements. IIRC, I saw in the video report on a Fox channel (don't remember which one) that a woman had been questioned but no arrests have been made.

Was there trouble or problems in the marriage? I have the same questions as all of you. I do not see any updates. Before anyone says the wife is a victim and I shouldn't question her statements and so forth, spouses are the first people LE looks at and has to clear.

This is a very strange case and I look forward to any updates.

MOO
 
View attachment 69390

http://www.myfoxdc.com/story/28084483/police-identify-man-found-dead-in-nw-dc-hotel[/QUOTE]

It appears to be a half mixed light skinned AA female to me. Probably from the urban streets. And the text may have not been sent by him. I would check database for female violent offenders recently released. It takes aggression to stab a person to death. Maybe the text meant It's Done. Idk. We need more info. Jmo. Btw: She could be a jilted lover of someone he was seeing on the side.
 
Craigslist hookup gone wrong? Or Backpage? That was my first thought, when I first read about this murder. If he lived just a few miles away in Capitol Hill, why would he need a hotel room at all?

He was 30 years old and could not have been a lawyer for very long. He was starting out at an international law firm and I just cannot see him jeopardizing his law career for a quick hookup.

I read in one of the articles that the list of items in the hotel room was not complete and makes me think LE is purposely leaving out some items found in the room. Maybe the items not named were integral to the case and whose room it was. Among the items was a bag, IIRC. What was in that bag?

What is being reported is not the whole story or all of what LE knows, IMO. That is what makes the story not make sense to me.

MOO
 
I'm glad to see a thread here for Messerschmitt. My mother had been telling me about the killing since Messerschmitt's hometown is near mine, but I hadn't seen anything about this on the Internet. The article Blondie posted doesn't give any new information but raises a lot of questions: In what way do they believe he was set up? Why would he have been set up? Who would set him up and why would they want him dead? Did the items found in the hotel room belong to Messerschmitt? He certainly wouldn't need flip flops and shorts this time of year. Someone was ready for any season. Of course, the flip flops may have been worn in the shower or hot tub, if there was one. Was the room reserved for out-of-town clients? Was Messerschmitt working on any unusual cases?

Also, Panthera's observation that Messerschmitt's wife has an Asian name while the POI in the surveillance video appears Asian is good. I imagine DC lawyers would have a lot of international clients. I believe the video is a big clue because the POI acts very suspicious. He/she kept his/her hood up and hand in front of face while walking through the lobby and in front of the elevators (making sure no one was on it?), then looked toward the lobby doors before stepping onto the elevator as though he/she wanted to make sure no one else was heading for the elevators. But, he/she stepped back out quickly, perhaps deciding that riding the elevator was too risky because someone on another floor could be waiting to board? As the POI started toward the lobby again, someone walked through the lobby doors and so the POI turned back around and pretended to be catching an elevator until the coast was clear again. Then, he/she opted to take the stairwell.

One additional thing I noticed about the video is that the POI appears lumpy, like his/her clothing is stuffed with something -- e.g., plastic bags -- to alter his/her appearance. The pictures of the POI's face are very clear, though. I hope he/she is identified and found soon.

I agree about the appearance of the clothing. The pants look like snow pants.
 
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