Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

After two weeks, mystery still surrounds death of Wheeler
The Philadelphia Inquirer ^ | 1/17/2011 | Kathleen Brady Shea

Posted on 01/17/2011 1:51:22 PM PST by Wolfstar

An unfitting end to an illustrious career.

That's how several West Point classmates viewed the New Year's Eve discovery of a prominent defense expert's body in a Wilmington landfill.

Two weeks after Newark, Del., police identified John "Jack" P. Wheeler 3d, 66, of New Castle, as a homicide victim, investigators still have released few particulars about the case, allowing conspiracy theorists of all kinds to draw pictures of their own.

Although the case was deemed a homicide, police have declined to list a cause, raising questions about whether Wheeler was drugged, shot, beaten, or stabbed. New information from police sources suggests he might have stopped taking medication for some sort of medical or mental-health condition.

"We're very disappointed that we've heard nothing," said Doug Thornblom, a retired Army colonel who described his roommate from West Point's Class of 1966 as a kind, respected, passionate patriot.

[SNIP]

Randy Loftin, another classmate, said Wheeler's death shocked their tight-knit group.

"This is really off the charts for someone like Jack," Loftin said. "There are few people who would stun us like that, especially the way in which he died. He was a fabulous man, someone who was always watching your back in whatever you were doing."

Newark Police Lt. Mark A. Farrall, a spokesman for the department, declined to say whether detectives had more information and had chosen not to share it, or whether clues were scarce.

(Excerpt) Read more at philly.com ...


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events; US: Delaware
KEYWORDS: delaware; homicide; johnwheeler; vietnam; wheeler
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-111 next last

Remember a CIA director named Colby? This stuff happens. Why we don’t have security details on these people is beyond me.


21 posted on 01/17/2011 4:45:36 PM PST by kinghorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

O.K., Thanks. I heard he and Sen. Jim Webb had a falling out some 10-12 years ago, related to the VV memorial or somesuch.


22 posted on 01/17/2011 6:14:35 PM PST by Amberdawn
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

Very puzzling for sure.

I’ve wondered how peculiar it was for AG Biden to have the search warrants sealed for his house his car and the apt in NYC?

The Newsweek article annoys the heck out of me when they point at all these so called mental issues quoting unnamed friends/associates.

I still highly doubt even if he had some physical or mental limitation that he would be robbed one day and killed the next without it being somehow connected.

I wish the news would get on this, I would even take Geraldo at this point. Also, the fact that friends and family have pretty much clammed up.


23 posted on 01/17/2011 6:34:54 PM PST by WestCoastGal (SL I believe hes a remarkable race-car driver, I think some people in the world have forgotten that)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: justiceseeker93

Thanks for the ping!


24 posted on 01/17/2011 9:13:42 PM PST by Alamo-Girl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: WestCoastGal
In the AP story I read, New Castle police obtained a search warrant for his house that they failed to have sealed. Biden's office filed 4 days later to have the warrant sealed. It is evidently common practice to seal these as they list the reasons the warrant is wanted.

The three others, obtained by the Newark police, were sealed right away as requested by the Newark police. The three obtained by Newark police were for his car and 2 for the same Apple IPhone (different justice of the peace for the 2 for the phone).

I didn't see anything about his apt in NYC.

25 posted on 01/17/2011 10:42:24 PM PST by Abby4116
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 23 | View Replies]

To: Amberdawn
Is he the Wheeler who was prominent in funding the Vietnam Vet’s Memorial?

The very same ...

John Wheeler @ Vietnam Memorial, DC

In this May 17, 1994 file photo, John Wheeler III touches the name of a friend engraved in the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington. Wheeler's body was discovered Dec. 31, 2010 as a waste management truck emptied its contents at the Wilmington, Del.-area landfill. His death has been ruled a homicide.

RIP John.

26 posted on 01/17/2011 11:24:45 PM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar; BykrBayb; Fishtalk; WestCoastGal
Thanks for the timeline, Wolfstar, and everyone else for the info. Here's some detail that BykrBayb dropped into another thread at Wheeler's cell phone discovered, taxi driver says #372:

Wheeler's home in Newcastle is about 5 miles south of Wilmington's business district where the Hotel DuPont and Nemours Building are. Newark is about 10 miles SW from there.

As for the Security videos, the only one I've seen is the one from that attached to the Nemours Building. WRT the cameras on the trash bin holding areas of the various businesses are they all active and valid for the time period?

As to the manner of death, I'm fairly certain that the coroner would not have pronounced it a homicide without some clear indication of such. Any postmortem damage done to his body after death by the trash bin/truck packing would be apparent.

Sad to say, but my belief is the longer this drags on, the more like the Colby or Foster deaths it's going to become - a homicide buried by the powers-that-be!

27 posted on 01/18/2011 12:33:30 AM PST by brityank (The more I learn about the Constitution, the more I realise this Government is UNconstitutional !! Â)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: brityank

You’re welcome, and thanks for the link to the other thread. I’m glad the Delaware media and friends of Wheeler are speaking up about the news blackout regarding this case. It’s perplexing, especially as we live in an era in which authorities at all levels need little excuse to call a press conference even for comparatively mundane matters, and when leaks are commonplace. I’m definitely no conspiracist, but agree with you that the longer this blackout continues, the more likely it is that something is being buried along with Wheeler’s body.


28 posted on 01/18/2011 1:14:19 AM PST by Wolfstar ("If you would win a man to your cause, first convince him that you are his friend." Abraham Lincoln)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Abby4116

Sealed warrants IMO means that police and others believe they are dealing with more than a random act of violence.

Also, they did search his NYC apt - whether or not they needed a warrant is probably among the unknown issues of this case.


29 posted on 01/18/2011 5:17:47 AM PST by WestCoastGal (SL I believe hes a remarkable race-car driver, I think some people in the world have forgotten that)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 25 | View Replies]

To: WestCoastGal

I don’t think that they are treating it as a random act of violence. There hasn’t been any mention of his being in Newark prior to his being in the dumpster and I doubt that he walked there.


30 posted on 01/18/2011 5:35:38 AM PST by Abby4116
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 29 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde; smoothsailing

FYI


31 posted on 01/18/2011 11:01:51 AM PST by hoosiermama (ONLY DEAD FISH GO WITH THE FLOW.......I am swimming with Sarahcudah! Sarah has read the tealeaves.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Amberdawn
I heard he and Sen. Jim Webb had a falling out some 10-12 years ago, related to the VV memorial or somesuch.

Yes; Wheeler "got" the Maya Lin proposal and backed it; Webb wanted something more traditional. I'm so glad Wheeler won.

32 posted on 01/19/2011 7:31:31 AM PST by Albion Wilde (Government does nothing as economically as the private sector. - Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar; 1_Rain_Drop; 4Runner; 21twelve; 70times7; 9422WMR; A.A. Cunningham; Abathar; abb; ...
Ping to another good thread, with Wolfstar's excellent links in the first post.

FReepmail Albion Wilde to be added or removed from a pinglist on the Wheeler case.

33 posted on 01/19/2011 7:40:53 AM PST by Albion Wilde (Government does nothing as economically as the private sector. - Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: libertyhoundusnr; kinghorse; Amberdawn
Ping to another good thread, with Wolfstar's excellent links in the first post.

FReepmail Albion Wilde to be added to a pinglist on the Wheeler case.

34 posted on 01/19/2011 7:42:21 AM PST by Albion Wilde (Government does nothing as economically as the private sector. - Ronald Reagan)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

New information from police sources suggests he might have stopped taking medication for some sort of medical or mental-health condition.”

I’ve thought all along that his confused condition originated from some sort of medication-related problem.

As for his death, we’ll have to wait for the autopsy results. I’ve thought he was mugged & murdered by punks/thugs driving by and seeing him wandering the streets and figuring he was an easy mark.


35 posted on 01/19/2011 7:50:25 AM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar; Albion Wilde
Newsweek blames Wheeler's disorientation and death on supposed long-term mental health issues resulting from his service in Vietnam.

I don't buy that. His good friends have said many complimentary things about him. One friend even said that Wheeler kept working when the rest of them retired.

36 posted on 01/19/2011 7:50:51 AM PST by Dr. Scarpetta
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 34 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde

Thanks for the pings


37 posted on 01/19/2011 7:53:12 AM PST by nuconvert ( Khomeini promised change too // Hail, Chairman O)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

Has it been reported if he made any large ATM withdrawals?


38 posted on 01/19/2011 7:55:30 AM PST by Protect the Bill of Rights
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Albion Wilde

Thanks AW for the ping...completely forgot about the Wheeler death.


39 posted on 01/19/2011 7:57:23 AM PST by Hotlanta Mike (TeaNami)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 33 | View Replies]

To: Wolfstar

40 posted on 01/19/2011 7:59:37 AM PST by Hotlanta Mike (TeaNami)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-80 ... 101-111 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson