On the 30th....Why didn’t John just go home?? Why did he stay in Wilmington?? What were his plans for New Years Eve??
If phone was in his brief case on the 29th when he got home, doesn't that put the phone/briefcase stolen close to his home, before he went to the pharmacy?
If meds were in the briefcase did he ask the pharmacist to give him a few until he could get another prescription.
Every aspect of this story has a question mark.. .
If he did set off smoke bombs or was, somehow, instrumental; he may have been 'waiting it out' to see response to what he may have intended as a harmless message. Or a 'harmless' venting. Seems a 'huge step' to threaten property; but emotions can run high; get 'fired up' and emotional flames, easily fanned if already stressed,tired and angry! It can build with every new nail, board and brick.
( Have to say; compared to Wheeler's house; looks like a fricken hotel going up 'across the street.) Have observed personally, just how 'crazy' one can become over property boundaries not being observed; or neighborhood protocols or worse, with what just seems a 'singular and selfish' choice by a seemingly, thoughtless neighbor . Have experienced it actually/grrrrr/LOL.
OTOH. . .not ruling out at all; outside forces here, creating the most judgmental of circumstances against Wheeler. We know 'something' happened to him! Does seem like they could find the boots that match this tread, somewhere, NO? Would boots be carefully disposed of and not tread marks removed? Did Wheeler simply get 'crazy' realizing just how stupid was his behavior? And while muddling around; meet a bad circumstance. OR; something else?
Meantime; any 'other' taxi drivers notice Wheeler; as did 'this' one; who happened to have his number in Wheeler's phone?
Have they called psychic? If not, maybe they should; unless, this story has a common thread; say with the frozen birds dropping from sky story/sigh. . .(USDA now claiming they used poison.)