GUILTY DC - David Messerschmitt, 30, murdered in Washington hotel room, 9 Feb 2015 #2

[FindHG]

I've already posted that I do *not* believe the wife has anything to do with this. I find her to be genuine, and horrifically traumatized. God Bless her! However, I agree that there are some similarities to the facial attributes of the Perp. Haven't quite connected the dots on that one yet.
But one thing keeps resounding with me - it was "personnel", and very well executed. The manner in which he was found, the overkill, are very "personnel". And again, I think this had the trademarks of a "pro" hit. Too smooth. I can't imagine a "novice" attempting to pull this off in the premeditated fashion it was.

You make perfect sense, ma'am.

 

[SurfieTX]

I read this theory elsewhere and it's intriguing; I've contemplated the theory for about 12 hours and I still find it really interesting so I figured I'd share it here for you all to deconstruct... If nothing else, the writer seems to have done their homework and is thinking outside the box. Here it is:

"My gut theory is that this was a contract murder and probably involved a very unhappy investor(s) that lost a lot of money and this was some kind of payback.

Why?

Well, the victim most recently worked at 2 major DC law firms with international presence as an attorney advising and representing clients such as startup as well as Fortune 500 companies -- including anything to do with financial services and investment banking.

His brother is Vice President of Investment Management at Morgan Stanley (and oddly Adam's LinkedIn account has been deleted or deactivated -- it was there last week). DLA Piper which is the law firm where the victim worked represents a lot of investment companies and underwriters, including Morgan Stanley. DLA Piper also advises on alternative investment strategies including hedge funds.

So, this is just a wild guess ... could the two brother have been involved in some kind of hedge fund scheme that went bad and an unhappy investor or investors decided to do harm as in a murder?

It is also odd that, according to news outlets, that a family member called the DC police to check for the victim at the Donovan hotel and just about the same time the wife filed a missing person report, the parents and a brother from NY -- I'm guessing Adam -- were already en route to DC.

Could the brother Adam have known that the victim was planning to stay at the Donovan hotel? Did the victim think he was supposed to meet a disgruntled hedge fund investor(s) but instead was greeted by a contract killer?"

This sounds very plausible; however, the MO doesn't fit, IMO. Stabbing is too sloppy (most stabbers get injured in the process), and not 100%. Add in sending in a woman with a knife - it's too risky, IMO.

 

[TTF14]

I read this theory elsewhere and it's intriguing; I've contemplated the theory for about 12 hours and I still find it really interesting so I figured I'd share it here for you all to deconstruct... If nothing else, the writer seems to have done their homework and is thinking outside the box. Here it is:

"My gut theory is that this was a contract murder and probably involved a very unhappy investor(s) that lost a lot of money and this was some kind of payback.

Why?

Well, the victim most recently worked at 2 major DC law firms with international presence as an attorney advising and representing clients such as startup as well as Fortune 500 companies -- including anything to do with financial services and investment banking.

His brother is Vice President of Investment Management at Morgan Stanley (and oddly Adam's LinkedIn account has been deleted or deactivated -- it was there last week). DLA Piper which is the law firm where the victim worked represents a lot of investment companies and underwriters, including Morgan Stanley. DLA Piper also advises on alternative investment strategies including hedge funds.

So, this is just a wild guess ... could the two brother have been involved in some kind of hedge fund scheme that went bad and an unhappy investor or investors decided to do harm as in a murder?

It is also odd that, according to news outlets, that a family member called the DC police to check for the victim at the Donovan hotel and just about the same time the wife filed a missing person report, the parents and a brother from NY -- I'm guessing Adam -- were already en route to DC.

Could the brother Adam have known that the victim was planning to stay at the Donovan hotel? Did the victim think he was supposed to meet a disgruntled hedge fund investor(s) but instead was greeted by a contract killer?"

Interesting theory. I would imagine an autopsy would, or at least might, show some evidence if a sexual encounter had occurred. If so, this theory is less likely I would think.

I think LE knows way more than they are saying. I would think if they literally had no clue, they'd be releasing more of the surveillance video.

 

[time]

In just reading KV's statement, it would be very difficult for me to say all those nice things about him in a time like this. Pursuming she has no knowledge of what led up to this murder, the factors surrounding his murder are enough to make a wife feel bitter, cheated on, and in deep denial about who she was married to.

In fact, what was the purpose of all the enlightenment of David's qualties? How is this going to help identify this POI? Did I miss something? Sure, the family wants to clear his name from the picture that has been painted, but how do they know for sure what David was doing? A married man in a hotel room for several hours, without his wife, is not a good picture regardless of his qualities!

Excellent post! I had the same thoughts. I wonder if she expounded on all his good qualities because they think no one cares about the murder if he was basically just some high flying guy having illicit sex in a posh hotel. IDK, that's all I can think of since it didn't make sense to me either as far as finding the POI, it made more sense as bumping her image (sorry, not being negative, just analytical).

 

[time]

Great question, time. I had stated in the first thread that it does depend on the shape of the lens on the surveillance camera. You should see some of the security footage I've seen! Unless adjusted properly, it can make the person look abnormally wide and/or short.
I also have an old TV in the den with a 52 inch screen. I can make a 6'4" person look short and squat trying to adjust it.

JMO, but LE most likely knows who is responsible for David's murder but not enough evidence for an arrest. LE won't give up!

MOO

BBM, I think you must be right because it makes no sense they are asking publicly, in a very long speech, for this person to be identified yet they are not even giving a basic element of the person like height range. Maybe they know who it is but not where she is?

If they have DNA, as someone suggested, they might be able to figure out ethnicity also?

 

[Dushi]

BBM, I think you must be right because it makes no sense they are asking publicly, in a very long speech, for this person to be identified yet they are no even giving a basic element of the person like height range. Maybe they know who it is but not where she is?

OMG, that is a great observation.
Really no details at all

 

[LaLaw2000]

If the police has a video of the POI arriving it also has a video of the POI leaving. How long before arrival and departure ? Better footage of what the person looks like.... That person seems to be very aware of camera locations, was a dry run made in previous days, most likely very few people use the stairs so it would be fairly easy to look at videos of previous weeks. They know so much more than we do.

BBM: I agree. LE always holds back much more information they give the public, and rightfully so.

I want to see CTV tape quality improve. In this day and age, there is no sense in having only mediocre equipment. The government, NSA, Google, and so forth can manage to have technology to zoom right down to even a hair on the shoulder of our clothing, but CTV tape at hospitals, hotels, banks, and schools cannot? BS. So many children and other people could be helped/found much faster if the tape quality was better.

When are businesses and people going to understand that you just don't scrimp on security cameras??? You may go 10 years and not need it, but what about the moment you do? What if you need it to help identify a murderer (as in this case) or a kidnapper?

*This is a huge peeve of mine!!!

:moo:

 

[LaLaw2000]

This sounds very plausible; however, the MO doesn't fit, IMO. Stabbing is too sloppy (most stabbers get injured in the process), and not 100%. Add in sending in a woman with a knife - it's too risky, IMO.

BBM: I agree with the bolded part. This was not some kind of sophisticated 'hit'.

I firmly believe it was someone with a very personal agenda. Sometimes we tend to overthink, IMO, reading way too much into what will most likely turn out to be simple age old reasons for the murder. I am very interested in what else was found in the hotel room. IIRC, not everything found was listed.

 

[Miss Muffet]

It's laughable LE is considering it a possible setup or hit.

 

[Dushi]

It's laughable LE is considering it a possible setup or hit.

I simply can not see it as either, not at this time.
To me. it is exactly what it looks like, a personal encounter gone wrong for whatever reason
I feel (just MO) this is not the first time he strayed

 

[time]

It's laughable LE is considering it a possible setup or hit.

Unless, it's a setup/hit by someone who personally knew David and the hit person is close enough to carry it out with vengeance. Sorry, I'm just grasping for whatever on this case. I guess LE could be misleading on purpose, to make someone feel comfortable they are not on their trail. ACK, IDK!

Fred&Edna, another thought on the fundraiser since I'm just becoming aware of how much the PR firm is wielding influence... wonder if it was to pay them or they suggested it for some reason? They seem to be controlling things, sounds like the same person wrote the obit as wrote yesterday's press conference. They also seem to be the one to tell David's firm to not comment.

 

[monkey222]

There has to be excellent quality video of POI on the street/s getting to and leaving hotel. This is DC. Geez.

 

[Luvrosco]

I've been following this case from the getgo,but only posted a couple of times. After viewing the video of the wife, she seemed angry to me. I did think from the begining that the POI looked like a heavy set female. I don't know what to make of this. I think it was a set up, but I don't know why. Could there have been an accomplice that was not caught on tape?

 

[fasteddy8170]

Well, I guess I have to eat that crow I mentioned in a previous post. The person in the video is a woman? Really? I mean, really? Frankly, it's make the theory of the crime even harder to determine, not easier.

I say that because due to the woman's build, I think we can rule out a call girl situation. Can I write that without offending anyone? I mean, the guy's a lawyer--he's not poor. He can pay for the A tier of escorts--and there's a whole host of them in that area, I'm guessing. And this woman didn't have the body type of an A tier hooker--although I understand men have all sorts of different tastes. Furthermore, a hired hooker is going to know there's going to be a electronic trail of some type from David to her--so killing him doesn't make a lot of sense. Maybe slipping him a sleeping pill and robbing him does . . . but stabbing him in the back? I don't think so. Also, hookers don't cover their faces on the way to hotel rooms--I'm guessing since I've never had that kind of experience.

Also, we have to remember David opened the door for this woman. So, he must've been expecting her. In addition, he felt comfortable enough around her to turn his back to her, giving her the opportunity to stab him to death. That makes it sound like an affair gone wrong. But, once again, I look at the "woman" in the video and I say: David's wife is attractive, the woman in the video looks like a guy--so, that stumps me a bit.

This almost feels like a situation where David was having an affair with a woman who had a girlfriend--the woman in the video. And instead of the affair woman showing up, her girlfriend did. David knew who the woman at the door was--yes, he knew this was going to be awkward. But he probably didn't think it would lead to his murder. So, he lets her in. David thought he could talk it out with this woman but she had other plans.

Because I'm just going to say it: I don't see David--given what his wife looks like--having an affair with the woman in the video.

I could maybe buy into a angry client or something like that but lawyers don't meet clients in hotel rooms. In addition, how would a client know David was at that hotel? And would David let a disgruntled client into his room? In addition, David told his wife what time he'd be home--how would he know how long a meeting with client was going to take? On the other hand, he would absolutely know how long a sexual encounter would take since he was paying for it.

Even so, I'm still surprised that's a woman.

 

[rosesfromangels]

I know most of you don't agree, but I'm sticking to my theory this was a pro hit. Too well executed as a random event. Military precision.

 

[Miss Muffet]

I just want to clarify. I'm laughing at LE for saying it may be a setup/hit. I'm not laughing at anyone here for speculating it. We all speculate here. I expect LE to be better at it than us sleuthers.

 

[LayzeeDayzee]

What's so funny about that? Obviously they are privy to a heckuva lot more info than has been released to the general public. I see no need to slam LE in this case, just MO.

I just want to clarify. I'm laughing at LE for saying it may be a setup/hit. I'm not laughing at anyone here for speculating it. We all speculate here. I expect LE to be better at it than us sleuthers.

 

[Miss Muffet]

What's so funny about that? Obviously they are privy to a heckuva lot more info than has been released to the general public. I see no need to slam LE in this case, just MO.

I think it's downright silly for LE to think it was a setup/hit. The POI in the video and the messy way the murder was committed does not indicate professional hit. DM rented that hotel room on his own. Nobody tricked him into going there. If someone could trick him into getting a hotel room, his motives for going there weren't on the up and up, IMO. All the reasons that involve getting a hotel room to meet with someone privately, instead of meeting them at a restaurant or a park, aren't innocent reasons, IMO. Now if LE proves DM was involved in illegal activity, such a laundering money or whatever, I'll be more likely to believe a setup/hit. If he was in that room to meet a prostitute or mistress, my bet is this was a crime of passion and revenge, not a professional setup/hit. As a result, I'm hoping LE is just saying it's a setup/hit to put their suspect at ease so he/she can mess up.

 

[Momoffourboys]

Maybe someone wanted him out of the picture so they could be with his wife...

 

[HastingsChi]

I've been following this case from the getgo,but only posted a couple of times. After viewing the video of the wife, she seemed angry to me. I did think from the begining that the POI looked like a heavy set female. I don't know what to make of this. I think it was a set up, but I don't know why. Could there have been an accomplice that was not caught on tape?

I'd be angry too if my spouse was murdered and law enforcement didn't seem to be making progress or making it a priority to find the POI and get justice for David.