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

[HastingsChi]

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.

So you're saying that although law enforcement has reviewed a plethora of evidence that has not been made public and have investigated many possible scenarios, they are simply wrong and your theory is the only plausible theory?

Makes sense...

 

[cluciano63]

As far as a set-up, or a "hit"...I think the messiness may well have been an attempt to make it look like a sex-worker/ client deal gone bad. In a case like that, a knife would not be unusual.

I try to keep in mind that LE can wait weeks or longer for phone records sometimes, as ridiculous as that seems. They may not have all of the data they need yet, or warrants for all of the phones and devices they want to examine. It really is not as simple as "get a warrant" as in my favorite Law & Order shows. And there is also the possibility of DM having had a prepaid phone, taken from scene, if in fact he was into using prostitutes on a regular basis. I think LE has to have an idea of what happened and why. My guess is there will be an arrest, seemingly "out of the blue" within sixty days.

Jmo of course.

 

[Miss Muffet]

So you're saying that although law enforcement has reviewed a plethora of evidence that has not been made public and have investigated many possible scenarios, they are simply wrong and your theory is the only plausible theory?

Makes sense...

I don't have an actual theory.

 

[Miss Muffet]

As far as a set-up, or a "hit"...I think the messiness may well have been an attempt to make it look like a sex-worker/ client deal gone bad. In a case like that, a knife would not be unusual.

I don't think professional hits need to make murders look like anything but professional hits. Professionals are so good there's no reason to go that trouble. Anyone who would want to make it look like a sex worker would have personal and passionate motives, IMO.

I try to keep in mind that LE can wait weeks or longer for phone records sometimes, as ridiculous as that seems. They may not have all of the data they need yet, or warrants for all of the phones and devices they want to examine. It really is not as simple as "get a warrant" as in my favorite Law & Order shows. And there is also the possibility of DM having had a prepaid phone, taken from scene, if in fact he was into using prostitutes on a regular basis. I think LE has to have an idea of what happened and why. My guess is there will be an arrest, seemingly "out of the blue" within sixty days.

I agree with all of this. I think they're saying setup/hit to throw the suspect off. Since they're sure it's a woman, I'll bet they already know which women they think it is. It being a woman makes it less likely to be a setup/hit too, especially since the woman is from the same heritage background as his wife. Unless their culture has underground female hit-woman who handle marital conflicts, which I highly doubt. Plus, that would be a reason to hide the prostitute angle, not make it look like a prostitute. If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, it's likely a duck. That doesn't mean a prostitute is the killer, IMO.

 

[cluciano63]

By "hit" or "set-up" I am not thinking a "professional". Just someone close to the person who wanted DM dead. I still think making it look like something else is possible. And why not make him look bad, while they are at it?

 

[Happyshoes]

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

I think something along these lines, too. Either he wouldn't leave his wife for this person, or this person wanted him out of the picture so wife would be free...?
Obsession...

 

[Happyshoes]

By "hit" or "set-up" I am not thinking a "professional". Just someone close to the person who wanted DM dead. I still think making it look like something else is possible. And why not make him look bad, while they are at it?

Yes to this!

 

[Momoffourboys]

I think something along these lines, too. Either he wouldn't leave his wife for this person, or this person wanted him out of the picture so wife would be free...?
Obsession...

Yes. Same

I am also thinking it wasn't DM who texted his wife that night. His phone. But not him.

 

[rosesfromangels]

By "hit" or "set-up" I am not thinking a "professional". Just someone close to the person who wanted DM dead. I still think making it look like something else is possible. And why not make him look bad, while they are at it?

O.K., you and I are getting a little closer here. I should say "paid" hit vs. "pro" hit. This is definitely a thugster, not a mobster. And the use of the knife and the overkill definitely does seem personal. However, watch that tape a few times more and focus on how they pull that mask up. They've done it before, they knew the drill.

 

[cluciano63]

O.K., you and I are getting a little closer here. I should say "paid" hit vs. "pro" hit. This is definitely a thugster, not a mobster. And the use of the knife and the overkill definitely does seem personal. However, watch that tape a few times more and focus on how they pull that mask up. They've done it before, they knew the drill.

Maybe the person has done robberies, covering the face. But not necessarily "this".

 

[Happyshoes]

O.K., you and I are getting a little closer here. I should say "paid" hit vs. "pro" hit. This is definitely a thugster, not a mobster. And the use of the knife and the overkill definitely does seem personal. However, watch that tape a few times more and focus on how they pull that mask up. They've done it before, they knew the drill.

Respectfully, I disagree with the or mobster, and I don't necessarily think she has done it before; I think she's been at that hotel before, though. But the word "personal" is spot on! IMO only!

 

[rosesfromangels]

Maybe the person has done robberies, covering the face. But not necessarily "this".

Yes, that is a definite possibility! It just seemed like that mask move was something they were quite familiar with, and they were definitely aware of the security cameras. They knew exactly where they were. They didn't seem phased by them a bit.

The choice of the knife is interesting, and a revealing choice. Here's what I can get from that:
*street thugs use knives a lot, a pro would use a gun with a silencer
*there was overkill; seemed very personal. Rage killing
*Depending on the depth of the wounds it will either confirm or refute the probability of this being a female perp
*Perhaps the types of wounds will help identify the type of knife, and any profession associations....chef, butcher, etc.

I am also 100% convinced the second person in the video was the lookout/driver. These people knew what they were doing. It was well planned, and executed. The perp knew exactly what to do when the elevator was out of order - they knew where the stairs were, and proceeded without confusion or panic. They knew this hotel well.

One thing is clear. The victim had really really p*ssed someone off, to the point where he paid for it with his life. I still keep going back to the motive of money vs. sex. The sex angle may be a red herring.

 

[Dushi]

Has it been verified that the elevator was out of order?

I read (some time ago) that it was out of order and also read that you needed a room key to access it

 

[rosesfromangels]

Has it been verified that the elevator was out of order?

I read (some time ago) that it was out of order and also read that you needed a room key to access it

Very good question and distinction. If the latter, then they *didn't* know the hotel set-up as well as is suggested.

 

[Dushi]

either way.. out of order or key card

If you were expecting someone and the elevator was out of order, would you not mention it when setting up the meet
And if a key card was needed, would you make your guest walk up the stairs?

Rambling..........

I am all over the place with this one

 

[rosesfromangels]

either way.. out of order or key card

If you were expecting someone and the elevator was out of order, would you not mention it when setting up the meet
And if a key card was needed, would you make your guest walk up the stairs?

Rambling..........

I am all over the place with this one

These are very astute observations. And yes, most especially if you were attempting to be *discrete*, you would give them instructions on how to get to you with the least amount of fuss or detection. Interesting....

 

[Dushi]

Who ever was in that room was aware of which room number DM was in.
I think DM told that person .. or.. maybe there was a person there before the killer and that person told the killer the room number

But in MHO David told one person his room number

 

[time]

either way.. out of order or key card

If you were expecting someone and the elevator was out of order, would you not mention it when setting up the meet
And if a key card was needed, would you make your guest walk up the stairs?

Rambling..........

I am all over the place with this one

Hubby said the same thing last night after I showed him the surveillance video. And, if someone was already in his room, then it seems he escorted that person in there, they were also staying in the hotel, or there is another option one can arrange for a 'guest' to stop in.

 

[FindHG]

David's family stood strong and wordlessly behind his wife. My heart goes out to them.

I hope somebody recognizes the POI from something else that night or otherwise. I wonder if they've checked airlines, rental car places, taxi stands around there, public transport or posted the POI's picture. Any ideas from locals if you've seen the POI's picture and description, ht, wt, gender etc... around?

 

[rosesfromangels]

David's family stood strong and wordlessly behind his wife. My heart goes out to them.

I hope somebody recognizes the POI from something else that night or otherwise. I wonder if they've checked airlines, rental car places, taxi stands around there, public transport or posted the POI's picture. Any ideas from locals if you've seen the POI's picture and description, ht, wt, gender etc... around?

Someone upthread pointed out that during the presser, there was no mention of any info related to the POI, what to be looking for. That is very notable, and leads me to believe they have a very good idea who this is?
Also - take note of the "man in the red tie". Is he LE? His face gives a bit away...