Dr Don Wiley, Missing Memphis Nov 16, 2001 Found Dead

[snowleopard]

I just learned of this case from the 'Deadly Intelligence' series on ID the other night and thought it was interesting, although information is scant.

What Happened to Don Wiley? – Boston Magazine
A Harvard Professor's Baffling Vanishing
CNN.com - Scientist's disappearance confounds police - November 28, 2001
Colleagues Doubt Wiley Suicide Theory | News | The Harvard Crimson
MEDICAL EXAMINER RULES WILEY DEATH 'ACCIDENT'
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2002/01/official-theory-biochemists-death

Ultimately, the coroner ruled it an accident, but I have a hard time buying into the therory, partly because of the bizarre story of Dr. O. C. Smith, the coroner, who's story I'd heard before, possibly on 'Unsolved Mysteries' some years back.

CNN.com - Trial set for medical examiner accused of staging his own attack - Feb 9, 2005
O.C. Smith goes one-on-one with Janice Broach

 

[Valerio]

That bridge seemed like a good spot for 'someone' to jump. Maybe he saw someone getting ready to jump, stops his car, runs over and grabs the person and they 'both' go over in the struggle. Only his body is found. Just another possibility.

 

[snowleopard]

Interesting....You'd think another body would nave been found in a similar proximity and timeframe, some news about another person missing. According to what I've seen and read, the bridge was the way west to Arkansas from the hotel. The Dr was staying east/northeast of Memphis, in TN, so he's going out of his way. There is also missing time. He is last seen at the bar appx midnight, but the car is not reported until 3:47 am. It was parked on a bridge, pointed in the wrong direction, pretty note-worthy. It was a Friday night in a sizable city with pretty active nightlife, why didn't anybody report the car earlier if it had been there shortly after midnight. Where was the Dr. between the hotel and the bridge?

 

[Valerio]

I don't have a clue...they need to look at A LOT of security cameras. Too bad the bridge didn't have one (assuming it doesn't) that could be looked at. But, as for as another body goes. If there was one it could be anywhere, even the Gulf of Mexico....which is where he would have been had it not been for getting caught up in those logs. I haven't had time to study all of the info but his cell phone record could probably tell something. I don't know if they did that already. He had too much going on for any of this to be an accident. It is pretty interesting though.

 

[Valerio]

Here is a photo of the Hernando De Soto Bridge. Another possibility would be a car jacking gone wrong. (speculation I know.)

 

[Valerio]

oops....

 

[snowleopard]

Another article. It mentions Dr Wiley having two drinks, then water citing him needing to visit his father e-ne Memphis that night (away from bridge).
Unsolved Mysteries

 

[snowleopard]

Here's a nice article commemorating Dr. Wiley in the Harvard Gazette:
Don Craig Wiley, 57