GUILTY MI - Paul DeWolf, 25, fatally shot in Ann Arbor frat house, 23 July 2013

[bourne]

Look at the following video at 0:39 at the bottom "Chris Cuomo's full report":
http://newday.blogs.cnn.com/2013/07/31/medical-students-murder-puzzles-authorities/

There is a shot of some of the residents of Phi Rho Sigma. I believe this was shot
on the day that the body was found. This gives some idea of who was present
at the fraternity the day the body was found.

This includes JD, who seems one of DeWolf's best friend. He is also the one who
posted on Paul's facebook pretending to be Paul. I think I also know who the
other people. I am not entirely sure about the female student of which we can only see the back. I conjecture that the person sitting with the backpack may be BS,
a neurosurgery resident and ex-resident of Phi Rho Sigma. I also think that he
may have been the person who found the body. But I could be wrong about this.

Good observations about the second video! I had not notice that video on my iPhone. It only shows up in my laptop.

Are you talking about the people sitting at a bench that looks to be outside the frat house? I did a screencap on the video. Here's the pic.

Wow. You know the frat residents and the neurosurg resident and that he's an ex-resident of PRS? And you know the neurosurg associate's name? I have to ask. Are you certain you're not an insider or a reporter for this case?

I don't see any females in the pic. They look to be ALL males, including the brown hoodie person with the pony-tail, as he has very broad shoulders and a large back. But I could be wrong and this large frame person could be a female...

Having finally seen Paul's parents in an interview, I have to say they were definitely not involved in Paul's death. I'm very good at reading people and they looked to be in deep pain, but hiding it behind smiles and words of optimism and love. My guess is their Christian faith is leading them to a place of forgiveness and moving on and believing that Paul's in a better place in heaven. I'm glad they say they have an excellent support system which is sorely needed for anyone to move pass such a tragedy. :grouphug: <-- supposed to be a grouphug.

They say their daughter was present with Paul the Saturday before Paul's death. I wonder where their other son was?

As I contemplate this further and I still believe wholeheartedly that the perp is someone close to Paul, who knows him and his habits well. I also am inclined to believe the perp is someone who knows (studies or read up on) medicine, someone who knows or was testing the effects of a penetrating wound like a gunshot to the individual cervical vertebrae C1-C7. Could it have been someone clowning around and accidentally shot Paul?

I don't think Paul shot himself -- for fun or to commit suicide. From all indications, he seemed to love life. And he just doesn't seem like a careless idiot who would put his or anyone's life in jeopardy to me by putting a gun to himself and pulling the trigger...unless he thought the gun was unloaded or the perp tricked him that the gun was a toy? However, I think the fact that Paul's death certificate said it was "homicide", gunshot wound to neck by other person means there was no gunshot residue found on Paul's hands and they eliminated Paul as his own shooter.

Now I'm thinking the murderer could very well be one of the frat house boys who was jealous and/or had some other intense emotion towards Paul.

Is JD, Paul's best friend, also a med student and a frat house resident?Someone told me that JD is gay but that he may have been infatuated with Paul who is straight. That could be an angle to pursue, as black_squirrel above posted that JD was the one who had posted on Paul's fb which can certainly be a violation of sorts to Paul. Although I take it Paul was "ok" with the supposed "joke" and forgave JD...as they remained friends. That certainly goes to show how much *trust* Paul had in JD and JD would be someone Paul would have allowed into his room late at night and not have expected JD to pick up a gun and shoot him...All JMO

 

[colette]

I'm still going with the break in theory and that Paul was shot while the break in guy was running away. It was a crazy shot that hit as a kill shot. I do not think it was a friend or relative of Paul's. Just my gut feeling.

 

[black_squirrel]

Are you talking about the people sitting at a bench that looks to be outside the frat house? I did a screencap on the video. Here's the pic.

Yes, this is what I meant. Nice screenshot. By the way, I am not sure whether this was taken on July 24th, the day the body was found. It could also be the day after, July 25th. This footage was posted on WXYZ on
July 25th.

Wow. You know the frat residents and the neurosurg resident and that he's an ex-resident of PRS? And you know the neurosurg associate's name? I have to ask. Are you certain you're not an insider or a reporter for this case?

On August 2, a fundraising campaign was started for the fraternity. Because of the murder, several of the incoming students changed their mind about going to Phi Rho Sigma. Because of empty rooms, it was projected that the fraternity would be in some financial crisis. Initially, they wanted to raise $100,000, but this was later adjusted to $45,000. In the meantime, they did find some other students to reside at Phi Rho Sigma, so the crisis is probably not that big. Some people thought it was a bit tasteless that
they started this fundraising campaign, not for the benefit of Paul's family or for finding Paul's killer, but for the fraternity, just one week after Paul's death.

Here is the fundraising:
https://secure.piryx.com/donate/3NfR1ntC/Phi-Rho-Sigma/inmemoriampauldewolf

Anyway, the fundraising was mostly spread on facebook, by phi rho sigma residents and alumni. It seems to have been initiated by one resident, IG,
but one of the first people to repost it was BS. His cousin reposted it and wrote "This is NOT bull%$#@, it is what my cousin is going through... just sayin..." (I edited out a 4 letter word..) This sounds like BS is quite affected by DeWolfs death. So perhaps he is more connected to this tragedy, than just knowing DeWolf and being an alumni. Combined with the fact that BS is a neurosurgery resident and that DeWolf was supposed to participate in a surgery at the VA, I think that BS may have been the unidentified colleague who found the body. The person sitting on the right of the bench with the backpack, in shrubs, looks like BS. But we can only see his back.

I don't see any females in the pic. They look to be ALL males, including the brown hoodie person with the pony-tail, as he has very broad shoulders and a large back. But I could be wrong and this large frame person could be a female...

The person on our left, sitting on the other side of the bench is female,
namely JV. The poly-tail person could be male.

Is JD, Paul's best friend, also a med student and a frat house resident?Someone told me that JD is gay but that he may have been infatuated with Paul who is straight. That could be an angle to pursue, as black_squirrel above posted that JD was the one who had posted on Paul's fb which can certainly be a violation of sorts to Paul. Although I take it Paul was "ok" with the supposed "joke" and forgave JD...as they remained friends. That certainly goes to show how much *trust* Paul had in JD and JD would be someone Paul would have allowed into his room late at night and not have expected JD to pick up a gun and shoot him...All JMO

I think the gay friend was a different friend, JH. Both JH and JD seem to be close to DeWolf. JH is not a medical student, but JD is a med student and resident at the fraternity. JD is also close to Paul's family, perhaps even more so after Paul's death. I don't think that JD had anything to do with the murder.

 

[bourne]

Yes, this is what I meant. Nice screenshot. By the way, I am not sure whether this was taken on July 24th, the day the body was found. It could also be the day after, July 25th. This footage was posted on WXYZ on
July 25th.

On August 2, a fundraising campaign was started for the fraternity. Because of the murder, several of the incoming students changed their mind about going to Phi Rho Sigma. Because of empty rooms, it was projected that the fraternity would be in some financial crisis. Initially, they wanted to raise $100,000, but this was later adjusted to $45,000. In the meantime, they did find some other students to reside at Phi Rho Sigma, so the crisis is probably not that big. Some people thought it was a bit tasteless that
they started this fundraising campaign, not for the benefit of Paul's family or for finding Paul's killer, but for the fraternity, just one week after Paul's death.

Here is the fundraising:
https://secure.piryx.com/donate/3NfR1ntC/Phi-Rho-Sigma/inmemoriampauldewolf

Anyway, the fundraising was mostly spread on facebook, by phi rho sigma residents and alumni. It seems to have been initiated by one resident, IG,
but one of the first people to repost it was BS. His cousin reposted it and wrote "This is NOT bull%$#@, it is what my cousin is going through... just sayin..." (I edited out a 4 letter word..) This sounds like BS is quite affected by DeWolfs death. So perhaps he is more connected to this tragedy, than just knowing DeWolf and being an alumni. Combined with the fact that BS is a neurosurgery resident and that DeWolf was supposed to participate in a surgery at the VA, I think that BS may have been the unidentified colleague who found the body. The person sitting on the right of the bench with the backpack, in shrubs, looks like BS. But we can only see his back.




The person on our left, sitting on the other side of the bench is female,
namely JV. The poly-tail person could be male.

I think the gay friend was a different friend, JH. Both JH and JD seem to be close to DeWolf. JH is not a medical student, but JD is a med student and resident at the fraternity. JD is also close to Paul's family, perhaps even more so after Paul's death. I don't think that JD had anything to do with the murder.

Thanks for all this info! They're very clarifying

I find it disheartening that the frat did a fundraiser to solicit $ to maintain the house post-Paul's death and did not contribute any moneys to the reward for finding Paul's killer. That seems distasteful and, just wrong on so many levels...You'd think they would care more about the person Paul and seek justice for him rather than raising funds to offset the frat house costs. What happened to the "brotherhood" of fraternities? The one for all and all for me mentality? Well, it seems this fraternity cares more about a nonliving object, the frat house, than it does a human being, a "brother". SMH

Ok, so JH is not a med student/frat house resident. Still, does he have an alibi and does he have access to a gun? Paul would have willingly opened the door for his good friends so JH would be one, along with others...Just throwing it all out there. Perhaps this case can be solved by process of elimination. LE should go down the list of everyone Paul came in contact with the last weeks of his life and check out their alibis and also their gunownership or shooting backgrounds.

I see very little plausibility (as in 5%) in the perp being a random stranger off the streets and a very high probability (95%) that the perp is someone Paul knows. Just too much of a coincidence for some unknown stranger to somehow find a way into the frat house without being seen and then make his way specifically to Paul's basement room and then targeting Paul in the neck with a single gunshot that was UNHEARD by any other frat brother/resident. And then make his way out of Paul's room without drawing any attention... And there was no signs of burglary or break-in. Has to be someone Paul knew. I think the perp now feels empowered that he hasn't been caught and may even be congratulating himself for getting rid of competition. Hmm...did LE check on the guy who found Paul's body -- BS' alibi -- the night Paul was murdered? These are my educated opinions.

 

[writer7]

^^^ Uh huh, that's why I think it's someone the police already know was there that day. It seems as if it would be too hard to be unnoticed. OTOH, I don't know how the housemates do things. Perhaps they really wouldn't notice and the entry situation somehow made it possible to sneak in.

We do know that Paul's door might have been unlocked.

Still, nobody heard a gunshot either? I think the perp probably had Paul put on some music or something. It's just usually somebody the victim knows, and the entry situation makes this one difficult (not impossible?) to be a stranger.

The motive seems strange for a stranger, too, as others have gone into very well. I'll add that the motive for a stranger could be just to kill someone instead of take anything, but those folks usually would shoot again after the first shot hit the neck. I don't know, they just usually kill with several wounds, etc. (or strangling) because they are all about the killing part. It doesn't make complete sense to be either a robbery or thrill-kill kind of stranger, imho.

 

[Zuri]

Did the GSW obliterate his brain stem? I haven't seen the autopsy report, if there is one. Instant death if it was. JMV

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Just for discussion sake - despite all my training, etc.. I once had a gun go off by mistake!

Oh now I understand why you're thinking along these lines. I sure hope you didn't hit anybody!

One time I fired a little pistol. It was no effort to pull the trigger - almost like a toy gun. The sound was just a "pop" as if you pulled a cork out of a bottle. Yet, I suppose if the bullet went into somebody in a vulnerable area, it would harm them. :hills:
:razz:

I can't picture why somebody would be messing around with a gun in Paul's room while Paul was present but not paying attention (especially if he was hit from behind). Anything is possible but an accident theory is a long shot imo.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Did the GSW obliterate his brain stem? I haven't seen the autopsy report, if there is one. Instant death if it was. JMV

It is speculation afaik. Someone left a comment under a news article suggesting that's what happened. The death certificate states that Paul received one gun shot to his neck by the hand of another person. That's the official information released so far.

 

[danzn16]

The argument by the poster is not just that the bullet entered the neck, but that it "completely severed the spine" and there was "no bleeding" (internal or external).

Here's a pic of the cervical spine and the vertebral artery.

Now, after looking at this pic, does it make scientific sense that the cervical spine is completely severed and there is "no bleeding"?

I don't believe that could ever happen. I agree at the least the vertebral artery and vein would bleed at the least. I don't know how that person could know that fact either unless they were the medical examiner, who wouldn't talk about his work online


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[OldSteve]

So what could the motive in the case? That's most puzzling, and considering no one heard anything, and he wasn't able to yell to get attention...

I wonder how long a person with kind of wound would remain conscious?

Could there have been more than one killer?

Does his high academic standing figure into this in some way? Could he have known of someone(s) cheating, or was he being threatened to become involved in something of this nature?

 

[bourne]

 

[bourne]

So what could the motive in the case? That's most puzzling, and considering no one heard anything, and he wasn't able to yell to get attention...

I wonder how long a person with kind of wound would remain conscious?

Could there have been more than one killer?

Does his high academic standing figure into this in some way? Could he have known of someone(s) cheating, or was he being threatened to become involved in something of this nature?

Potential motives the perp might have murdered Paul (from highest probability to lowest), all JMO:

1) Competitive Jealousy/Rivalry - likely long-standing for Paul's intellect and status in medical school/community;

2) Unrequited Love - someone's madly in love with Paul and Paul won't return the perp's affections;

3) Extortion for drugs/Rx - perp is a drug addict wanting drugs from Paul or a prescription from Paul for drugs and Paul refused and perp angrily retaliated by shooting Paul;

4) Game gone deadly wrong - some frat boys were playing a foolish game of Russian roulette and Paul was killed accidentally and no one wants to come forward because of they don't want to be imprisoned for negligent homicide;

5) Burglary - I really don't think it was a burglary gone wrong because according to LE, nothing valuable appeared to be stolen. Of course, the perp might have stolen something s/he alone considers of value but LE doesn't;

6) Thrill Kill - a nutcase who enjoys killing for the sake of killing, although this is unlikely because this nutcase would have likely killed others before and still be in the process of looking for his next victim; in other words, there would have been a *pattern* of such thrill kills by the perp that LE would be aware of (unless s/he was so lucky to have escaped past detection of ALL his thrill kills).

 

[Woe.be.gone]

So what could the motive in the case? That's most puzzling, and considering no one heard anything, and he wasn't able to yell to get attention...

I wonder how long a person with kind of wound would remain conscious?

Could there have been more than one killer?

Does his high academic standing figure into this in some way? Could he have known of someone(s) cheating, or was he being threatened to become involved in something of this nature?

A few days ago I read that a person with a damaged carotid artery can live about two minutes (iirc). Versus if the heart aerota artery is damaged, no minutes.

I doubt there was more than one killer on the scene but, depending on motive, more than one person may have wanted him dead.

Motive may involve jealousy, lost opportunity, dashed hope/dreams or fear (if Paul knew something incriminating about someone).

I'm sensing the motivation was a result of something personal.
A random robbery doesn't make sense if he was found in his room.
Someone proposed that Paul may have encountered a person who was up to no good in the frat house. The study area (does it have computers?) could possibly house valuables but then Paul would have been shot in there or in the hallway.
Anyway, it doesn't seem like a thief would bother to break into an individual's room if they don't know specifics about the contents they'd find there, especially when its occupied.
That's why I was thinking through my necklace story. Someone who knew the necklace was still in the shared apartment at the same time they were there (alone or a guest of a roommate) took it - the person was only after the necklace and had opportunity and easy access to it.

The person who harmed Paul, knew when and where to find him and chose a time when they knew the surroundings would be quiet. They went with a plan in place to specifically get Paul. Just imo.

I think LE should dig deeper to uncover more about Paul's personal relationships. Maybe someone had expectations of how their relationship with Paul was supposed to play out but finally realized it would never be fulfilled in the way they had hoped.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

When thinking back about the necklace story, I realize how badly people must feel when they're falsely accused - especially about something as serious as murder. Still, there's no way to analyze cases without considering the people who knew the victim (but we don't have to name names).

I understand why WS has to be careful when it comes to allowing false accusations to be stated as probability or especially as fact. At the same time, it's impossible to discuss a case without pointing out or talking about the relationships of a victim.

If I had known back then what I know now, I would have offered to take a lie detector test! Can you imagine the way the poor people who are sitting in prison for years (or forever) for a crime they didn't commit must feel :scared: - horrifying.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Do intelligent men and women really play Russian roulette? Yikes!
That's a joke, right?

 

[jjenny]

In a game of Russian roulette, one shoots/attempts to shoot him or herself. Not other people.

 

[missgulfsouth]

Sorry for being so lazy tonight, but I don't want to read 17 pages to find out:
- Did this guy have a girlfriend?
- Was he gay? Maybe even secretly?

I get the feeling the killer is male, and it was personal.

 

[missgulfsouth]

So what could the motive in the case? That's most puzzling, and considering no one heard anything, and he wasn't able to yell to get attention...

I wonder how long a person with kind of wound would remain conscious?

Could there have been more than one killer?

Does his high academic standing figure into this in some way? Could he have known of someone(s) cheating, or was he being threatened to become involved in something of this nature?

I have a theory, albeit based on my very limited knowledge of the case. I think perhaps this was a male lover (or someone who wanted to be) and was either rejected, or the relationship broken off. I think a lone male is the killer. I think he was used to being in that house, so no eyebrows were raised by his being there, he maybe even lived there.

I think it's also possible that it's a jealous boyfriend, if LE can find a girl he was interested in/seeing.

I don't in any way think that his successes had any bearing on his murder. This was PERSONAL.

What say you, Old Steve? Thoughts???

 

[OldSteve]

I have a theory, albeit based on my very limited knowledge of the case. I think perhaps this was a male lover (or someone who wanted to be) and was either rejected, or the relationship broken off. I think a lone male is the killer. I think he was used to being in that house, so no eyebrows were raised by his being there, he maybe even lived there.

I think it's also possible that it's a jealous boyfriend, if LE can find a girl he was interested in/seeing.

I don't in any way think that his successes had any bearing on his murder. This was PERSONAL.

What say you, Old Steve? Thoughts???

BBM - Thanks for asking :twocents: -

First, what comes to mind is the neck shot, and with a very small cal. bullet... was it done by someone who really knew what they were doing or was it done by someone holding a gun to him to get his attention and the gun went off. Odds favor the latter.

But what if all we've been assuming is wrong! What if Paul had the gun and was holding over someone (for any of the reasons we've mentioned) and the other person goes for the gun and in the struggle it goes off and shoots Paul in the neck...

 

[Katana]

Sorry for being so lazy tonight, but I don't want to read 17 pages to find out:
- Did this guy have a girlfriend?
- Was he gay? Maybe even secretly?

I get the feeling the killer is male, and it was personal.

It appears he was in a relationship with a girl, LG. Paul also had a close friendship with another girl, SS. SS lives in another state and posted about her plan to visit him in Cali. He was due to leave a couple of months for flight/surgical training with the Air Force in a couple of days to California. Maybe the timing of this upcoming event played into the killing.

Makes me think of Jodi Arias killing Travis right before his trip with another girl. Except none of Paul's friends seem even remotely like Arias.