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

[LambChop]

:whip:

Okay, ranting is over. Let's just continue to post responsibly shall we folks.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

I took a quick look through the thread and didn't see mentioned that police arrested two people on August 6 at Lighthouse Pointe Apts.
The Van Buren Township LE assisted the Ann Arbor LE.

http://bellevilleareaindependent.com/vbt-police-help-ann-arbor-officers-detain-two-in-homicide/

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...olf-homicide-case-as-investigation-continues/

The second article posted above, reports they were arrested on unrelated warrants, taken into custody, but not thought to be involved in PW's murder.
"We don't believe at this point they have a connection.", per Ann Arbor Detective Lt. Pfannes.

Wonder what that was all about since police went armed with a search warrant.

Lighthouse Pointe Apartments are advertised as student housing.
http://www.studenthousingu.com/apartments/rent/Lighthouse Pointe Apartments/11/

 

[black_squirrel]

I took a quick look through the thread and didn't see mentioned that police arrested two people on August 6 at Lighthouse Pointe Apts.
The Van Buren Township LE assisted the Ann Arbor LE.

http://bellevilleareaindependent.com/vbt-police-help-ann-arbor-officers-detain-two-in-homicide/

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...olf-homicide-case-as-investigation-continues/

The second article posted above, reports they were arrested on unrelated warrants, taken into custody, but not thought to be involved in PW's murder.
"We don't believe at this point they have a connection.", per Ann Arbor Detective Lt. Pfannes.

Wonder what that was all about since police went armed with a search warrant.

Lighthouse Pointe Apartments are advertised as student housing.
http://www.studenthousingu.com/apartments/rent/Lighthouse Pointe Apartments/11/

These apartments are quite far away from the University of Michigan (maybe a 30 minute drive), and even Eastern University. I am not sure which students would live there.
I don't think there is any university that is close to that place.

 

[bourne]

I took a quick look through the thread and didn't see mentioned that police arrested two people on August 6 at Lighthouse Pointe Apts.
The Van Buren Township LE assisted the Ann Arbor LE.

http://bellevilleareaindependent.com/vbt-police-help-ann-arbor-officers-detain-two-in-homicide/

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...olf-homicide-case-as-investigation-continues/

The second article posted above, reports they were arrested on unrelated warrants, taken into custody, but not thought to be involved in PW's murder.
"We don't believe at this point they have a connection.", per Ann Arbor Detective Lt. Pfannes.

Wonder what that was all about since police went armed with a search warrant.

Lighthouse Pointe Apartments are advertised as student housing.
http://www.studenthousingu.com/apartments/rent/Lighthouse Pointe Apartments/11/

Thanks for these links! I had not read them before. Some of the comments below the articles are quite interesting...

The articles mentioned arresting two people on "unrelated warrants", which begs the question why the arrests were printed in the same article referring to Paul's murder in the first place?

In light of LE's statements, if we take them at face value, that the two arrests have nothing to do with Paul's murder, then what are the police doing exactly to advance the investigation? I hope this case doesn't become a dead cold case.

Also, others may have already read/posted about the following but I'm relatively new to this thread so IDK. But I also found another article 1 which stated that LE had surveillance video of a potential witness to Paul's murder, that the witness was captured on video as using a cellphone in the early afternoon subsequent to Paul's murder. Of course, no Time of Death was given for Paul so we don't know how distant in time this witness was from the time surrounding Paul's murder. Also in later articles 2,3, it is said the witness came forward but has been cleared to know nothing about Paul's murder.

:waitasec: Does it seem odd to anyone that in the day preceding, the day of, and day after DeWolf's murder that surveillance cameras caught no one else around the vicinity of the frat house besides the one guy on the cellphone? Very hinky!

1 http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...ential-witness-in-u-m-medical-students-death/

2 http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/u-m-student-homicide-police-interviewing-potential-witness/

3 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/01/paul-dewolf-killing_n_3691820.html

 

[bourne]

It all depends on what Paul was doing when shot I guess.

If he was taken by surprise, a neck shot seems off target.

If he was rushing at his attacker, one shot could easily hit his neck, even with an expert.

The fact that there was no "follow up" shot tells me at the very least, the shooter had basic medical knowledge (ie not a street kid or numbnut thief). He knew he had hit a fatal spot.

:cow:

It's almost execution like, depending on if Paul saw it coming or not.

You've made some good observations. You know what I'm curious about? If Paul rushed the attacker and got hit on the neck in a missed aim by attacker, were Paul's hands full of blood trying to stop the blood gushing out of his neck?

It was said in MSM articles that there were no signs of struggle, but does that mean Paul showed no signs of self-defense against his attacker? And did Paul try to halt the hemorrhage from his own neck by using his hand, towel, etc.? (We do know how near impossible it is to put a tourniquet in the neck especially if the carotid had been hit and leaking but you would think if Paul were not unconscious/in paralytic shock that he would have tried something to stop the bleeding from his neck).

So many questions...If only we have his autopsy report, then we could actually gain some more insight into what might have happened.

Certainly Paul deserves justice and the cold-blooded murderer who is likely still free and running loose needs to be punished and at minimum, put behind bars :jail: so that s/he can't harm/kill someone else.

 

[bourne]

If this was a break in, then both the front door and Paul's door would have been unlocked because there was no sign of forced entry. I doubt a robber knocked on Paul's door, only to be surprised by Paul and then shoot him. Furthermore, there would have been signs if someone crawled through an open window because you still have to break the screen. Nothing so far points to an attempted robbery. Like I said, the only way a stranger scenario works is if both doors were unlocked and the intruder was surprised by Paul and instantly shoots and runs. In that case, an intruder expecting no one would turn around and bolt. Why shoot when they haven't even taken anything yet? And why not take something after you already shot the person? If you are capable if murder then you probably aren't afraid to finish your crime. I personally think the intruder theory is the one thing that can be ruled out.

No signs of break-in. No signs of a struggle. No signs of burglary. To me, that means Paul opened the door willingly for his murderer, likely not anticipating that the perp would shoot and kill him.

Good question. Why would the perp shoot if it was an attempted robbery gone bad and the perp hadn't even stolen anything yet? It's reasonable to think that if perp knocked on Paul's door and Paul opened the door and perp intended to rob Paul, he might have knocked him out first and then stolen something and then leave with the loot -- all without needing to kill Paul. Why kill Paul when perp did not have to? Unless perp got scared that Paul recognized the perp...or the perp was a guntoting, trigger-happy shooter. Those are the only reasons I can come up with why a burglar might shoot Paul without even stealing anything.

Was Paul's room found locked or opened the next day by the colleague?

If perp took the time to lock Paul's door, the perp was someone who felt "confident" and "safe" that he would not be discovered by others who happen upon the crime scene. This perp would then have to be someone very familiar with Paul's basement room.

It was said that Paul was found in a pool of blood and that investigators initially could not identify where exactly Paul was injured. So neck wound was small. Yet no signs of Paul or someone else (perp?) trying to stop Paul's bleeding? So the shooting does not appear to be an accident. Also perp did not call 911 to get Paul aid. So this was clearly intentional murder.

I assume bullet was not found. Otherwise ballistics may be able to match bullet to specific gun, no?

We need more info from LE...

 

[jjenny]

I presume death from a shot to the neck would come very quickly and victim would not be able to try and stop the bleeding. I presume the bullet was found. Where would it go? But to match it to any gun, police would need to find that gun first.

 

[black_squirrel]

Thanks for these links! I had not read them before. Some of the comments below the articles are quite interesting...

The articles mentioned arresting two people on "unrelated warrants", which begs the question why the arrests were printed in the same article referring to Paul's murder in the first place?

In light of LE's statements, if we take them at face value, that the two arrests have nothing to do with Paul's murder, then what are the police doing exactly to advance the investigation? I hope this case doesn't become a dead cold case.

Also, others may have already read/posted about the following but I'm relatively new to this thread so IDK. But I also found another article 1 which stated that LE had surveillance video of a potential witness to Paul's murder, that the witness was captured on video as using a cellphone in the early afternoon subsequent to Paul's murder. Of course, no Time of Death was given for Paul so we don't know how distant in time this witness was from the time surrounding Paul's murder. Also in later articles 2,3, it is said the witness came forward but has been cleared to know nothing about Paul's murder.

:waitasec: Does it seem odd to anyone that in the day preceding, the day of, and day after DeWolf's murder that surveillance cameras caught no one else around the vicinity of the frat house besides the one guy on the cellphone? Very hinky!

1 http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...ential-witness-in-u-m-medical-students-death/

2 http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/u-m-student-homicide-police-interviewing-potential-witness/

3 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/01/paul-dewolf-killing_n_3691820.html

The security camera is from the building next door, 300 n ingalls, at the entrance portal.
The photo seems to be taken at night. There would be very few people at the entrance of that building at night because then the building is closed. i guess the police thinks that someone entered the fraternity at night.

I dont think that the photo was taken int the afternoon, where did you read that?

 

[bourne]

The security camera is from the building next door, 300 n ingalls, at the entrance portal.
The photo seems to be taken at night. There would be very few people at the entrance of that building at night because then the building is closed. i guess the police thinks that someone entered the fraternity at night.

I dont think that the photo was taken int the afternoon, where did you read that?

From either the articles or comments section. However, the articles themselves say:

"A picture of the man taken from security camera footage from a building in the same Ann Arbor neighborhood where DeWolf was found dead appeared on AnnArbor.com Thursday morning. Police say he was seen on July 23 in the same area of the 200 block of North Ingalls Street where DeWolf was killed inside his apartment at the Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity.

DeWolf was found dead the next day from a single gunshot wound. No firearm was found in the apartment and nothing seemed disturbed in the room, police have said. The case is being investigated as a homicide."

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/u-m-student-homicide-police-interviewing-potential-witness/

and

"Ann Arbor police want to speak to a potential witness spotted in the area of North Ingalls Street on July 23, the same night Paul DeWolf was killed in his home.

Ann Arbor police Detective Lt. Robert Pfannes said the man was near DeWolf’s home in the Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity in the 200 block of North Ingalls Street on July 23. DeWolf was found dead in his basement room at the fraternity just before 11:30 a.m. July 24 by a colleague."

http://www.annarbor.com/news/crime/...ential-witness-in-u-m-medical-students-death/

So I have no idea what time the video captured the witness near DeWolf's frat house except it was on July 23, 2013 Tuesday. I still find it very very strange that the surveillance camera only captured ONE witness during the entire Tues night until Wed morning at 11:30am. Don't at least a few residents in the area including the brothers of the frat rise early to go for morning jogs or have early work? Is there only ONE surveillance camera in the entire vicinity of the frat house?

<modsnip>

 

[bourne]

Blacksquirrel, how did you know where the one surveillance camera was located?

 

[justnosey]

New article!

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...t_sometimes_people_get_aw.html#incart_m-rpt-2

 

[Woe.be.gone]

No signs of break-in. No signs of a struggle. No signs of burglary. To me, that means Paul opened the door willingly for his murderer, likely not anticipating that the perp would shoot and kill him.

Good question. Why would the perp shoot if it was an attempted robbery gone bad and the perp hadn't even stolen anything yet? It's reasonable to think that if perp knocked on Paul's door and Paul opened the door and perp intended to rob Paul, he might have knocked him out first and then stolen something and then leave with the loot -- all without needing to kill Paul. Why kill Paul when perp did not have to? Unless perp got scared that Paul recognized the perp...or the perp was a guntoting, trigger-happy shooter. Those are the only reasons I can come up with why a burglar might shoot Paul without even stealing anything.

Was Paul's room found locked or opened the next day by the colleague?

If perp took the time to lock Paul's door, the perp was someone who felt "confident" and "safe" that he would not be discovered by others who happen upon the crime scene. This perp would then have to be someone very familiar with Paul's basement room.

It was said that Paul was found in a pool of blood and that investigators initially could not identify where exactly Paul was injured. So neck wound was small. Yet no signs of Paul or someone else (perp?) trying to stop Paul's bleeding? So the shooting does not appear to be an accident. Also perp did not call 911 to get Paul aid. So this was clearly intentional murder.

I assume bullet was not found. Otherwise ballistics may be able to match bullet to specific gun, no?

We need more info from LE...

I may have missed the detail that Paul was found in a pool of blood. My impression is that the wound wasn't apparent until the autopsy was performed. Considering he'd been shot, it makes sense if there was a pool of blood though. So, my question is, is it possible there wasn't a pool of blood knowing he'd been shot?

The image I pictured from reading first accounts is that a small calibur bullet was used and was aimed precisely at Paul's neck hitting the key artery. Is it possible a bullet can enter cleanly, remain embedded, leaving no blood spill whatsoever? I don't know if that's even possible. Yet the initial report sounded as if the injury wasn't visible when first responders arrived. Unless they meant they didn't know what kind of injury caused the blood pool (but I don't recall blood pool iirc). If the latter, there must not have been an exit wound.

Reality is though that LE often doesn't release all the details surrounding a crime scene. Details may leak out, rumors circulate, etc.

I believe it's possilbe to narrow down the type of gun used when they have a bullet. If they want to test a specific gun, they can tell if it fired the bullet found or determine the gun wasn't used in the crime. In a murder case where a gun was found at the bottom of a lake, it was determined the bullet used matched the gun (can't remember the case).

 

[black_squirrel]

I am local, so I figured out that the camera must have been from the 300 N. Ingalls building. Here is a link/map (hope it works):

http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDIuMjg1NjQxfi04My43MTY3MjgmbHZsPTQmc3R5PXImcT1uJTI1MjBpbmdhbGxzJTI1MjBzdCUyNTIwYW5uJTI1MjBhcmJvciUyNTIwbWk=

The highrise on the left is 300 N. Ingalls. The building opposite of Catherine St from it, is the fraternity. You can see that the entrance of 300 N. Ingalls is receded. So no jogger would ever come close to the entrance, unless they really wanted to enter the building. I am not sure what the man in the camera was doing there.

You can also see that there is a long path from the front door of the fraternity to the sidewalk. It is unlikely that someone tried to sneak in through the front door. But the back door opens up to the back parking lot, and is more covered.

 

[black_squirrel]

I am local, so I figured out that the camera must have been from the 300 N. Ingalls building. Here is a link/map (hope it works):

http://www.bing.com/maps/#Y3A9NDIuMjg1NjQxfi04My43MTY3MjgmbHZsPTQmc3R5PXImcT1uJTI1MjBpbmdhbGxzJTI1MjBzdCUyNTIwYW5uJTI1MjBhcmJvciUyNTIwbWk=

The highrise on the left is 300 N. Ingalls. The building opposite of Catherine St from it, is the fraternity. You can see that the entrance of 300 N. Ingalls is receded. So no jogger would ever come close to the entrance, unless they really wanted to enter the building. I am not sure what the man in the camera was doing there.

You can also see that there is a long path from the front door of the fraternity to the sidewalk. It is unlikely that someone tried to sneak in through the front door. But the back door opens up to the back parking lot, and is more covered.

Sorry, the link did not work as I had hoped. You have to zoom in yourself to
the right location (corner of Catherine St. and N. Ingalls street),
and use "birdview".

 

[Woe.be.gone]

New article!

http://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor...t_sometimes_people_get_aw.html#incart_m-rpt-2

Thanks.
Forensics haven't come back from the lab in PW's case. Specifics not given.
Per the article, cases grow cold because of the lack of manpower, time and leads.
Within the first 48 hours there's a checklist of about 90 things to determine about the crime.
After that detectives regroup moving on to another phase of investigating the crime.
In the meantime, new crimes happen, so the old ones fade into the background.
But you never know when a witness might come forward giving new life to a case.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

These apartments are quite far away from the University of Michigan (maybe a 30 minute drive), and even Eastern University. I am not sure which students would live there.
I don't think there is any university that is close to that place.

Even if the apartments aren't nearby the university, for some reason, the media linked LE's visit to those apartments on Aug. 4 to PW's case.
LE must have gone there armed with a warrant for some reason, on a tip or something.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

It would be interesting to know if the man on the camera lives in those apartments.

LE must have their reasons why they zeroed in on that guy - time he was spotted or something. Because, what?, you can't approach an apartment building without becoming a suspect in a murder case. Makes no sense without some other factor that only LE knows.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

http://videos.huffingtonpost.com/potential-witness-eyed-in-mich-students-death-517880927

What is the red standing thing (at .11-12 mins. in the video) nearby to the guy on the phone? Is that a permanent object that indicates exactly where he was standing while using his phone?
What is it about the video that indicates the time of day the image was captured?

Also, the guy came forward on August 1 and LE went to that apartment location on August 4.
Statements given by LE are a little sketchy imo as to whether or not either of these leads have anything to do with PW or not. So far LE issued statements indicating they don't believe they're related to the crime.

 

[Woe.be.gone]

Sorry, the link did not work as I had hoped. You have to zoom in yourself to
the right location (corner of Catherine St. and N. Ingalls street),
and use "birdview".

Are you using that red object in the video as a gauge? Is that related to fire equipment/alarm or something?

 

[Woe.be.gone]

http://www.annarbor.com/news/offici...pus-apartment-was-a-talented-medical-student/

When I google, pool of blood comes up. But when I read the actual article, they report "found dead" - no blood mentioned. Weird.

Ok, enough from me for now. :blushing: