Delaware mystery death three years later: still no answers in John Wheeler case

Still no answers in the mysterious death of the former Pentagon official who disappeared in Wilmington three years ago this week.

On December 30, 2010, a somewhat disoriented John Wheeler was seen walking in downtown Wilmington. It was the last time the former aide to three presidents was seen alive. Wheeler’s body was discovered the next day after being dumped from a trash truck at the Cherry Island Landfill.

Investigators believe Wheeler’s body had been placed in a Newark dumpster before it was taken to the Wilmington landfill. That determination put Newark Police in charge of the investigation into his mysterious death. Three years later, there’s still little information on how Wheeler died. “There are no new developments to release in the Wheeler case,” said Newark Police Lt. Mark Farrall.

In January 2011, the Delaware Medical Examiner ruled that Wheeler died from “blunt force trauma.” But there’s been no explanation of who or what caused that injury that led to his death.

Wheeler, who lived in New Castle, was a Vietnam veteran and chaired the Vietnam Memorial Fund. He served in the administrations of three U.S. presidents and was a consultant to a Pentagon official just prior to his death.