‘Unsolved Mysteries’ on Netflix: Everything You Need to Know About the Peculiar Death of Jack Wheeler

Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries has returned for Season 2. Although, if you wanna get technical about it — and I do — they released Volume 2, which provided true-crime fanatics with six new mysteries to devour. The best of the bunch is “Lady in the Lake,” which we’ll cover tomorrow, and “Washington Insider Murder,” which details the mysterious death of former White House aide Jack Wheeler.

The synopsis of the episode previews the twists and turns of this perplexing mystery: “In 2010 the body of former White House aide John ‘Jack’ Wheeler was found in a Delaware landfill. Police ruled his death a homicide, and a high-level investigation produced few leads. Wheeler, a well-respected Vietnam veteran who worked with three president administrations, was spotted on security camera footage the night before he died, wandering office buildings and looking disheveled. No one has come forward with information, and there are no suspects in his murder.”

If you already watched the episode, you’re well aware of the complexities of this case. Here’s a brief summary of “Washington Insider Murder,” followed by a variety of links to various articles, threads, and podcasts about the puzzling death of Jack Wheeler.

What We Know About The Death Of Jack Wheeler:

On December 31, 2010, John “Jack” Wheeler’s body was discovered in a Delaware landfill. A veteran of the Vietnam War who served as the Executive Director of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Wheeler was a graduate of West Point, Harvard Business School, and Yale Law School who served as a presidential aide to three different administrations (Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush). Jack also lived with bipolar disorder.

At the time of his death, Jack was working as a consultant for the MITRE Corporation, a defense contracting firm specializing in artificial intelligence, military satellite systems, and cyber security. Interestingly enough, police were also investigating a potential burglary at Wheeler’s New Castle, Delaware, home. Jack’s neighbor spotted an open window and when he entered the residence, he noticed that the house was in complete disarray. Another peculiar event: A few days before Jack’s body was discovered, someone set off a number of smoke bombs at a construction site across the street. Police found Jack’s cellphone at the scene.

The last few days of Jack’s life offer more questions than answers. On December 28, Wheeler took an Amtrak train from New York City to Washington, DC. Phone records indicate that Jack left DC the same day and arrived at his residence in New Castle at around 5:30 p.m. The smoke bomb incident we mentioned above happened at 11:30 p.m. that night. On the morning of the 29th, Jack’s wife was unable to reach him. An email was also sent from Jack’s account to MITRE with the subject “Break-in and Theft MITRE BADGE.” The email stated that Jack lost his wallet, cell phone, and briefcase. Oddly enough, Jack didn’t notify the police nor his wife about the alleged break-in.

On December 29 at 6:00 p.m., video surveillance footage shows Jack visiting a local pharmacy. Jack was looking for a ride to Wilmington. Investigators believe Jack wanted to travel to Wilmington (six miles from New Castle) to retrieve his car, which was parked at the Amtrak station. He obtains a ride at around 6:00 p.m. and at 6:42 p.m., he arrived at a parking garage looking for his car.

Two key pieces of information: We don’t know who provided Jack with a ride, and Jack was in the wrong parking garage. His car was actually parked a few blocks away in a different garage.

The footage from the parking garage showed Jack agitated, in great distress. As investigative journalist Steve Volk notes in the Unsolved Mysteries episode, Jack had one shoe on and one shoe in his hand and can be seen peeking around the corner of a door before walking through it. Jack’s wife speculates that his bipolar disorder may have been a factor as to why he was acting in such an erratic manner.

Twenty hours later (December 30 at around 3:30 p.m.), Jack was seen by multiple people wandering around the basement of an office complex in downtown Wilmington (Nemours Building). At 8:30 p.m., Jack, now wearing a dark-colored hoodie, exited the building. At 8:41, a hotel security camera showed Jack walking past the Hotel DuPont. It’s the last verified camera shot of Jack Wheeler before his death.

It was determined that the trash surrounding Jack’s body in the landfill came from Newark, Delaware. A forensic unit was able to locate the dumpster in Newark (14 miles from Wilmington) that had previously contained Jack’s body.

Puzzling Details Regarding The Case:

• During his time in the Nemours Building, Jack was asking to go to Philadelphia.
• A witness came forward saying they had seen Jack share a taxicab with someone at 11:00 p.m. on December 30. The witness said Jack shared the cab after hearing that it was going to Newark.
• Wheeler’s death was ruled a homicide. His autopsy listed a rash of severe injuries, including a punctured lung, broken ribs, bleeding in the head, bruises to the face, orbital bones, temples, and mouth. The cause of death was listed as “blunt force trauma.”
• Prior to his death, Jack was involved in a housing dispute with the people across the street. One theory (supported by Jack’s wife Kathy Klyce) suggests that Jack was the one who set off the smoke bombs, which is why his phone was found at the scene. The Washington Post reports that receipts left behind indicate that Jack had bought black clothing and a full-face ski mask.
• The circumstances surrounding Wheeler’s murder don’t fit the M.O. of a traditional mugging. Cash, a Rolex watch, and Jack’s West Point ring were all found in his pockets or on his body.
• Jack’s briefcase was never found.
• Jack Wheeler’s Wikipedia page notes that a neighbor said that a loud television was constantly on inside Wheeler’s house days prior to his death. Although, interestedly enough, no one appeared to be home.

After watching “Washington Insider Murder,” true crime fanatics are on the hunt for any additional information about the death of Jack Wheeler. Here are a few links to help get you started:

• Back in 2011, The Daily Press wrote a three-part series about the case (Part 2, Part 3).
• Slate and Politico also covered Wheeler’s death in 2011.
• The Washington Post wrote about the story in 2017.
• You can find a number of Reddit threads regarding the case, with new theories likely to pop up after more viewers watch Unsolved Mysteries.
• The true-crime podcast “Silence of the Fam” recored an episode on the case in August of 2020.
• Unsolved Mysteries co-creator Terry Meurer shared some thoughts on the mystery with The Wrap.
• Netflix also once again updated their public case files, making all their evidence for “Washington Insider Murder” available to the public.

If you have any information regarding the mysterious death of Jack Wheeler, please contact Unsolved.com.

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