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What You Need to Know About the Conspiracy Theory Around Murdered DNC Staffer Seth Rich

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The grieving family of Seth Rich - a former Democratic National Committee staffer who was murdered in July - is speaking out forcefully against conspiracy theories and unsubstantiated claims about their son's death. While the official police investigation reports that Rich, then 27, was murdered following a botched robbery, sensationalists have theorized that Rich was responsible for leaking a trove of Democratic National Committee (DNC) emails to WikiLeaks. On May 15, Rich's family's hired private investigator spoke to local news network Fox 5 and revealed his findings - notably against their wishes.

Rich's murder probe has largely been inconclusive: no one witnessed the slaying and his wallet was retrieved from the scene. The private detective, former DC Police homicide Detective Rod Wheeler, told Fox News 5 he believed local police were covering up Rich's death at the request of the mayor's office and the DNC because Rich was indeed the source of the leaks. Wheeler also said that Rich's laptop, which is being held by authorities, would prove he had contact with WikiLeaks.

"I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI," Wheeler said. "I have been told both."

Wheeler offered an unsubstantiated "confirmation" from a "source" that Rich's laptop contained evidence of communication with WikiLeaks and went so far as to suggest the police department had intentionally covered up the crime. "Again, I don't think it comes from the chief's office," Wheeler said. "But I do believe there is a correlation between the mayor's office and the DNC and that is the information that will come out [Tuesday]."

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At the time of Rich's death, WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange announced a $20,000 reward for information about his killing, which fueled speculation about their correspondence. Rich's family has continued to deny any speculation correlating their son to WikiLeaks. Rich's parents were "distressed by the apparent political exploitation of their son's death," according to Newsweek, and eschewed the speculation about the case following the WikiLeaks reward announcement.

As right-wing outlets resurface Rich's story and rely on Wheeler's unauthorized, anonymous information, Rich's parents have once again expressed their discontent with the manipulation of his death. Fox News, in particular, appears to have latched on to Rich's murder as a way to demonstrate that President Donald Trump did not collude with Russia nor provide WikiLeaks with classified information.


In response to the increased popularity of conspiracy-driven theories about Rich's death, his family's spokesman, Brad Bauman, spoke to Business Insider. He condemned both Wheeler's actions and the media's speculation. "It's sad but unsurprising that a group of media outlets, who have repeatedly lied to the American people, would try and manipulate the legacy of a murder victim in order to forward their own political agenda," Bauman said. "I think there is a special place in hell for people like that."

Rich's family also released an official statement. "We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth's murderers," the statement read. "The services of the private investigator who spoke to press was offered to the Rich family and paid for by a third party, and contractually was barred from speaking to press or anyone outside of law enforcement or the family unless explicitly authorized by the family."



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