Police in Washington, D.C. say the killing of Capitol Hill attorney David Messerschmitt (pictured) looks suspiciously like a “pick-up” murder.
30-year-old Messerschmitt was found stabbed to death in a room at the Donovan Hotel near Thomas Circle on February 10 shortly after his wife reported him missing.
Kim Vuong called police at around 1:50 a.m. on February 10 after her husband failed to return home from work. She told police “everything seemed fine” when they last spoke, and that she had received a text from him around 7:30 p.m. the previous evening saying he would be home in an hour. Messerschmitt’s co-workers said he left the office around 5:30 p.m. on February 9.
Inside Messerschmitt’s hotel room police found a condom and lubricant, an enema, a wallet with credit cards, a computer and cell phone.
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“The fact that they left a wallet with credit cards there is a head scratcher,” D.C. attorney Dale Edwin Sanders told the Washington Blade. “You would think this person would have walked off with them.”
Whether or not Messerschmitt was meeting another man for sex is not clear, but gay rights activists are calling for more transparency from police.
“I would hope that if the police have any evidence that the person David met was through a sex line–gay or straight–the public would be informed quickly so they can be aware of any danger to them,” said activist Peter Rosenstein.
“[I]f the LGBT community at large is at threat and they’ve got credible suspicion of that I wish they would let us know,” Paul Tupper, chair of the D.C. group Gays and Lesbians Opposing Violence, added.
D.C. police spokesperson Gwendolyn Crump said authorities could not comment on whether the case appears to be a gay or straight pick-up murder, but she did say the department’s Gay and Lesbian Liaison Unit was “aware” of it.
A $25,000 reward has been offered for any information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for Messerschmitt’s murder.
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LubbockGayMale
How is it that we’re assuming a gay hookup? Because of the enema? Lots of straights like butt sex!
MarionPaige
“police found a condom and lubricant, an enema, a wallet with credit cards, a computer and cell phone …”
trying to picture how the police would “find an enema”.
I love condoms
What a sad and tragic story. This is just another example of how if you’re in a committed relationship with your spouse or partner, the consequences of seeking out sex from a total stranger in a hotel room could be deadly.
Unfortunately, when you’re cheating you tend not to follow those common sense rules like meeting a potential hookup in the lobby of the hotel so that the hotel cameras can get a clear view of you and the other person together, or exchanging a traceable phone number.
KEVINVENTION
First I’ve heard of this, too. And, as far as I know, the local Cincinnati media is unaware of this angle. Messerschmitt grew up here in Cincinnati and his obit is currently running in the local papers. The focus of everything here has been on how accomplished and scholarly a person he was…
Alan down in Florida
Regardless of whether or not this was a gay crime this is still a tragic tale.
Davidlen
@LubbockGayMale: Police make an absurd assumption is a gay crime based on objects which are not the sole domain of ‘gay’ sex FFS. Its time they brushed up on exactly what goes on between so call ‘straight’ sex couple, triples etc. Straight doesn’t come into it.
Perhaps to quote Blackadders Baldrick, “I have a cunning plan” its a decoy.
jwtraveler
The gay media has been a prime participant in the decade-long obsession with legalizing gay marriage. Fascinating that after gay marriage has become legal in 3/4 of the states (and D.C.) that Queerty still uses “married” as a synonym for “heterosexual”. Have you not caught on to the fact that a “married man” may now have a male spouse? And that the word “married” no longer carries the implicit meaning of “heterosexual”?
aliengod
@jwtraveler: For once, I agree with you. I think it sounds so odd, even to us, that we have a hard time saying it.
blackberry finn
@jwtraveler: I, for one, did not assume “married” meant “straight” when I read the headline. The article doesn’t necessarily make the assumption you claim.
BBellairs
@jwtraveler: While I get your point, please read the second paragraph. His wife reported him missing.
jwtraveler
@blackberry finn:”…his wife reported him missing.” That’s more than an assumption. And the phrase “Secret Gay Hookup” in the headline certainly implies that a married man having a gay hookup was surprising.
@BBellairs: Exactly! As I said, the word “married” is meant to imply “heterosexual”.
Billysees
@I love condoms:
Very intelligent comment.
Lvng1Tor
My first thought was….why is this of interest to us other than the gay angle. Why drag someones family through the mud without proof. Then I read the comment from Paul Tupper and I have to agree. If the gay community or closeted gay community is at risk the police really should say so. The fact that they have not said they are not looking for the gay angle is pretty good assurance they know more and it is indeed to do with him having a hook up with a man.
I feel bad for the guys wife though. Hope they catch the person who did this so she can at least know they are being brought to justice. It must be awful too have to deal with secrets and loosing her husband.
jturbo75
David was a frequent poster in the M4M section of DC Craigslist and presented himself as bi. He was clearly on the down low. Whatever his sexual proclivities, he didn’t deserve to die this way. I feel sorry for his family if this is how they found out about his secret life.
Marco Solo
You need someone to tell you that meeting a complete stranger for sex in a hotel room is dangerous? I understand the specific agenda here but I’m baffled as to why the LBGT etc. community feels it has some kind of special right to be informed by the police. Consider yourselves told – it’s not only dangerous but incredibly stupid. I guess it’s the quest for the ultimate orgasm ueber alles. Carry on, as though you wouldn’t anyway.
“Tupper”, hilarious in a Shakespearian way.
Parting thought – what if the person who killed Herr Messerschmitt wanted to make it look like a gay liaison and knew of his secret? What “evidence” might this person salt the crime scene with?
BryGuy
True jturbo75 David unfortunately was a frequent poster on CL and presented himself as bi. I am curious as to if someone has provided the email address he used to use for his hookups?
shs111
@jturbo75: I don’t live in the DC area and did not know David. But the story is a tragic one, no matter what the circumstances. Seems like a really talented guy who got into a bad situation. Is this comment, about him being a frequent poster on CL, something that has been substantiated? Or is it conjecture/rumor?
Geeker
Sounds like his dick led him to make some stupid choices that got him killed, I feel sorry for his poor wife not only losing her husband but finding out her marriage was a total sham.
jturbo75
@shs111: I thought I recognized his face, so I went back to an email account I no longer use since I settled down and stopped playing around on CL. I found a 2013 email from him (with pictures). I never hooked up with him. Still, the discovery of that email greatly unsettled me.
jwtraveler
@Geeker: That’s pretty cold.
Geeker
@jwtraveler: Maybe but he put himself in harms way by picking up random guys.
shs111
@jturbo75: Very unsettling, and so sad. Have you brought this to the attention of the police?
BryGuy
@jturbo75: I as well exchanged emails with David and ended up meeting up with him years ago. Did he use [email protected] and go by Matt Smith? I ended up finally going to the police with what information i had on him. Hope you do too!
shs111
Kudos to you for stepping forward with the information, BryGuy. So sad that this guy put himself at risk, at some point I suppose we’ll learn more about what actually happened. You’ve got to feel sorry for him, for his wife, for his family. Just a tragic way to go, no matter what he was hiding in his life. Seems like a very decent guy, nonetheless. Had you hooked up with him before or after he got married, any sense?
BryGuy
@shs111: Thanks! It took me almost 2 weeks to get the balls. I was worried they would look into my email, etc but Detective Johnson was very friendly and appreciative of what information I provided.
He was very forth coming when we hung out at my house of working for a law firm in the technology sector. I, at the time, was working for one of the largest software companies, and he found it funny that he was familiar with some mergers/acquisitions we went through.
I feel incredibly horrible for his wife and family. I was under the impression from him that he had a girlfriend only which obviously wasn’t true and he was married before we even met. Very sad story for everyone all around.
shs111
I can certainly understand why you were concerned. Glad the police handled it well. Must feel really odd to have kbown someone who lost his life this way. I feel for you.
BryGuy
@jturbo75: did you provide the email to the police? They need all the help they can give. Please do so.
BryGuy
@shs111: No don’t feel bad for me at all. Feel bad for him, his wife, his parents and brothers…..so sad on so many levels.
shs111
@BryGuy: Fully agreed.
scaredex
@bryguy and @jturbo75, I’m the ex wife of a man who was also on the dl on cl (not in dc). Since you indicated you may have met up with guys who are clearly on the dl from cl at some point in your life, I respectfully ask if I may ask you some questions so I can understand this? We have a 3 year old son and I worry this behavior puts him at risk. So, first I guess I’d like to understand, if you know a guy is on the “dl”, I believe one of you mentioned thinking David had a girlfriend, then what makes meeting up with him for sex ok? Is it just that you feel sorry for a guy who can’t come out as bi or gay to his family? Or is it just that in a casual hookup scenario you just don’t care? I’m not trying to be judgmental, just really trying to understand it. My other question is, when does being on the dl and hooking up on Craigslist become dangerous to not just you but your family? I freaked out bc I discovered that my ex hooks up in completely anonymous scenarios. In one particular instance, he walked into a “glory hole” scenario and another person walked in on him. I know this because I saw the email exchanges. In my opinion, when you are dealing with anonymous settings on CL you are potentially dealing with very dangerous people. I was so freaked out when I found out about all this, that I took action to limit his visits with our son. I’m just afraid he’s going to run into the wrong person and lead that person to us or that person will be into kids or something. I hope you don’t take my questions as judgmental of the gay or bi lifestyle. On the contrary, If my ex would come out I think it would be the best thing to happen to all of us. It is that he does this stuff in secret, and doesn’t tell me what steps he takes to protect himself, my son or me, that I have a problem with. Thank you for reading and for your responses. Finally I’d just like to say to any guy on the dl, you might be surprised how much compassion and support you’d receive from your SO if you came out. Most people just want those they love to be happy with themselves. And to women out there finding out about their SO’s other lifestyle, you aren’t crazy and you aren’t alone. Sending positive energy and prayers to David’s wife as she copes with this loss.
BryGuy
@scaredex: I indicated that I did meet up with him and that he stated he was bi and had a girlfriend. I didn’t ask anything beyond that as to be honest with you, I knew it was just for fun and nothing, relationship-wise, would come of it. To each their own. I wouldn’t have known whether his gf, which truthfully was his wife, would have known or not. I think everyone that has or still uses CL does so on the DL.
Thanks for sharing your story – you’re right on so many levels. Glad you had the strength to protect yourself and your son.
scaredex
@BryGuy: Thank you for your response. There are many days when I wonder what I could have done differently and whether I have done the right thing for all of us by limiting my ex’s visits with my son because of his DL lifestyle. I know deep down I have, as I just couldn’t trust my ex, who clearly did not recognize the danger he was putting himself in, to recognize when he was putting my son or me in danger. I think that there is so much denial involved in the DL lifestyle that he was in denial about the danger. This case really does show it and I hope it causes others to think more seriously about the dangers of meeting up with people online. It is not just women who are at risk. I will end by saying I think there is the possibility for a healthier, happier and safer lifestyle, and that is by accepting one’s own sexuality and trusting those who love you to accept it too. I can honestly say as a wife who has been in this position, that if my ex came out to me when we were married, I would have supported him 100%, and would have focused on working out an arrangement with him so that everyone in our family could be healthy, safe and have their emotional and sexual needs met, whether within the marriage or in a divorce where we still remained on good terms. Unfortunately he never gave me that opportunity. I am thankful that after our divorce, and my action to limit his visits with my son, he is finally facing this issue, and I’m hopeful that with a lot of self work on his part, he can become a good example for his son. Situations like this hurt so many people besides just the person with the secret, as is shown by what happened in this case. It is tragic and so unnecessary, and in my ex’s case I can see how so much of his inability to come out has to do with the culture in which he was raised. I want my son to know that he is loved and free to love whomever he chooses, and I think his father has to set an example for him by accepting himself first. I hope and pray that as our culture grows more tolerant, the occurrence of crimes like this will diminish. Anyway, thank you for listening, and I hope maybe my comments offer the perspective of a loved one who just wants anyone living the DL lifestyle to know you are loved no matter your sexual preference, and those who love you just want you to be healthy , happy and safe.
BryGuy
@scaredex: Very well said. I couldn’t agree more with you. I will also add that sometimes and within some subcultures there will also be those that like to live on the edge, take risks and/or just like the anonymity of meeting online. I know some people that are completely out, comfortable in their skin, both personally and professionally, sometimes in relationships and still dabble with meeting others over the web or an app for a quick fix hook-up.
I do hope that, though tragic as David’s life ended, people are reminded of the dangers of doing so and some can accept their truth easier. However, I feel the opposite will happen as the typical gay stereotype will endure.
BryGuy
well after hearing the breaking news and talking to detective johnson again looks like my coming forward and giving them David’s alias gmail – DCGuy456 – helped them crack the case and arrest the woman responsible. I couldn’t be happier that I came forward and hope that David can finally rest in peace now that his killer has been arrested.
scaredex
I’m so glad you put your fears aside and did the right thing. That couldn’t have been easy. I hope having some answers will bring his family some peace and the opportunity to heal.
BryGuy
Thanks. I feel great about coming forward especially given that the information i provided led to the arrest of that woman. I’m trying to see now if I am available to be rewarded the monetary amount posted on flyers the DC PD distributed for information leading to an arrest.
I’m now asking detective Johnson what the process is to claim the reward – emailed and left him a voicemail today inquiring about the steps necessary to do so. Hopefully DC PD will do the right thing here.
Will let you know. It wasn’t my original reason for coming forward but now given the recent events….why not.
RIP David!
Michael
Ray
Thank you for your bravery, Bryguy. I think that you deserve the reward and I hope that you get it.