Washington, D.C. investigators are stumped by the brutal stabbing death of a young attorney at a local swanky hotel over one week ago.
David Messerschmitt, a Connecticut native who worked for the law firm DLA Piper, checked into the Donovan Hotel at around 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 9 and later sent his wife a text saying he would be home soon, detective Paris White of the Metropolitan Police Department told Fox News.
But the 30-year-old was found dead in his hotel room with multiple stab wounds the next morning after his wife, Kim Vuong, reported him missing.
His body was partially clothed, police told Fox News.
Homicide detectives are now looking into "all sources of communication including social media" exchanged with Messerschmitt. His wife said "everything appeared normal" between her and her husband, White told the station.
Police are also seeking a person of interest seen on a surveillance camera pressing the hotel's elevator button twice before entering the stairwell. The person entered the stairwell shortly after the victim texted his wife. It's not immediately clear if the person, wearing a winter coat with a hood, is a man or woman.
The Donovan's elevators were not working the evening of Messerschmitt's death due to "maintenance issues," White told Fox News.
"We need the public's help with identifying this person," White said. The suspect was seen on camera covering their face with a scarf at least once.
Those who knew Messerschmitt, an intellectual property lawyer, were equally baffled by the murder of a man they described as kind and gentle.
"He was really smart -- a brilliant guy," James Nuber, who was Messerschmitt's rowing coach in college, told Fox News. "He was always smiling and always happy."
Police are offering a $25,000 reward for information that can lead to an arrest.
"This is utterly baffling," Nuber said.
