 "Photo: Newark police")
The body of a New Castle, Del. man found Friday morning in a landfill was likely picked up from a dumpster near College Square Shopping Center or on Main Street, according to Newark police.
The state medical examiner has ruled the incident a homicide.
The victim was identified as John P. Wheeler III, 66. Wheeler, who graduated from the United States Military Academy and served in the Vietnam War, is the former chairman of the foundation that built the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C.
The body was discovered at 9:56 a.m. when it was seen being dumped out of a Waste Management garbage truck at Cherry Island landfill in Wilmington. All of the truck's stops had been in Newark, said police spokesman MCpl. Gerald Bryda.
Based on the position of the body in the truck, investigators determined it was picked up from a dumpster early in the truck's route, which began at 4:20 a.m Friday. An autopsy showed the body was only in the dumpster for a brief time.
Bryda said detectives are focusing their investigation on dumpsters at the following locations:
- WSFS Bank, College Square
- Newark Library, Library Avenue
- Gardens of White Chapel, White Chapel Drive
- Hudson State Service Center, Ogletown Road
- Newark Toyota, Marrows Road
- McDonald's, East Main Street
- Attila Wings, East Main Street
- Newark Emergency Center, East Main Street
- Bing's Bakery, East Main Street
- Goodwill, Newark Shopping Center
Police ask anyone who saw suspicious activity at those locations or has information about Wheeler's whereabouts prior to Dec. 31 to contact Det. Nicholas Sansone at (302) 366-7110, ext. 135 or Nick.Sansone@cj.state.de.us.
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