U-M student homicide: Police interview potential witness
Police continue to investigate the death of medical student Paul DeWolf.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
A "potential witness" in the Paul DeWolf homicide case came forward Thursday afternoon and was being interviewed at the Ann Arbor Police Department, officials confirmed.
"The Ann Arbor police are no longer looking for the potential witness as he voluntarily came to the police department today," Lt. Robert Pfannes stated in a release.
Police conducted an interview, but don't think the man knows anything.
"This person is not believed to be connected to the case in any manner," Pfannes said in the release.
A picture of the man taken from security camera footage from a building in the same Ann Arbor neighborhood where DeWolf was found dead appeared on AnnArbor.com Thursday morning. Police say he was seen on July 23 in the same area of the 200 block of North Ingalls Street where DeWolf was killed inside his apartment at the Phi Rho Sigma medical fraternity.
DeWolf was found dead the next day from a single gunshot wound. No firearm was found in the apartment and nothing seemed disturbed in the room, police have said. The case is being investigated as a homicide.
The Schoolcraft, Mich., native was a 2010 graduate of Grand Valley State University, where he was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon. DeWolf had just completed his third year of medical school at the University of Michigan and was studying to be a surgeon. He was set to graduate in May 2014.
DeWolf was a reserve officer in the Medical Services Corps of the United States Air Force serving as a medical student under the the military's Health Professions Scholarship Program (HPSP), according to officials.
The Ann Arbor police are actively investigating this crime. Anybody with information is asked to call the Ann Arbor Police tip line 734-794-6939, or email TIPS@a2gov.org or Crimestoppers at 1-800-SPEAK UP.
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
JGS
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 4:20 p.m.
http://www.cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/crime/2013/07/31/newday-brown-med-school-murder-mystery.cnn.html
snapshot
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 3:38 a.m.
Everybody who came in contact with the victim in the past couple of weeks is a potential source of information.
Honest Abe
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 11:48 p.m.
Well, it's settled. The potential witness IS a man.
a2citizen
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 12:04 a.m.
As long as that is what he told the police I suppose it's true, then.
KMHall
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 9:09 p.m.
We don't know whether this was their "best hope." They just needed to print the picture to get ahold of the guy and it happened not to pan out. Certainly they don't need to tell of of all the leads.
Billy
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 8:53 p.m.
Bummer that this came up empty.
Bear
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 3:51 a.m.
yeah, but let's hope there is more information. I'm sure they are checking backgrounds and interviewing more than just this one young man. Interviews with friends and associates may lead to a suspect yet.
An Arborigine
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 8:30 p.m.
The term "grasping at straws" comes to mind.
Bear
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 3:50 a.m.
Actually, the words "thorough" and "methodical" come to mind with me. I would question an investigator's skills if he didn't look at every aspect and possibility doggedly in order to garner as much information as humanly possible. Such things have been known to have paid off, historically speaking. You might look up at how Henry Mudgins, (AKA H.H. Holmes) America's first documented serial killer and U of M medical school graduate was finally apprehended. Hint: it was by a determined investigator who chased down a lot of clues and information.
An Arborigine
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 2:21 a.m.
appreciate sarcasm @jose
nowayjose
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 2:16 a.m.
That's what I was sarcastically saying to you.
An Arborigine
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 10:07 p.m.
@noway, brilliant observation!
nowayjose
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 8:36 p.m.
Sometimes that's all you got. But I'm sure you're a seasoned investigator with a lot to offer other than a blog
John Counts
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 8:14 p.m.
Please keep in mind police are trying to work every angle on this case, which includes tracking down anyone who may have information about what exactly happened that night. Police are very careful about releasing any information about individuals and generally do so only when absolutely necessary. Sometimes it's necessary to release a picture to the public to track someone down to help with an investigation. It could potentially save valuable time and resources.
Jack
Sat, Aug 3, 2013 : 8:31 p.m.
John, is there a reason the photo is still on annarbor.com?
Ann English
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 10:24 p.m.
I'm getting the impression that the man's photo and others of the fraternity, both inside and outside, appeared on CNN because the police need help. I did not exercise at that end of the cardio area of my gym. I did not read the captioning for the story, but assume that CNN said what you said, nothing that could help the killer escape trackers.
Jack
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 12:39 a.m.
Agreed MichU. It is a bit reckless to leave his photo up, John.
MichU
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 10:54 p.m.
But now you could take down the picture, right?
John Counts
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:53 p.m.
I spoke with Lt. Pfannes soon after the initial release was sent out and the story was posted. The person who was interviewed was not connected to the case in any manner. The investigation continues.
UloveM
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:59 p.m.
Sorry for this guy's picture got online.
matt1027
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:53 p.m.
It's frightening that the apparent best hope the AAPD has of making some progress on this case is someone who walked down the same street with 12 hours of the incident. Not a good sign.
matt1027
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 8:01 p.m.
Yeah, like asking for help from others. If its not a dui or bike theft nothings happening. Time will tell...the men who sexually assaulted seven women are still out there.
Bear
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 3:44 a.m.
it is frightening that you would think that that is all they are doing. There are many avenues and directions that investigations take, not just one.
tdw
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:37 p.m.
As I predicted they, would be talking to the person on the camera very soon.I hope he saw something
tdw
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 11:45 a.m.
Homeland.....my point is/was that it was a pretty darn good photo of him
actionjackson
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:28 p.m.
Hopefully some good comes from this interview.
Elaine F. Owsley
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 7:28 p.m.
"Potential" witness implies that the person may become a witness in the future. I'd bet he or she is a "possible" witness to something that has already happened.
Bear
Fri, Aug 2, 2013 : 3:42 a.m.
up until he was interviewed, Elaine, he was a potential witness, as he may have become a witness in the future. Like when they interviewed him. I think you are slicing that difference between potentioal and possible a little thin. Potential - 1: existing in possibility : capable of development into actuality. Possible - 3 : having an indicated potential.
justcurious
Thu, Aug 1, 2013 : 9:34 p.m.
???? Not sure who you are talking about here?