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Investigator Now Says Murdered DNC Staffer Didn't Contact WikiLeaks Before Mysterious Death

Rod Wheeler set off conspiracy theories with no evidence.

Just hours after claiming to have evidence proving a murdered DNC staffer was in contact with Wikileaks before his death, a private investigator refuted his own statement. 

On Monday evening, private investigator and Fox News contributor Rod Wheeler told FOX 5 there was tangible evidence linking DNC staffer Seth Rich and Wikileaks.

In July of 2016, Rich was fatally shot in Washington, D.C. Although there were no leads on his murder, many right-wing media outlets posted conspiracy theories suggesting his murder was connected to his work with the DNC. 

Breitbart News published an article called "Not Russia, But an Inside Job?" In the piece, the far-right website suggested the claim "if proven, the report has the potential to be one of the biggest cover-ups in American political history, dispelling the widespread claim that the Russians were behind hacks on the DNC."

During his interview with a FOX News affiliate, Wheeler suggested the conspiracy theories may have some truth behind them. 

When Wheeler was asked if he had sources to prove there is credible evidence linking Rich to Wikileaks, he said, “Absolutely. Yeah. That's confirmed."

Wheeler's claim was immediately picked up by multiple news sources; however, when further questioned by CNN and Buzzfeed News, the private investigator backtracked. 

"I only got that [information] from the reporter at Fox News," Wheeler told CNN in regards to the story. 

Wheeler said that his statement made to Fox 5 was only done in order to promote an existing story by Fox News. 

"That story on Fox 5 last night was inaccurate," Wheeler told Buzzfeed. "I don't even know where the computers are."

Brad Bauman, a spokesman for the Rich family, released a statement saying the family has "seen no evidence" linking Seth to Wikileaks. 

"I think it's important for everyone at Fox News to be careful with this information and how this story breaks because using the legacy of a murder victim in such an overtly political way is morally reprehensible," Bauman told CNN. 

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