Wife: Cincinnati man killed in D.C. hotel acted normally

A Cincinnati-area man working as a lawyer in the District of Columbia was stabbed to death earlier this week, according to local officials and D.C. police.

Authorities found 30-year-old David Messerschmitt dead in a hotel room Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after his wife reported him missing, D.C. police said.

Messerschmitt was a 2002 Anderson High School graduate, said Erika Daggett, spokesperson for the Forest Hills School District.

His wife told police she last saw her husband at their home on Capitol Hill Monday, according to a missing person report obtained by The Enquirer.

Kim Vuong said "everything seemed fine," according to the report. The couple texted Monday evening, but Messerschmitt never returned home.

When reached by The Enquirer Thursday morning, Vuong declined to comment.

Police are offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to an arrest and conviction. They released images and video of a "person of interest" seen leaving The Donavan, a boutique hotel blocks from the White House where Messerschmitt was found with multiple stab wounds, The Washington Post reports.

Messerschmitt was part of the Cum Laude Honor Society at Anderson High School, and in 2002 he was a drum major, Daggett said.

Messerschmitt graduated from Ohio State University in 2006, said Gary Lewis Jr., a senior director of media relations at OSU.

After graduating from college, he interned with Susan Dlott, a judge for the U.S. District Court Southern District of Ohio in Cincinnati.

"He was a star, an absolute star," Dlott told The Enquirer.

"I'm just so sick about this. He was the nicest, most wonderful kid you could ever want to meet."

Gary Meltz, spokesperson for the family, said in an email that Messerschmitt's relatives are seeking privacy and will not comment at this time.

"We are deeply saddened and shocked by the loss of David, our beloved husband, son, and brother," the family said in a statement.

"We ask anyone who has information about this crime to please contact the Washington, D.C. Police Department at 202-727-9099."

Messerschmitt worked in the Washington office of DLA Piper, a law firm with more than 4,200 lawyers throughout the United States and in 30 other countries.

He joined the firm in April 2014 and worked as an associate in technology and sourcing, said Josh Epstein, a spokesperson for DLA Piper.

The firm released this statement about Messerschmitt's death: "This is an extremely tragic situation and we send our sincere condolences to David's family. We are cooperating with the police as they continue their investigation."

A missing person's report acquired by The Enquirer incorrectly stated that Messerschmitt and his wife last talked Sunday evening. They last spoke via text on Monday evening, police said.

Reporter Emilie Eaton contributed.

Here is a letter of recommendation Judge Susan Dlott wrote for Messerschmitt:



