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Fox News did the right thing Tuesday by pulling its May 16 story on the murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich.

Fox issued a statement saying: “The article was not initially subjected to the high degree of editorial scrutiny we require.” Much of the reporting — which purported to link Rich’s slaying to Wikileaks — has since been debunked.

But nothing excuses the week of misinformation Fox and some other news outlets spewed even after the story’s key source called the report inaccurate. Nor does it ease the pain inflicted on Omaha residents Joel and Mary Rich, whose 27-year-old son was murdered last July.

Rod Wheeler, a private investigator paid by a political donor to probe Rich’s death, drove this latest conspiracy theory flare-up. He claimed an inside source had told him the murder might have been tied to Rich’s work on behalf of the Democratic Party. Wheeler then recanted the story.

Washington, D.C., police have denied finding any connection to a political motive and continue to investigate a possible botched robbery.

This isn’t the first time pundits have fanned the fires of innuendo about Rich. This irresponsible sensationalism has caused unnecessary heartache for an Omaha family that has been hurt enough.