A retired Washington homicide detective and a federal investigator are now confirming the murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich did contact Wikileaks prior to his death in July 2016.

Seth Rich was gunned down in what is said to be an attempted robbery in Washington, DC last July.

Last August Wikileaks founder Julian Assange implied that Rich was the Wikileaks source for the release of tens of thousands of DNC emails that were released.  In speaking of Rich’s murder and making the suggestion, Assange said, “We have to understand how high the stakes are in the United States.”

Rod Wheeler, a former DC homicide investigator told Fox News, “My investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks.  I do believe that the answers to who murdered Seth Rich sits on his computer on a shelf at the DC police or FBI headquarters.”

“The police department nor the FBI have been forthcoming,” Wheeler told Fox 5 DC. “They haven’t been cooperating at all. I believe that the answer to solving his death lies on that computer, which I believe is either at the police department or either at the FBI. I have been told both.”

Wheeler also claims that a source inside the DC police department told him that investigators were told to stand down in Rich’s case.

“Now, that is highly unusual for a murder investigation, especially from a police department,” he said. “Again, I don’t think it comes from the chief’s office, but I do believe there is a correlation between the mayor’s office and the DNC and that is the information that will come out.”

Fox News reports:

An FBI forensic report of Rich’s computer — generated within 96 hours after Rich’s murder — showed he made contact with WikiLeaks through Gavin MacFadyen, a now-deceased American investigative reporter, documentary filmmaker, and director of WikiLeaks who was living in London at the time, the federal source told Fox News.

“I have seen and read the emails between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks,” the federal investigator told Fox News, confirming the MacFadyen connection. He said the emails are in possession of the FBI, while the stalled case is in the hands of the Washington Police Department.

The revelation is consistent with the findings of Wheeler, whose private investigation firm was hired by a third party on behalf of Rich’s family to probe the case.

According to MacFadyen, there were 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments from Democratic National Committee leaders that were transferred from Rich to MacFadyen before May 21.  The emails were dated from January 2015 to May 2016.

The DNC emails were released just 12 days after Rich was murdered, which led to then DNC Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz resigning and a flood of questions being asked regarding Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta’s shady dealings.

The family of Rich is angry about the claims.

Family spokesman Brad Bauman said such assertions were “unsubstantiated.”

“Even if tomorrow, an email was found, it is not a high enough bar of evidence to prove any interactions as emails can be altered and we’ve seen that those interested in pushing conspiracies will stop at nothing to do so,” Bauman said. “We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth’s murderers.”

While Bauman claims that Wheeler was paid by a third party, but failed to address the federal investigator that came to the same conclusion.

As for MacFadyen, he died in October at the age of 76.  Reports would later claim that he died of lung cancer.  How convenient.

Wikileaks announced a huge reward for information that would lead to the arrest and conviction of those that murdered Rich.

“WikiLeaks has decided to issue a US$20k reward for information leading to a conviction for the murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich,” Wikileaks announced.

In addition to the money offered by Wikileaks, The Washington Metropolitan Police is offering a reward of up to $25,000 and Republican lobbyist Jack Burkman has offered a $130,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Rich’s murderers.

Surveillance video does exist of Rich’s murder.  As of now, those that murdered Seth Rich remain at large.

If you have information about who may have committed the crime, you are urged to call 202-727-9099 or text a message to 50411.