Wife of Lawyer Found Dead in Donovan Hotel Pleads for Help Identifying Woman in Surveillance Video

The wife of a D.C. lawyer found stabbed to death in an upscale hotel room in February delivered a tearful plea Wednesday for help identifying a woman in surveillance video from the hotel.

David J. Messerschmitt's wife, Kim Vuong, last saw him at their Capitol Hill home Sunday, Feb. 8.

Sources told News4 Messerschmitt had gone to work the following day at a Chinatown law firm. Vuong reported him missing about 2 a.m. Feb. 10, and just hours later, his body was found inside a room at the Donovan Hotel in Thomas Circle.

"In one day, I lost the most important person in my life and the man I loved so much," Vuong said. "And I have no answers."

According to a search warrant, Messerschmitt was found laying on the floor with stab wounds to his back. He was pronounced dead at the scene. 

Detectives found a wallet with "various credit cards strewed about" by Messerschmitt's head. More credit cards and documents were found throughout the room.

According to the search warrant, detectives also found an HP computer, condoms, lubricant and an enema in the room, among other items.

Shortly after the stabbing, police released video of a "person of interest" seen walking around the hotel around 7:40 p.m. the night before Messerschmitt's body was found.

That woman hit the elevator button but then decided to take the stairs, slowly covering up her face as time goes on.

Police would not say how they determined the person of interest is a woman, saying that could damage the investigation.

Vuong asked anyone who recognizes the woman or knows anything about her husband's death to call police at 202-727-9099.

"My husband was the gentlest and kindest hearted person I knew," she said. "He worked hard at everything. He was a brilliant lawyer who people trusted. He was deeply dedicated to his family and spent a great deal of his time traveling to be with them. His nieces and nephews adored him and loved to run around and play with their Uncle David.

"He was also the most dependable friend. David’s friends knew he was always there for them. David always put his friends and family first, because they were the most important things in his life."

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