By Zoe Tillman, From Legal Times

IMAGE: David Messerschmitt. Credit: Facebook

David Messerschmitt, the DLA Piper associate found dead in a downtown Washington hotel room last week, was stabbed in the back, police documents show.

The authorities reported that Messerschmitt, 30, was found face down in Room 400 of The Donovan Hotel on Feb. 10. According to documents filed in D.C. Superior Court on Wednesday, police reported taking the following items from the room pursuant to a search warrant: “Bed sheet, wallet with cards, pillow, HP computer, computer bag, lubricant and condom, bed sheet, clothing, credit card, cell phone, [illegible], swabs, finger prints, enema, [illegible], watch, towel, curtain, keys.”

Messerschmitt’s wife reported to police that she last saw him at their home on Sunday, Feb. 8. He was found at the Donovan Hotel the morning of Feb. 10. Last week, police released photos and a video of a “person of interest” seen at the Donovan Hotel the evening before Messerschmitt’s body was discovered. Police have not disclosed a motive or released any other information about the status of the investigation.

According to the search warrant affidavit filed Wednesday, officers with the Missing Person’s Unit called the Donovan Hotel on Feb. 10 to find out if Messerschmitt was staying there. The affidavit did not explain how police came to focus their search on the hotel. According to the affidavit, hotel management confirmed Messerschmitt was a guest and went to check his room.The Washington Post on Wednesday evening first reported on the search warrant affidavit.

The hotel staff entered the room using a master key and found Messerschmitt “lying face down on the floor, not displaying any signs consistent with life,” police wrote in the affidavit. Homicide detectives responded to the scene.

“Apparent blood was observed on the floor throughout the hotel room, the walls of the hotel room, the door of the hotel room, and on the body of the decedent. A wallet was observed lying next to the decedent’s head, with various credit cards strewn about. Additional credit cards and identifying documents were observed throughout the room,” according to the affidavit.

A spokesman for Messerschmitt’s family declined to comment when reached by phone Wednesday evening.

Police are offering an award of up to $25,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction. Watch hotel surveillance video of a “person of interest,” according to police.

For more on this story and video go to:: http://www.nationallawjournal.com/legaltimes/id=1202718262311/Slain-DLA-Piper-Lawyer-Stabbed-in-Back-Police-Records-Show#ixzz3SCFPy6Pg

See also related iNews Cayman story published February 12 2015 “DLA Piper Associate found dead in DC Hotel” at: http://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/dla-piper-associate-found-dead-in-dc-hotel/