Suicide or Homicide? Suspicious death revisited by police a year later/Uta von Schwedler was found dead in the bathtub of her Sugarhouse home in Sept. 2011. /John Wall, Charged With Murder & Aggravated Burglary.

Updated: 10/06 4:35 pm | Published: 10/05 10:27 pm
Reported by: Cristina Rendon

SALT LAKE, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Salt Lake Police and District Attorney Sim Gill will be screening a suspicious death case in the coming weeks.

Uta von Schwedler was found dead in the bathtub of her Sugarhouse home in Sept. 2011.

After pressure from Uta's family and friends, investigators are taking another look at the case a year later.

In 2011, a medical examiner ruled Uta's death a drowning and found high levels of Xanex in her system. She also had cuts and bruises on her body consistent with self-defense injuries, although they may have been self-inflicted.

Investigators said Uta may have tried to kill herself.

"That's the whole piece that's completely ludicrous," Nils Abramson, Uta's former boyfriend, said. "She had no health problems, no work problems, no relationship problems."

Uta's ex-husband, Dr. John Wall, was questioned, but never named a suspect. At the time of Uta's death, police questioned Wall. He told police he did not know where he was the time of the shooting.Shooting?? I thought she drowned.

"We all know it was not a suicide," Abramson said. "It has to be a homicide."

District Attorney Sim Gill will meet with Salt Lake Police investigators in the next couple of weeks when they finish their investigation to screen the case and determine if any criminal charges should be filed.

"I'm happy," he added. "It's finally going to get its day, not in court, but front of the D.A."

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Charges will be considered in the coming weeks.

By Cimaron Neugebauer | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Oct 04 2012 06:09 pm • Last Updated Oct 06 2012 11:30 pm

Police met with prosecutors to discuss the case of University of Utah biologist Uta von Schwedler on Wednesday, more than a year after her body was found in a bathtub.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill said this was the first time Salt Lake City police had met with his prosecutors to formally discuss von Schwedler’s suspicious death. Gill said they had a "good, productive meeting" and plan to meet again in a couple weeks after police finish investigating. Then Gill’s office plans to consider criminal charges.

"They came and shared what they had with us and wanted to have a meeting with our homicide unit," Gill told The Salt Lake Tribune Thursday. "The purpose was to just share information that they had and for us to share our impressions."

Uta von Schwedler, 49, was found dead at her Sugar House home in an overflowing bathtub on Sept. 27, 2011, with a knife under her back and Xanax in her system. Family has said she did not have a prescription for that medication.

She and her ex-husband, John Brickman Wall, had been involved in a custody battle since divorcing in 2006. In early 2012, the couple’s oldest son, Pelle von Schwedler Wall, 18, accused his father of murder and petitioned Utah’s juvenile court to have his three younger siblings taken away from their dad. Police have since seized carpet samples from Wall’s car. But he has never been called a suspect or a person of interest in the case. The manner of death was classified as undetermined.

Those who knew von Schwedler say there is no way it was a suicide, and they believe she was murdered.

Nils Abramson, von Schwedler’s boyfriend, said the news of the case progressing makes him optimistic after a year of no suspects being named.

"I’m very happy," Abramson said."[Criminal charges] will bring some closure to some people."

Meanwhile, von Schwedler and Wall’s two minor children remain in the custody of friends of the family. Pelle von Schwedler Wall’s petition for his siblings is ongoing in juvenile court.

Friends of von Schwedler have created a website, justiceforuta.com, and paid for billboards put up in September asking for tips in the case. They also held a vigil in her memory on the one-year anniversary of her death that Pelle von Schwedler Wall and his 17-year-old sister attended.

Abramson said the two youngest children, still part of the juvenile court case, were not allowed to attend the vigil at the request of their father. Wall’s criminal attorney, Fred Metos, appeared on HNL’s cable channel show "Nancy Grace" to defend his client Thursday along with family of von Schwedler who discussed how they think she died.

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1 year later: Friends set up website, billboard for German biologist’s suspicious death
Investigation » Uta von Schwedler was found in her bathtub almost a year ago.

By Cimaron Neugebauer | The Salt Lake Tribune
First Published Sep 11 2012 04:57 pm • Last Updated Sep 13 2012 12:41 am

Just three weeks shy of the first anniversary of a University of Utah biologist’s "suspicious" death, police have yet to solve what remains an active case.

But friends of Uta von Schwedler, who believe she was murdered, are committed to finding justice for her. In the past few weeks, they have created a website, justiceforuta.com, and are paying for billboards asking for tips in the case. They are also planning a vigil in her memory.

"I think it can do a lot, not only for Uta’s memory, but perhaps to make clear what really happened," Uta’s mother, Holle von Schwedler, told The Salt Lake Tribune Monday in a phone interview from her home in Germany.

Uta von Schwedler, 49, was found dead at her Sugar House home in an overflowing bathtub on Sept. 27, 2011, with a knife under her back. She and her ex-husband, John Wall, had been involved in a bitter custody battle since divorcing in 2006. In early 2012, the couple’s oldest son, Pelle von Schwedler Wall, 18, accused his father of murder and petitioned Utah’s juvenile court to have his younger siblings taken away from their dad. Police have since seized carpet samples from Wall’s car. But he has never been called a suspect or a person of interest in the case.

Meanwhile, the three children who are part of the petition remain in the custody of friends of the family. The case is ongoing in juvenile court.

Salt Lake City Police spokesman Mike Hamideh said Tuesday the investigation is still active, but he had no new information.

Holle von Schwedler, 76, said her only wish is to see her daughter’s killer held accountable.

"I only hope I will be alive to see the murderer found and be put in prison," von Schwedler said.

Uta was the oldest of Holle von Schwedler’s four daughters. Von Schwedler said she thinks about her daughter every day and misses the phrase she used when she called her mother.

In a distinct German accent, Uta would jovially say, "Hallo Momma’ here is Uta!"

It was the last thing von Schwedler heard her daughter say. "I will miss that for the rest of my life," she said.

She feels "terribly helpless" in Germany, not knowing how the investigation is going. But she can’t travel because of declining health and praised the efforts of Uta’s friends to keep her memory alive as "fantastic."

A week ago, a group of Uta’s friends paid for an electronic billboard ad to be displayed on 600 South near 200 West. On Tuesday, a larger billboard was placed at 1300 East and 700 South. On the one year anniversary of her death on Sept. 27, friends and family will hold a candlelight vigil at 1433 Harrison Ave., (Uta’s previous home) from 8:30-9:30 p.m. On Sept. 29, friends will celebrate her energy for life with an organized bicycle ride up City Creek Canyon from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Robert Schlaberg, an assistant professor in the University of Utah’s Department of Pathology who worked with Uta, helped organize some of the events.

"She was the person that brought a lot of us together, so it is an opportunity to keep her spirit alive," Schlaberg said.

Uta was interested in the outdoors, arts and cultural events and met many people by inviting others to do things with her, he said, adding that he felt the bike ride "was a very good way to commemorate her."

Schlaberg said he was devastated to hear about Uta’s death last September and to have a year go by and still have no idea what happened "felt like justice still hasn’t been served."

Holle von Schwedler said in the past Uta’s children would come visit once a year. Now, the ongoing custody dispute means she can’t even call them.

"I’m so sad. It has been nearly a year and I can’t talk to her," von Schwedler said. "I’m a grandmother, who misses not only her daughter, but her grandchildren."

Any one with information is encouraged to call the Salt Lake City Police Department at 801-799-3000 or leave an anonymous tip by sending a text to CRIMES (274637) with the Keyword, TIPSLCPD.

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5/25/2013

Salt Lake Police Thursday arrested the ex-husband of a University of Utah researcher found dead in her bathtub in 2011.

Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill filed murder and aggravated burglary charges against John Wall. The DA's office and Salt Lake Police say the arrest and charges come after months of work on the case.

Uta von Schwedler was found dead in her bathtub in September of 2011. She suffered knife wounds and had extreme levels of the drug Xanax in her system.

The District Attorney says the couple had gone through a messy divorce in 2005 and were in the midst of a custody battle. The DA says Wall told friends that Uta had ruined his life and that things would be better if she weren't around.

Police say they waited for John Wall to leave his home and pulled him over at 875 East 900 South where they made the arrest. Officers say it was critical for them to arrest Wall away from his home and out of the sight of his children, ages 12 and 13.

Investigators spent Thursday combing Wall's Salt Lake City home for evidence. Crime scene investigators cordoned off the house and searched for anything pertaining to the case.

Wall is being held in the Salt Lake County jail. He's charged with murder and aggravated burglary. Wall's two children are in the care of the state.

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Apr 30 2013

Utah doctor who allegedly killed ex-wife appears in court.
Defense says Wall will plead not guilty to charges; son has insisted his father is a killer.

The doctor was led into the Salt Lake City courtroom in chains. Wild-eyed and unkempt, he looked unsure as he turned his head to meet the gaze of his 19-year-old son seated in the gallery.


Pelle Wall did not flinch.

It was the day the teenager had long waited for — the day his father was brought to court on charges of killing his mother.

John Brickman Wall, 49, made his first appearance Tuesday in 3rd District Court on first-degree felony counts of murder and aggravated burglary in the alleged 2011 slaying of his ex-wife, University of Utah scientist Uta von Schwedler.

Standing before a courtroom filled with media, attorneys and von Schwedler’s family and friends, John Wall declined to hear the allegations against him read aloud in court.

Defense attorney Fred Metos later said that John Wall intends to plead not guilty to all charges.

Von Schwedler, 49, drowned in the bathtub of her Sugar House home on Sept. 27, 2011.

Authorities have struggled to determine whether the woman’s death was murder or suicide. But expert analysis of the crime scene has revealed a violent struggle and Wall’s DNA in the home, which he did not share with his ex-wife, according to charging documents filed last week.

Von Schwedler and John Wall had a heated and contentious divorce in 2006 that led to years of custody battles over their four children. Prosecutors point to statements Wall allegedly made to friends — "it would be all right if Uta wasn’t around anymore" — as a motive for murder.

But Metos said Wall had been prevailing in the custody struggle. He added the evidence in the case is loose and circumstantial, based solely on forensic analysis.

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Aug 12 2013

Prosecutors appear poised to lay out evidence against a Salt Lake City pediatrician in the 2011 killing of his ex-wife in an October preliminary hearing as planned.

John Brickman Wall appeared in 3rd District Court for a routine hearing Monday at which prosecutors said the case was progressing.

Wall, who faces first-degree felony charges of murder and aggravated burglary, is accused of killing his ex-wife, University of Utah scientist Uta von Schwedler, who was found dead in her bathtub. If convicted of either charge, Wall could face up to life in prison.
Monday’s hearing was quick and the courtroom was devoid of the usual crowd that has gathered at the doctor’s previous appearances.

The doctor’s 19-year-old son, Pelle Wall, who in June alleged that his father was violent and could harm him or his siblings if released, wasn’t there. Neither were scores of von Schwedler supporters — friends and family who usually pack the courtroom gallery wearing rainbow stickers that say, "Justice for Uta." A lone television camera rolled at the front of the courtroom.

Defense attorney Fred Metos raised some issues with receiving evidence from prosecutors, who said the evidence would be shared well before the preliminary hearing date.

Among the evidence Metos is seeking are emails between advocates for von Schwedler and Salt Lake City police. The emails, which may demonstrate how hard von Schwedler’s friends and family pushed for the case to be investigated as a murder — authorities originally struggled to determine whether the woman’s death was murder or suicide — will likely come under scrutiny.

Wall, who has been in custody since his April arrest, is being held on $1.5 million cash-only bail. His June request to have that amount reduced was denied.


Wall intends to plead not guilty to all charges, his lawyer said.

Metos has called the case circumstantial and the alleged motive — that Wall acted in response to a fierce custody battle over the couple’s four children — nonexistant.

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Really creepy similarities between this case and that of Michael MacNeill. Utah, Doctors, Drugs and Bathtubs! I wonder if John Brickman Wall and Martin MacNeill know each other?

October 21, 2013

A Salt Lake City doctor pleaded not guilty Monday to a murder charge in the killing of his ex-wife, a university biologist.

John Brickman Wall, 49, has maintained his innocence since Uta Von Schwedler was found dead in her bathtub in September 2011.

The pediatrician wasn't charged until April. A judge ruled last month there's enough evidence to send the case to trial.

During Monday's arraignment, a Utah state judge read Wall the charges — first-degree murder and burglary — and asked for his plea. Wall leaned close to a microphone at a podium and said in a firm voice, "Your honor, I am not guilty."

Pelle Wall, 19, the couple's oldest son sat in the front row alongside his adopted mother and Von Schwedler's boyfriend who found her body.

They were not available for comment after the hearing but have said previously they're pleased the case is going to trial.

The trial is not likely to start until mid-2014. The defendant's attorney, Fred Metos, says Wall is unlikely to consider a plea deal.

Wall's plea came as a trial continues for another Utah doctor accused of killing his wife, also found in a bathtub.

Martin MacNeill, 57, of Pleasant Grove is charged with murder in the death of his wife, a former beauty queen, with a fatal dose of prescription drugs in what prosecutors say was a plot to carry on an affair. That trial is scheduled to resume Tuesday.

In each case, medical examiners found high doses of drugs in the woman's system, but could not determine if the deaths were homicides.

In the Wall case, a medical examiner ruled Von Schwedler died from drowning as well as a fatal amount of Xanax but said he wasn't sure if it was homicide or suicide.

During the preliminary hearing on Oct. 2, medical examiner Dr. Erik Christensen testified that the cuts found on Von Schwedler's body were not consistent with suicide, and the high levels of the Xanax antidepressant in her system forced him to leave the cause of death as undetermined. Christensen said he does not know how the Xanax got into her system.

In explaining his decision to send the case to trial, Third District Judge Robin Reese noted Wall's bizarre behavior after Von Schwedler's death and his documented anger toward the victim.

Witnesses testified that Wall was evasive during police interrogations and had developed hatred for the mother of his four children following a bitter divorce and ensuing custody battle.

Metos says the prosecution's case is weak, arguing that evidence suggests Von Schwedler ingested the Xanax herself and that that the prosecution's reliance on DNA linking Wall to the crime is "marginal at best."

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