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Published: 2012-11-26 09:40:00
Updated: 2012-11-27 06:39:25

Fayetteville police investigating war veteran's shooting death


Wolfgang Joppich
Wolfgang Joppich
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Fayetteville police are investigating the death of a Vietnam War veteran whose body was found behind a Krispy Kreme Sunday night.

Wolfgang Joppich, 67, was found shot in the chest shortly before 8 p.m. Sunday on Tally Ho Drive and was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

Detectives said Monday that they believe robbery might have been a motive. On Monday, they found Joppich's wallet and some other personal items in a dumpster on Pedro Drive.

Investigators are asking that anyone with information about the crime to contact the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-433-1856 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483- 8477.

They are also asking for the public's help in finding his next of kin.

"I'm asking for help. I'm asking anybody out there who can give (any information about the crime)," detective Ronnie Hutchins said at a news conference. "What you think may not be much, what you think is not important will be important."

Joppich was known to frequent the area of Bragg Boulevard to feed feral cats, police said.

Those who knew him said he was also a regular customer at the doughnut shop, on Bragg Boulevard, and used to go there every night "like clockwork."

He grew up in Germany and served in the Army for 16 years. Afterward, he became homeless and lived in his van for years.

Last year, a Christian ministry, Operation Inasmuch, provided him a home, which he shared with his housemate, Robert Scarboro.

Scarboro described Joppich as a "gentle soul" who often would take books and magazines to the Veterans Affairs hospital in Fayetteville.

"He was peaceful. He was loving," Scarboro said. "He would tell people on the streets that were homeless and hungry where they could be fed."


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My heart goes out to his family & his friends. Sounds as if this man was a good-hearted person. Why would someone do something like this, especially to a Vet?! The person who done this is a terrible terrible low life!!! This terrible low life blankety-blank just ruined somebody's holiday!!

Condolences to this man's friends and anyone who may have cared for him.

I just HAVE to ask......WHAT kind of person robs and murders a HOMELESS man-ANY homeless man? Why would anyone think they would be 'worth' robbing? Unless he knew him and knew when he got his check cashed or usually had money on him. Some people are beyond the lowest of the low

You're praying to god to punish them? Sorry. God does not punish, god loves and forgives everyone. If god sends the ones you were told were bad to the other false god that doesn't exist for doing something bad and this false god sends the good ones to heaven that sounds like they are working together. And why would this false god who you give power to by thinking they exist treat the ones sent to him badly when they did what he wanted? We are here to learn to control our emotions which is why we are given the" bad" things. Y'all are failing.

Sounds like you some kind of agenda, Uhavenoclu.

This is so awful. He was such a sweet, kind man. I hope that whoever did this is found very soon and brought to justice. RIP Wolf.

God bless him .

Praying whomever did this is caught quickly and is dealt with harshly.

You're praying to god to punish them? Sorry. God does not punish, god loves and forgives everyone. If god sends the ones you were told were bad to the other false god that doesn't exist for doing something bad and this false god sends the good ones to heaven that sounds like they are working together. And why would this false god who you give power to by thinking they exist treat the ones sent to him badly when they did what he wanted? We are here to learn to control our emotions which is why we are given the" bad" things. Y'all are failing.

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