We want to make an important clarification on claims that were made by Rod Wheeler, the private investigator hired by Seth Rich's family, whose services are being paid for by a third party. WikiLeaks backed off the claim, saying his statement "should not be taken to imply that Seth Rich was a source for WikiLeaks," nor that his death was connected to the leaked emails. “My investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks.” - Rod Wheeler, former DC homicide investigator 
 
 Wheeler made his comments on the possible Rich-Wikileaks connection in a story first reported Monday night by Fox 5 DC. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
 
 Original story: 
 
 It has been almost a year since Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich was murdered in the nation's capital. Rich was shot and killed last July in Northwest D.C and police have suggested the killing in the District's Bloomingdale neighborhood was a botched robbery. WikiLeaks published thousands of hacked DNC emails soon after Rich's death, and conspiracy theories began to swirl after the organization offered a $20,000 reward for help solving his case. Fox 5 in Washington, DC, first reported last night that the "family's private investigator" had found "tangible evidence" on Rich's laptop showing he was in touch with WikiLeaks before he died last summer. Wheeler's services were offered to the family and paid for by a third party, according to a statement issued by the Rich family Tuesday which also includes that "the private investigator who spoke to press was offered to the Rich family and paid for by a third party, and contractually was barred from speaking to press or anyone outside of law enforcement or the family unless explicitly authorized by the family." Both stories quoted Rod Wheeler, a former homicide detective at Washington's Metropolitan Police Department, saying he had learned that there were emails between Rich and WikiLeaks before his death. Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department has no suspects and no substantial leads as to who the killer or killers may be, sources close to the investigation said. A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police Department said that Wheeler had been "dismissed from the agency" after working there from 1990 to 1995. “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 federal investigator, who requested anonymity, said 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments between Democratic National Committee leaders, spanning from January 2015 through late May 2016, were transferred from Rich to MacFadyen before May 21. I have been told both.” 
 
 When we asked Wheeler if his sources have told him there is information that links Rich to Wikileaks, he said, “Absolutely. Wheeler also told us, "I have a source inside the police department that has looked at me straight in the eye and said, ‘Rod, we were told to stand down on this case and I can’t share any information with you.’ Now, that is highly unusual for a murder investigation, especially from a police department. 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 [Tuesday]. Wheeler told FOX 5 that he will provide us with a full report with the new details. Rod Wheeler, a retired Washington homicide detective and Fox News contributor investigating the case on behalf of the Rich family, made the WikiLeaks claim, which was corroborated by a federal investigator who spoke to Fox News. The family sent Alnwick a statement on Tuesday with the following statement: 
 
 "As we've seen through the past year of unsubstantiated claims, we see no facts, we have seen no evidence, we have been approached with no emails and only learned about this when contacted by the press. "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." PREVIOUS COVERAGE ON THE SETH RICH MURDER INVESTIGATION: 
 
 Family of DNC staffer Seth Rich seeking to raise money to help solve his murder 
 
 Republican lobbyist says murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich linked to Russian operatives 
 
 Mother of murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich pleads for public's help 
 
 Republican lobbyist offers $100K reward in murder of Democratic National Committee staffer Seth Rich 
 
 WikiLeaks offers $20K reward in murder of DNC staffer Seth Rich 
 
 WikiLeaks founder addresses death of DNC staffer Seth Rich in Fox News interview 
 
 Comments by Julian Assange fuel speculation that murdered DNC staffer may have been WikiLeaks source 
 
 What happened during final hours slain DNC employee Seth Rich was alive?
– The family of a murdered DNC staffer is fighting back against a private investigator's claims he was in contact with WikiLeaks prior to his death and may have been murdered in connection to his work at the DNC. Seth Rich, 27, was shot and killed last July during what police say appears to have been an attempted robbery. After Rich's death, WikiLeaks offered a $20,000 reward for help in solving his murder, and Julian Assange appeared to imply Rich had been passing material on to them, BuzzFeed reports. Now, according to FOX 5, a PI named Rod Wheeler says there's evidence on Rich's laptop that shows he was in contact with WikiLeaks. Wheeler says the police were "told to stand down on this case" in a cover-up he believes stems from the DNC and DC mayor's office. But Rich's family—who FOX 5 states hired Wheeler—says the PI, a Fox News contributor, is not authorized to speak for them, Fox News reports. A family spokesperson says Wheeler was hired by a "third party." Fox News states an unnamed federal investigator has backed up Wheeler's claims, adding he's read the emails between Rich and WikiLeaks and Rich forwarded more than 44,000 DNC emails to WikiLeaks. The family spokesperson says there's "no facts" and "no evidence" to support these "unsubstantiated" claims. The family says any reports to the contrary are baseless conspiracy theories. Rich's murder remains unsolved.