Jeremy Andrew Wechsler, 22 of Silver Spring, worked at the Domino’s Pizza on Travilah Road in Potomac for three years. Described as “loyal, dedicated and responsible” by his supervisor, Wechsler was “Team Member of the Year” the last two years. The restaurant was the last place that Jeremy was seen alive. As he got off work on Sunday, June 25, around 11 p.m., record rainfall pummeled the Washington area, causing dangerous flash flooding in low-lying regions.
Owner Ed Treacy described Wechsler as “somewhat quiet and reserved, but a very friendly and warm person.”
“He was never late for work, he never missed a shift, and if he was ever going to be late he’d give us a call,” said Treacy.
A clerical error by Montgomery County police initially prevented them from realizing that Wechsler’s Chevrolet Cavalier had been towed from high waters after the storm. Wechsler’s father filed a missing persons report on June 27, and police did not confirm the correlation until July 6. The mistake, which contributed to a drawn-out search process, is currently being investigated.
“It’s been a very tough last 12 days,” said Treacy on July 6, while the search continued. “People are very concerned for Jeremy’s safety and welfare and his family is in our thoughts and prayers. We hope that Jeremy comes back safely.”
THE NEXT DAY, dental records confirmed that a badly decomposed body found in Prince George’s County on July 4 was that of Wechsler. In addition, a Domino’s Pizza shirt with “Jeremy” embroidered on it was discovered 5 miles away, between Colesville Road and University Boulevard in Silver Spring.
Phone records revealed that Jeremy’s cell phone made a call to the Montgomery County Police 911 Center at 12:06 a.m. on June 26. He reported that as he was driving southbound on Interstate I-270, he had seen a blue Blazer driving in the wrong direction. At 12:08, Wechsler called his roommate. At 12:09, he called the American Automobile Association (AAA), but documentation from the company suggests that the call was never answered. There were no more phone calls from Wechsler’s cell phone.
“There was no evidence of foul play,” said Lucille Baur, spokesperson for the Montgomery County Police.
“His vehicle had been completely submerged,” she said. “We don’t know exactly where it was when it got into the high water. … His shirt was recovered within Montgomery County borders, and the body was found in Prince George’s County.”