What is John du Pont’s Net Worth?
John du Pont was a scientist, philanthropist, and convicted murderer who had a net worth of $150 million. A member of the wealthy du Pont family, John founded and directed the Delaware Museum of Natural History, did work in ornithology and philately, and established wrestling and swimming training facilities at his Foxcatcher Farm in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. In early 1996, du Pont murdered Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz at Foxcatcher Farm, and was consequently convicted and sentenced to prison, where he eventually died in late 2010. Du Pont was portrayed by Steve Carell in the 2014 movie “Foxcatcher.”
Early Life and Education
John du Pont was born on November 22, 1938 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the youngest of four children of Jean and businessman William Jr. He had two older sisters named Jean and Evelyn and an older brother named Henry. The kids’ parents both hailed from prominent European families. With his siblings, du Pont grew up in a mansion built by his maternal grandfather in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. When he was still an infant, his parents divorced; he acquired a younger half-brother, William, through his father’s remarriage.
As a youth, du Pont attended the Haverford School, graduating in 1957. He went on to enroll at the University of Pennsylvania, but dropped out before finishing his freshman year. Du Pont later attended the University of Miami, from which he graduated in 1965 with a BS degree in zoology. He subsequently went to graduate school at Villanova University, earning his PhD in natural science in 1973.
Contributions to Science and Natural History
While studying at Villanova, du Pont began taking part in scientific expeditions focused on birds in the Philippines and the South Pacific. He became a notable ornithologist, and was credited with discovering two dozen subspecies of birds. Du Pont went on to author a number of books and papers on the subject. In 1972, he opened the Delaware Museum of Natural History, containing his extensive collections of seashells and bird eggs. Du Pont served on the board of the institution originally, and later became director. The museum was renamed the Delaware Museum of Nature & Science in 2022.
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Contributions to Athletics
Passionate about amateur sports, du Pont established a wrestling facility at his Foxcatcher Farm in the 1980s. He also established a swimming training center, and became a sponsor of competitive events in wrestling, swimming, track, and the modern pentathlon. Du Pont called his private group of wrestlers Team Foxcatcher, after his father’s famed horse racing stable. Notably, he let some of the athletes he coached, such as Olympic wrestling brothers Dave and Mark Schultz, live on the grounds of his estate in their own homes. In the early 1990s, du Pont himself competed in some wrestling events.
Murder Case and Conviction
By the 1990s, friends and acquaintances of du Pont had become worried about his increasingly strange and paranoid behavior. However, his wealth and status kept him largely protected from intervention. Things came to a head on January 26, 1996, when du Pont fatally shot Olympic wrestler Dave Schultz on du Pont’s Foxcatcher Farm estate. No motive was determined. In the wake of the murder, du Pont locked himself in his mansion while negotiating with authorities via the telephone. The police eventually apprehended him when he left his house to fix his heater. In September of 1996, du Pont was deemed incompetent to stand trial due to being mentally ill; he was subsequently committed to a mental hospital.
Although du Pont ultimately pleaded not guilty of murder on account of insanity, his defense was rejected by the court and he was convicted of third-degree murder on February 25, 1997. He was sentenced to 13 to 30 years in prison, and was eventually incarcerated at the State Correctional Institution – Mercer. In 2000, after some appeals were filed, du Pont’s case went to the US Supreme Court, where the original verdict was upheld. Later, in 2009, his parole was denied.
Personal Life and Death
In 1983, du Pont married occupational therapist Gale Wenk. The couple lived together for less than six months, and filed for divorce after ten months. The divorce was finalized in 1987. Meanwhile, Wenk sued du Pont for having allegedly pointed a gun at her and attempted to shove her into a fireplace.
On December 9, 2010, while serving his sentence at the State Correctional Institution – Laurel Highlands, du Pont passed away from COPD. As specified by his will, he was interred in his red Foxcatcher wrestling singlet at the Du Pont de Nemours Cemetery in Wilmington, Delaware.
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