John Eleuthère du Pont, born on November 22, 1938, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and passing away on December 9, 2010, in Somerset, Pennsylvania, was a complex figure whose life was marked by both immense philanthropy and a devastating tragedy. As a member of the prominent du Pont family, he became a notable supporter of amateur freestyle wrestling. However, his legacy is tragically overshadowed by the fatal shooting of Olympic gold medalist Dave Schultz on January 26, 1996, at du Pont’s estate. Convicted of murder but found to be mentally ill, John E. du Pont’s story is a cautionary tale of wealth, mental health, and the dark side of obsession.
Born into the esteemed du Pont dynasty, John E. du Pont spent his formative years and much of his life at Liseter Hall Farm, an expansive 800-acre estate in Newtown Square, Pennsylvania. His parents, breeders of Thoroughbred racehorses, divorced when John was just two years old, leaving him and his mother to reside on the estate. After graduating high school in 1957, du Pont briefly attended the University of Pennsylvania before enrolling at the University of Miami. There, he not only earned a degree in biology but also competed as a varsity swimmer, showcasing an early interest in athleticism that would later define a significant part of his life. Beyond sports, John E. du Pont cultivated a deep fascination with ornithology and natural history. This passion led him to amass an extensive collection comprising tens of thousands of preserved birds, eggs, and seashells. In 1957, he channeled this passion into establishing the Delaware Museum of Natural History. This institution, initially built around du Pont’s personal collections, opened its doors in Wilmington, Delaware, in 1972, with John E. du Pont himself serving as its director, demonstrating his commitment to the field.
However, John E. du Pont’s interests began to shift, with sports increasingly eclipsing his dedication to natural history. He transitioned from swimming to modern pentathlon, achieving considerable success by winning the 1965 Australian championship. His commitment to pentathlon extended to hosting the 1968 U.S. pentathlon championships at his estate, further solidifying his role in the sporting world. Although Olympic glory as an athlete eluded him, John E. du Pont realized his Olympic aspirations in a managerial capacity, leading the U.S. pentathlon team at the Montreal 1976 Olympic Games.
The 1980s marked a pivotal shift in John E. du Pont’s sporting focus as he turned his attention to freestyle wrestling. In 1985, he demonstrated his commitment to the sport by donating funds to establish a varsity wrestling team at Villanova University, taking on the role of head coach. Further amplifying his involvement, John E. du Pont constructed a state-of-the-art training facility on his estate, renaming it Foxcatcher Farm in homage to his father’s racing legacy. He then established Team Foxcatcher, an Olympic wrestling club, a rare and significant organization within the United States, dedicated to nurturing elite wrestling talent. This initiative attracted top-tier wrestlers, including Olympic champion Mark Schultz, the younger brother of Dave Schultz. John E. du Pont’s sponsorship was remarkably generous, providing stipends, covering travel expenses, and even offering free housing at Foxcatcher Farm to select athletes. Among those residing at the estate was Dave Schultz, a highly respected coach for Team Foxcatcher and a wrestler preparing for the 1996 Olympics, a testament to du Pont’s central role in the wrestling community.
Despite his philanthropic endeavors and support for amateur sports, a darker side of John E. du Pont was emerging. From the 1980s onwards, he was known to struggle with heavy drinking and cocaine use. His temper was volatile, and he possessed a substantial collection of firearms. He cultivated an environment where those around him were expected to indulge his delusions of being an accomplished wrestler and athlete. John E. du Pont’s mental state deteriorated, especially after his mother’s death in 1988, leading to increasingly paranoid delusions. A brief marriage in the 1980s ended when his wife, fearing for her safety, left him. His erratic behavior was often dismissed as mere eccentricity by his wrestlers and local police, and the potential danger he posed was largely underestimated until the tragic events at Foxcatcher Farm in January 1996.
The culmination of John E. du Pont’s deteriorating mental state and erratic behavior was the fatal shooting of Dave Schultz at Foxcatcher Farm. Following a 48-hour standoff with authorities, John E. du Pont was apprehended. In 1997, he was convicted of third-degree murder but was also deemed mentally ill. He received a prison sentence of 13 to 30 years, and ultimately died in prison in 2010. The tragic narrative of Dave Schultz’s murder and the complex figure of John E. du Pont gained further public attention with the release of the film Foxcatcher (2014), which dramatized these events. John E. du Pont’s life remains a stark reminder of the complexities of wealth, mental illness, and the devastating consequences when they intersect.
