Last Podcast on the Left

Episode 655: The Du Pont Foxcatcher Murder Part III – Wrestle-Mania
March 6, 2026

Overview:

This episode concludes the harrowing saga of John du Pont and the Foxcatcher murder, exploring the intersection of obscene wealth, untreated mental illness, and the world of American amateur wrestling. The hosts—Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson—blend dark humor with incisive commentary to analyze how one eccentric heir, cut off from the family business, spun out into delusion, manipulation, and ultimately murder. The episode also spotlights how the vulnerabilities of elite athletes collided with a dangerous benefactor.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Du Pont Family and John’s Outlier Status

• Contrast with the Rest of the Family:
  Marcus describes how previous episodes covered the Du Ponts’ wider-reaching crimes (chemical poisoning, generational greed) but John represented a new kind of insular menace:

  “John du Pont was an example of what happens when one of the du Pont is left to spin his own wheels completely apart from the rest of the du Pont clan... dangerously lonely, completely devoid of social skills, and mentally ill.” (04:04)

• Privilege and Consequence:
  If not for the family fortune, John would have likely become homeless or institutionalized. Instead, his resources enabled bizarre obsessions and increasing instability.

2. Childhood and Upbringing

• Isolation and Mother’s Dominance:
  John’s siblings had left home before he was in grade school; his only playmate was a paid companion.

  “He was... painfully shy and soon developed a stutter. The closest thing John had to a childhood friend was the son of a du Pont family chauffeur. But... his mother had actually put this boy on the du Pont payroll, and his only job was to pretend to like John.” (12:03)

• Wealth Without Direction:
  John developed collection obsessions (seashells, stuffed birds) and built his own museum, but always felt aimless.

3. Athletics, Injury, and Mental Health

• Olympic Aspirations and the Turning Point:
  John pursued swimming but lacked talent for elite competition.

  “When he competed for a spot on the swim team in the 1968 Olympic Games, for example, John came in second to last.” (16:44)

  A catastrophic riding accident led to a traumatic loss of his testicles and inconsistent hormone therapy, which the hosts speculate contributed to his psychological decline:

  “I think it is possible that the misapplication of hormones is what turned John from being a mere rich weirdo into a dangerous and unpredictable rich weirdo.” (17:09)

• Schizophrenia and Paranoia:
  Onset of mental illness emerged in his 20s and worsened with age, exacerbated by addiction and isolation.

4. Eccentric Wealth, Dangerous Behavior, and Enabling Systems

• Weapons and Law Enforcement Cosplay:
  John constructed a shooting range, bought police equipment, and cozied up to local cops:

  “John kept a close relationship with the local cops from then on, donating money, buying them equipment, and even letting them use his helicopter... the Newtown Township police department gave John his very own police badge...” (25:12)

• Repeatedly Avoiding Consequences:
  From near-miss shootings at guests to blowing up foxes, driving tanks drunk, and even hitting a traffic cop with a car, John’s combination of money and local influence let him escape law and legal trouble again and again.

• Quote on Power and Privilege:

  “He just believed that everyone had their price. And if they didn’t have a price, John had the power to ruin whoever didn’t play by his rules...” (48:29)

5. Foxcatcher Farms: Wrestling, Manipulation, and Control

• Buying a Sport:
  John’s interest in wrestling stemmed from both his own isolation and the cheapness of controlling an insular world:

  “If you choose an obscure thing, you can own it entirely.” (35:56)

• The Schultz Brothers:
  Dave and Mark Schultz, Olympic champions, were recruited by John.

  “...there were no financial opportunities for competitive wrestlers, no sponsorship deals for singlets, and the Schultz brothers seemed to feel like pro wrestling was beneath them.” (41:13)

• Dependency Built by Financial Need:
  John was able to collect elite wrestlers by offering resources no one else would. The athletes, chronically underfunded, tolerated his abuse and erratic behavior because their careers depended on his largesse.

• Cult of Personality and Toxic Culture:
  John obsessed over recognition, going so far as to stage fake award ceremonies for himself.

  “Bob's main job was to organize and host awards ceremonies that John Dupont held in his own honor, complete with awards that John would commission from the local trophy shop...” (51:22)

6. Escalating Eccentricity: Paranoia, Power Games, and Abuse

• Paranoia and Violence:
  John’s delusions spiraled: fear of “spirits and spies,” belief in surveillance tunnels, and obsession with Nazis on his estate.

  “He hired a psychic to identify the spirits. He brought in laborers to check the walls and floors for spies.” (87:28)

• Manipulating and Humiliating Wrestlers:
  Notable is the “Foxcatcher Five” (ball-grabbing move) and recurring unwanted physical interactions:

  “...John would simply grab a wrestler’s testicles with his whole hand. That’s it. It’s just grabbing a guy’s balls and calling it a move.” (70:00)

• Quote on John’s Social Blindness:

  “He has no idea how to engage with these big strong men. He wants to be a big strong man and thinks he is a big strong man. And he thinks that just collecting the big strong men around him will make him one.” (71:30)

7. Downward Spiral: Addiction and Detachment from Reality

• Substance Abuse:
  John’s behavior became even more erratic as his painkiller, alcohol, and cocaine use escalated.

  “Mark Schultz actually said that when John Dupont did cocaine, that was when he was his most coherent.” (79:50)

• Fake Competition and Eroding Self-Worth:
  John arranged for Bulgarian wrestlers to throw matches for him, deepening his delusions of prowess but also feeding his suspicion that people mocked him.

  “...everyone in the room, including John Dupont, knew that he had fully paid for this fantasy.” (92:39)

8. Climax: The Murder of Dave Schultz

• Tension and Jealousy:
  After Dave became a father figure and confidant to many, John grew increasingly paranoid and jealous—particularly over Dave’s friendship with Bulgarian wrestler Valentin Yordanov.

• Sequence of the Murder:
  On January 26, 1996, after a night of partying and (reportedly) paranoid accusations, John shot Dave Schultz outside his home on the Foxcatcher property in front of Dave’s wife, who heard the shots from inside.

  “John pulled up to Dave, opened the door and said, hi, Coach. John then got halfway out of his car, wasn’t, didn’t even fully get out, pulled his .44 and shot Dave Schultz.” (106:33)

• Aftermath:
  John holed up in his mansion’s bomb shelter as SWAT and media surrounded him. He surrendered only after police disabled the building’s heating system.

9. Trial, Verdict, and Legacy

• Disposition:
  John attempted an insanity defense, presenting himself as disheveled and incoherent, but was found guilty of third-degree murder (mentally ill) and sentenced to 13–36 years.

  “...while the jury believed that John did have paranoid schizophrenia, he had still fully understood that he was doing something wrong when he killed Dave schultz.” (116:07)

• Death and Estate:
  He died in prison in 2010, his estate left primarily to Valentin Yordanov.

• Systemic Commentary:
  The hosts note that John was the rare Du Pont to truly face consequences and reflect on the systems that enable the ultra-wealthy’s worst behaviors:

  “If you really want to understand how we got to this point, people like the Du Pont, you have to understand how this world works and what these people do. You know, you have to understand how people like John Dupont work.” (119:35)

Memorable Quotes

• “‘John dupont was still careless, dangerously lonely, completely devoid of social skills, and mentally ill. Cool. Great combo...’” – Marcus Parks (04:03)

• “He grew up alone on this massive estate with his mother as his only companion. And, man, do we know how well it turns out when boys grow up with their mother as their only companion?” – Marcus Parks (12:11)

• “John would have likely become homeless. Instead, his resources enabled bizarre obsessions and increasing instability.” – Marcus Parks (paraphrase, 05:14)

• “With near unlimited funds, no sense of consequence, and zero social skills, John Dupont’s mental illness quickly became a danger to those around him.” – Marcus Parks (21:07)

• “He just believed that everyone had their price. And if they didn’t have a price, John had the power to ruin whoever didn’t play by his rules...” – Marcus Parks (48:29)

• “He set up Team Foxcatcher up to a point where he thought that maybe that would fulfill it. And then as they were winning and it wasn’t him, it wasn’t cutting the mustard.” – Henry Zebrowski (93:52)

Timelines & Timestamps

• [04:04] – John’s emotional development, impact of isolation, and initial setup of the Foxcatcher story.
• [16:44] – John’s attempted Olympic swimming career and subsequent testicular injury.
• [25:12] – Foxcatcher Farms, John’s relationship with police, and escalation of weapons on property.
• [47:43] – Mark Schultz’s first meeting with John: physical appearance and manipulative style.
• [69:02] – John brings guns to wrestling practices, invents the “Foxcatcher Five”.
• [71:30] – John’s failed attempts at male camaraderie and the discomfort of the athletes.
• [83:04] – Mark Schultz’s departure and Dave Schultz’s arrival at Foxcatcher.
• [87:28] – Emergence of full-blown paranoia: spirits, spies, Nazi surveillance.
• [92:39] – Bulgarian exhibition matches; John’s fake victories.
• [106:33] – The murder of Dave Schultz.
• [116:07] – Trial verdict: third-degree murder, but mentally ill.
• [119:35] – Reflection on the sociopolitical relevance of the Du Pont story.

Additional Notable Moments

• Comic Relief on Wrestling’s Image:
  Henry opens with jokes on the homoeroticism of wrestling, echoing the show’s penchant for dark humor.

• Chilling Parallels:
  The hosts frequently liken the pattern of rich men buying social power and “collecting” people to other predators, specifically making reference to Epstein:

  “Reminded me of every single thing every little girl in southern Florida was saying about Epstein...” (48:29)

• The Award Ceremonies and Ego Worship:
  John spent significant amounts of money on fake awards and staged ceremonies solely for self-validation.

Conclusion

The episode underscores how race, class, power, and neglect created a monstrous outcome on Foxcatcher Farms. John du Pont’s unchecked eccentricity met the economic desperation of elite athletes in an environment stripped of oversight, empathy, and consequences—culminating in tragedy. Through darkly comedic banter and pointed analysis, the hosts expose both the idiosyncrasies and systemic failures that made the Foxcatcher murder possible.

For further context on the true story, check out ESPN’s 30 for 30 documentary and Mark Schultz’s memoir, both referenced throughout the show.