what happened to jack wheeler. he was a decorated veteran and co-founder of the vietnam memorial in washington. his body, you might recall, was found in a delaware landfill back on new year's day. here's surveillance video from the days before his death he appears confused and disoriented. for the first time his widow and son are speaking out. we'll hear from them coming up. >> remember the classic movie "willie wonka and the chocolate factory." how long ago? long. 40 years. it's been 40 years since charlie, violet, veruca and the rest of the gang got the golden tickets and head offed to a land of pure chocolate imagination. this morning they reunite on our studio. we'll take awe walk down memory lane. >> also speaking of american classics, we'll take you this morning behind the scenes of nashville's grand oel opry. it was inundated by floodwater, and since then it's made a come bashing. it's just as lively on stage and off. we have an all access pass. >> that was probably right up your alley. mroo it was right up

both of them spoke to abc's claire shipman. >> reporter: the last images of jack wheeler.family and confound investigators, who have labored for five months to piece together his mysterious final days. >> we are desperate for information. >> not knowing what happened is -- preoccupies you. >> reporter: the one-time pentagon official was found in a delaware land fill on new year's eve beaten to death. and the blurry trail which led him there at times seems ripped from a political thriller. a defense expert with laser-like intelligent and passion to spare was spending the christmas holiday with his wife kathy in new york city. he left for washington on the 28th to deliver some gifts to friends. typical jack. >> he was in d.c. he had lunch at the metropolitan club, i think. he had a plan to deliver christmas presents, which he did. >> reporter: records show he then took the train to delaware where the couple has a home. not unusual. but that's where things get bizarre. so you were expecting him wednesday night. >> yes. i tried to call his cell phone. and it just went straight

the last images of jack wheeler, they haunt his family and confound investigators who have labored for we are desperate for information. >> not knowing what happened is preoccupies you. >> reporter: the one-time pentagon official was found in a delaware landfill on new year's eve beaten to death. and the blurry trail which led him there at times seems ripped from a political thriller. wheeler, a charismatic defense expert with laserlike intellect and passion to spare was spending the christmas holiday with his wife kathy in new york city. he left for washington on the 28th to deliver some gifts to friends, typical jack. >> he was in d.c. he had lunch at the metropolitan club, i think. he had a plan to deliver christmas presents, which he did. >> reporter: records show he then took the train to delaware where the couple has a home. not unusual, but that's where things get bizarre. so you were expecting him wednesday night. >> yes. i tried to call his cell phone and it just went straight to voice mail. >> reporter: a pharmacist friend says he came into this drugstore in new castle lookin