Seth Rich's Family: Leave Us Alone, Internet Trolls

WASHINGTON, DC — It's been one year since Seth Rich, an employee at the Democratic National Committee, was murdered in what police believe was a botched robbery in D.C. And his parents are once again pleading with people to stop using his death as "political football" — a plea that is likely to fall on deaf ears.

Many of President Trump's supporters, including Fox News pundit Sean Hannity, subscribe to the far-fetched conspiracy theory that Rich — and not the Russian government as U.S. intelligence agencies believe — was the one who leaked the damaging DNC emails that may have cost Hillary Clinton the presidency, and either Clinton or the DNC ordered his murder in retaliation.

It's a ridiculous theory that has no basis in reality, but that hasn't stopped a wide range of Trump supporters from pushing it due to their hatred of Clinton. It didn't help when Fox News published a since-retracted story claiming that there was evidence Rich had in fact sent the emails, which whipped conspiracy theorists into an even bigger frenzy. The retraction by Fox News did nothing to dissuade them from continuing their crusade, with most dismissing the retraction as a sign that the "Deep State" had "gotten" to Fox News.

It's taken a toll on Rich's parents, who are still anguished by the senseless killing and have to witness their son's name being continually thrust into "political football in predetermined partisan narratives," they said in a statement while also recognizing the "futility of the request," according to a Washington Post report.

"We are compelled to address those who are claiming to help by undertaking private ‘investigations,’ staging reenactments, or traveling to Seth’s old neighborhood to perform interviews," reads the statement, also signed by his brother Aaron, that was obtained by the Post. "Our request is that anyone with information about Seth’s murder share such information with MPD, which is the law enforcement agency authorized by law to perform this investigation."

Image: Screenshot of Fox 5 DC's since-discredited tweet claiming evidence that Rich leaked DNC emails. The news station subsequently backed off the story, and Fox News issued a retraction for their version.