The true story behind 'Foxcatcher': John du Pont's descent into madness

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- The new movie 'Foxcatcher' opens nationwide Friday.

It's the story of the 1996 murder of Olympic Gold medalist Dave Schultz by John du Pont, right here in the Delaware Valley.

Actor Steve Carrell turns in an uncanny portrayal of John du Pont.

The eccentric heir to the du Pont chemical fortune died in prison 4 years ago.

Carrell brings him back to life in this retelling of du Pont's decent into madness and finally murder.

du Pont shot and killed Dave Schultz on his Foxcatcher estate in Newtown Square.

Schultz and his brother Mark lived on the estate along with dozens of other wrestlers training for the Olympics.

It's a film that director Bennett Miller has been trying to make for eight years.

"I just knew it was something I wanted to do. It was so bizarre. These characters were so bizarre," Miller said.

Taras Wochok isn't sure he wants to see the film.

He was du Pont's lawyer and confidant who often spoke with him three times a day.

Wochok's wife broke the news of the shooting at Foxcatcher.

"I said, 'Is John okay?' She said, 'No, they're saying he shot Dave.' And I said, 'What?'" Wochok recalled.

A two day standoff at Foxcatcher followed with du Pont barricaded inside.

Police tackled him as he finally emerged to check on a furnace they had shut off.

Wochok and others around du Pont witnessed his increasingly bizarre behavior in the years leading up to the murder.

Wochok says they tried to get du Pont psychiatric help, but he disappeared every time they set up an appointment.

He says they never thought it would end with murder.

"I'm not sure that I or anyone else would have been able to put the pieces together and say you know this is a program for a killer. Nobody thought that," Wochok said.

du Pont was eventually found guilty, but mentally ill and was sentenced to 13 to 30 years in prison.

He died in 2010, but the saga continues.

du Pont left 80 percent of his vast estate to Bulgarian wrestler Valentin Jordanov.

Wochok and another lawyer control the other 20 percent as trustees.

They say the money will be used to set up a mental health foundation to head off similar tragedies.

Dave Schultz's widow, Nancy, sued John du Pont and won a multi-million dollar settlement for their two children.

She lives in California now with her fiance.

The director of Foxcatcher says Mark Schultz has been to many screenings of Foxcatcher and every time just sits by himself and cries.