“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” ― F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Danny Casolaro (left) and his son, Trey (right)

On August 10, 1991, journalist Joseph Daniel “Danny” Casolaro was found dead. His body was discovered in the bathroom of Room 517 at the Sheraton Inn in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

His wrists were slashed multiple times, and authorities quickly ruled the case as a suicide.

But Casolaro had been investigating what he called “the Octopus.” It is a sprawling web of government corruption. It involves surveillance software theft and international scandals.

His sudden death, coupled with missing notes and warnings he gave to family and friends, has fueled decades of speculation.

This is a timeline of his life, work, and the mystery that surrounds his death.

Early Life (1947-1960s)

• June 16,1947- Danny Casolaro is born in Fort Meade, Maryland, into a Catholic family.
• Raised in Mclean, Virginia, he was the second of six children.
• One sibling died shortly after birth.
• His younger sister Lisa later died of a drug overdose in 1971.
• His Catholic faith shaped his outlook. In particular, suicide was considered a grave sin. His family emphasized this belief when questioning the official ruling of his death.

Education: 📚

• Casolaro attended Providence College, a Catholic, all-male school in Rhode Island.
• He studied liberal arts before pursing writing and journalism.

Personal Life: 🗝️🥊💛🧸

• Married Terrill Pace, a former Miss Virginia.
• They had one son, Trey Casolaro.
• The marriage ended in divorce after about ten years, with Danny receiving legal custody of Trey.

Early Career & Interests (1970s) 🪩

Casolaro was multi-talented and had a wide range of hobbies:

• Amateur boxing 🥊
• Raising Arabian horses 🐎
• Writing poetry, short stories, and essays ✍🏻
• 1975- Published a novel, The Ice King, with Whitmore Publishing Co. ❄️

As a journalist, he explored international affairs, writing about:

• The soviet naval presence in Cuba.
• Castro’s intelligence networks.
• Chinese Communist smuggling operations

Journalism & Computer Trade Publishing (Late 1970s-1980s)

• Casolaro moved into computer trade journalism during the tech boom.
• Acquired several industry publications, which he later sold as he shifted back toward investigative reporting.

Return to Investigative Journalism (Late 1980s-1990)

• By the late 1980s, Casolaro had turned his focus back to deep-dive investigations.
• 1990-He began investigating the INSLAW affair after IT contracts drew his attention to it.

The INSLAW Affair & PROMIS Software: 💾

• INSLAW, a company run by Bill and Nancy Hamilton, developed PROMIS ( Prosecutor’s Management Information System).
• PROMIS was allegedly funded by the Law Enforcement Assistance Administration to help prosecutors track cases.
• 1980s Allegations:
• The Department of Justice (DOJ) withheld payments to force INSLAW into bankruptcy.
• The DOJ allegedly pirated PROMIS and distributed it to intelligence agencies-and to foreign governments.
• The software’s tracking power made it attractive for surveillance, fueling theories about why it was stolen.
• 1986:INSLAW formally sued the DOJ for piracy and illegal distribution of PROMIS.

The Octopus:

• Casolaro came to believe the PROMIS scandal was only one piece of a much larger puzzle.
• He called it “The Octopus”- a network of corruption connecting:
• The INSLAW case
• Iran-Contra operations
• The collapse of the BCCI banking empire
• Covert CIA intelligence activities worldwide

He was preparing a book to expose these links, convinced he was close to uncovering the full story.

Final Days (August 1991)

In early August 1991, Danny traveled to Martinsburg, WV, telling friends and family he was meeting a crucial source.

He warned: “If anything happens to me, it won’t be an accident.”

• August 10, 1991-Found dead in his motel bathroom.
• His wrists had 10-12 deep slashes.
• The death was ruled a suicide almost immediately.

Suspicious elements:

• His briefcase and investigative notes were missing.
• Friends insisted he was optimistic, not suicidal.
• His Catholic background made suicide unlikely in their view.

Legacy:

Danny casolaro’s death remains one of the most controversial mysteries in modern American history.

Officially, he is remembered as a journalist who took his own life. But to many, Casolaro was a man silenced for pulling too close to the truth. He uncovered government corruption, covert intelligence networks, and the theft of powerful surveillance software.

Three decades later, the story of The Octopus continues to haunt. People ask whether Casolaro uncovered too much. They wonder if he paid the ultimate price.

💓Luna