VIDEO - Murdered DNC staffer Seth Rich had sent 44,000 internal emails to WikiLeaks: Report

The Democratic National Committee staffer shot and killed in Washington, D.C., last summer leaked more than 44,000 emails to WikiLeaks before his death, according to a report.

The Fox News report implies that Seth Rich may have been the one who leaked information about the DNC to WikiLeaks that showed, among other things, that the DNC favored Hillary Clinton over Bernie Sanders in the presidential primary. While it's not clear, the report does note that WikiLeaks posted that information just 12 days after Rich was killed.

However, U.S. intelligence officials believe Russia hacked into the DNC and allowed that information to be sent to WikiLeaks.

The report states federal law enforcement investigators found 44,053 emails and 17,761 attachments between DNC leaders from January 2015 to May 2016 were sent by Rich to Gavin MacFayden, an American reporter and WikiLeaks director based in London who is now deceased. That information was found in a FBI forensic report on Rich's computer done within days of his murder.

Rich was killed July 10 in Washington, D.C., as he walked home. His murder remains unsolved.

Rod Wheeler, a former D.C. homicide detective whose private investigation firm was hired by Rich's family, confirmed to Fox News his investigation shows similar information.

"My investigation up to this point shows there was some degree of email exchange between Seth Rich and WikiLeaks," Wheeler told Fox News. "I do believe that the answers to who murdered Seth Rich sits on his computer on a shelf at the DC police or FBI headquarters."

Wheeler added he believes someone in the Washington, D.C. government, DNC or in Clinton's camp is blocking the investigation from continuing.

Rich was shot twice in the back but wasn't robbed. His wallet, cellphone, keys, watch and necklace were all left on him at the scene of the crime.

Through a spokesperson, Rich's family denied that they've seen any evidence that his death is tied to Wikileaks.

"As we've seen through the past year of unsubstantiated claims, we see no facts, we have seen no evidence, we have been approached with no emails and only learned about this when contacted by the press," the statement said. "Even if tomorrow, an email was found, it is not a high enough bar of evidence to prove any interactions as emails can be altered and we've seen that those interest in pushing conspiracies will stop at nothing to do so."

"We are a family who is committed to facts, not fake evidence that surfaces every few months to fill the void and distract law enforcement and the general public from finding Seth's murderers. The services of the private investigator who spoke to the press was offered to the Rich family and paid for by a third party, and contractually was barred from speaking to press or anyone outside of law enforcement or the family unless explicitly authorized by the family."