Bill Bishop (businessman)
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William Bishop (September 29, 1958 – April 21, 2018) was an American businessman, real estate developer, and urban designer. In 2018, Bishop was found unresponsive at his Hope Valley Country Club home in Durham, North Carolina. His death is currently under criminal investigation.
Bishop grew up in Pittsburgh. He worked as a metalwork artist before starting a business career as an urban designer. He became a prominent real estate developer in Hillsborough County, Florida and was responsible for the building of Pebble Creek, Westchase, Waterchase and Highland Park communities. He also had a prominent role in the development of Fish Hawk.
In 2008, after being diagnosed with prostate cancer, he moved to North Carolina while receiving treatment at Duke University Health System. At the same time, he began work on a master's degree in city and regional planning from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, eventually working toward his Ph.D.[1][2]
In 2012, Bishop sustained a serious injury to the right side of his body that rendered his right arm "largely functionless".[3] While this injury rendered Bishop unable to hold items or shake hands with his right arm and hand, the injury that resulted in his death was purported to have been caused by a dog leash held by or slipped over his right hand. [4]
Bishop had been married to Sharon Bishop, with whom he had two sons, Jefferson and Alexander. He and his wife separated in November 2016. Bishop filed for divorce on November 13, 2017. The divorce was granted on April 6, 2018.[5] After his separation, he began a relationship with clinical psychologist Julie Seel. At the time of his death, Bishop and his two sons, who he had sole custody of, resided in Hope Valley Country Club in Durham, North Carolina. [5][6]
