Federal investigators say Brandon Russell is now facing federal charges after authorities found bomb-making material in his Tampa Palms apartment while investigating a double murder.
Tampa police say 18-year-old Devon Arthurs confessed to killing his two neo-Nazi roommates on Friday because they disrespected his new-found Muslim faith. Russell came home that night from Army National Guard duty to find the bodies of Jeremy Himmelman and Andrew Oneschuk shot dead.
But now the F.B.I. is investigating the 21-year-old, also neo-Nazi, because of the scores of explosive materials discovered in his garage.
ABC action news reported that detectives a “white, cake-like” substance in the cooler, which tested positive for hexamethane triperoxide diamine, otherwise known as HMTD, used for several types of explosives.
Empty 5.56-caliber bullet casings with fuses were also found in the garage. Agents said they could be used as detonators.
Upon further investigation, guns, ammo and a framed picture of Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber, were discovered in Russell’s bedroom.
Russell was arrested on Sunday in Key Largo where he told officers that he is a national socialist and a member of “Atomwaffen.”
“Atomwaffen” is atomic weapon in German and the radical, militant group is known for spreading Nazi ideology around college campuses.
ABC action news reported that Russell was a student at the University of South Florida in spring 2017, but had not signed up for fall classes.
For now, there is no word from investigators what the four planned to do together or individually with all that fire power.