Texas' Best and Brightest (not)

MAN DIES BUILDING BOMB
By: MEGAN MIDDLETON, Staff Writer
05/30/2006

LONGVIEW - Authorities believe a man who died in an explosion Monday night in a north Longview home was in the process of making a pipe bomb he may have planned to use against people he thought "snitched" on him in a federal court case.

Longview Assistant Fire Marshal Brian Howell said by phone that the man who died was James Charles Torrence, 38, of Longview.

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Howell said it is believed Torrence was making pipe bombs to retaliate against individuals he believed "snitched" on him in connection with a federal case against him. Howell said the individuals Torrence allegedly planned to use the bombs against actually were not related to the case. He told the Tyler Morning Telegraph he does not believe Torrence was targeting law enforcement agents.

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Torrence was likely acting alone in making these bombs, Howell said, noting Torrence seems to have been a "paranoid" man. He had installed cameras in the front of his house as well as a sensor, which would alert him if someone was in the driveway. He also had guns placed throughout the house.

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Further down in the article it says that neighbors had reported after this deadly explosion that they had heard previous explosions from the home. "He (Howell) urged people to report suspicious activity ahead of time."

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