The Deadly Art of Bomb Making: A Personal Account of Investigation

A Day That Changed Everything

During my career, I have assisted with two investigations involving homemade explosives. The second investigation involved a Cuban immigrant, Luis Cristobal, who, during the early morning hours of February 7, 2000, set explosive devices in three locations in Chesterfield and Dinwiddie Counties. He placed one device under a pickup truck driven by a man he suspected of having an affair with his wife. Two other bombs were directed at his wife’s brother; one device was placed under his pickup truck, and one device was placed at his business. All three bombs exploded with minimal injuries. A fourth live bomb was discovered under a church altar where Cristobal was hiding.

This story is about my first bombing experience, which occurred on December 3, 1997, a Wednesday and my scheduled day off. It proved to be the longest day of my career. At 4:45 AM, I was asleep, nestled in the warmth of my bed when the phone rang. It was a Virginia State Police dispatcher who explained that there had been an explosion in the rural town of Louisa and a woman lay dead on the sidewalk. He felt it probably was a gas explosion. I tried my best to persuade the caller to notify another agent since my response to the scene would be costly to taxpayers due to the overtime wage that I would claim. My pleading proved futile since such a decision was above the caller's paygrade. So, I dressed warmly and raced for an hour through the empty darkness, hoping not to meet any wayward deer along the way. Bombings are rare in Virginia, so the possibility of an intentional explosion occurring in Louisa, a town with a population of 1,200 citizens, seemed incredulous.

The Scene of the Crime

I was the first investigator to arrive on the scene. The location was Loch Lane Apartments, a series of four duplex buildings situated linearly along a short dead-end road. Troopers and local law enforcement had blocked access to the parking lot with ubiquitous yellow crime scene tape. The cordoned-off scene would prove to be inadequate as evidence would be discovered far beyond its parameters. Later in the day, a twisted hunk of metal was found on a golf course 629 feet away.

It was still dark when I arrived. I passed a tattered black shoe in the parking lot and headed towards a white blanket on the gravel in front of one of the apartments. As I drew closer, I saw that the bedding partially covered a body of a woman with flowing strawberry-blonde hair. She was facedown with her arms bent at the elbows, her head resting upon her hands as if she were asleep. A parked car with its engine running idled next to her. Pointing to the blanket, I asked who messed with the crime scene and was told a neighbor had come out after hearing the explosion and covered the body.

As the sun slowly peaked through the barren trees, the scene of devastation became more apparent. This was no explosion from a gas leak. The body was intact but shattered; it had been pierced by innumerous bits of metal, the hands were mostly gone, and a shin was broken in half. Directly on the other side of the concrete walkway, in the grass, was a semicircle gouge in the earth filled with debris. It was a bomb crater.

The Investigation Begins

I then entered the apartment and noticed that lights and the television were on, and a purse was on a sofa next to the front door. The powerful explosion had spewed shards of jagged metal through the building's facade, ricocheting off walls and blasting through the ceiling up into the attic. A coating of insulation dusted the interior.

The victim was identified as Tammy Baker, a 24-year-old single woman who worked at a convenience center. She was 8 months pregnant.

Understanding the Bomb

BOMB 101: In simplistic terms, a pipe bomb is a container filled with gunpowder. It can be lit with a fuse and thrown, or in this instance, it can be stationary with a gap in the electrical circuit. The bomb detonates when the open gap in the electrical circuit becomes closed, either with a movement switch or timing device.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms was of great assistance. Within a few days, their laboratory took all the collected fragments and identified components, reassembling a facsimile of the explosive device. The deadly package consisted of a steel lock box containing two galvanized metal pipes with threaded endcaps, filled with Bullseye smokeless powder. Inside each pipe was an Estes model rocket engine, utilized as an ignition source, secured with Bondo, a body filler used in car restoration. Electrical power to ignite the rocket engines, which in turn would ignite the smokeless powder, came from two C batteries. The initiator was a pressure switch on the base of the lock box. Lifting the box off the ground caused the switch to activate, setting off the two pipe bombs. To ensure that only Tammy discovered the lethal surprise, the bomber placed it by her front steps and covered it with the plastic lid of her trashcan. It was cold and dark with no pedestrian traffic when Tammy started up her car. It would be nearly impossible for her to miss the disguised bomb on the sidewalk next to her steps.

Investigative Thoughts

The victim was specifically targeted. She had a daily morning routine preparing for work. The bomber knew the victim and was familiar with her routine. He specifically chose the day (middle of the week, as opposed to a Monday or Friday when there was a greater chance she might take off from work), time (darkness and the victim going to work), and bomb location (no nosey pedestrians, directly in the path Tammy would take between her apartment and car). The motive appears to be either an act of revenge or domestic-related violence.

Profiling the Offender

• He is intelligent. The explosive device was sophisticated. There are basically two types of bombers: smart ones and dumb ones. Dumb ones make only one bomb.

• He is a high school graduate.

• He is into model rocketry.

• He might work on car restoration.

• He is single. He has the freedom to build bombs and roam at night.

  
  

The investigation eventually led to the father of Baker’s unborn child, Coleman "Mike" Johnson, a 29-year-old man living in Newport News with his mother. He was a high school graduate with some college. He graduated from an aircraft maintenance school, worked as a pipe fitter and a carpenter in Louisa County, was divorced, and was angrily adamant against paying the child support that Tammy Baker demanded.

He was convicted by a jury and sentenced to life without parole in 2001.

Conclusion: Lessons Learned

This tragic case highlights the complexities of bomb investigations. It serves as a reminder of the importance of understanding the motives and backgrounds of both victims and offenders. Each piece of evidence tells a story, and it’s our job to piece them together. The skills gained from specialized behavioral assessment training can be invaluable in such investigations, helping to enhance violent crime investigations and ultimately, save lives.

In this line of work, every detail matters. From the way a bomb is constructed to the daily routines of potential victims, we must remain vigilant. The stakes are high, and the consequences of failure can be devastating.

If you're looking to deepen your understanding of criminal profiling and enhance your investigative skills, consider exploring the specialized training offered by Abel Lectures LLC. Their programs are designed to equip investigators and analysts with the critical skills needed to tackle complex cases like this one.

Remember, knowledge is power, and in our line of work, it can make all the difference.