A Maryland man who stated he feared that President Trump’s reelection would result in a “fascist takeover” is dealing with tried homicide costs, after he confirmed up at Workplace of Administration and Funds Director Russell Vought’s Northern Virginia dwelling, sporting a surgical masks and gloves, in line with courtroom paperwork and sources aware of the matter.
Colin Demarco, 26, was arrested on Jan. 22 by Arlington County Police on a number of felony costs, courtroom information present. He is because of seem in courtroom on Feb. 23.
Through the course of the investigation, brokers with the U.S. Marshals Service additionally found that Demarco had beforehand claimed to be writing a manifesto and that he had additionally drafted a sequence of notes detailing all the things from a weapons stash to a “Physique Disposal Information.”
The courtroom information present that Demarco is accused of plotting to homicide a sufferer with the initials “R.V.” who, in line with the felony grievance, “has served as a presidential appointee.”
The grievance provides that the alleged sufferer was concerned within the creation of Challenge 2025 — a mission funded by the conservative Heritage Basis- to provide a coverage agenda for the subsequent GOP administration. It referred to as for a radical reshaping of the federal government in ways in which consolidate energy within the government department.
Sources aware of the case individually confirmed to CBS Information that Demarco’s alleged goal was Vought.
A spokesperson for OMB stated in a press release, “We’re grateful for the work of legislation enforcement in preserving Director Vought and his household secure.”
An individual who answered the telephone for Arlington’s public defender workplace stated Demarco had retained counsel however declined to supply any additional particulars.
Vought has generated intense controversy due to his lead function in mass firings of federal authorities workers throughout Mr. Trump’s second administration.
He’s the architect of Schedule F — a regulatory plan that may reclassify 1000’s of employees to make it simpler to take away them. In non-public speeches he made earlier than Mr. Trump took workplace, Vought stated he wished to place profession civil servants “in trauma,” ProPublica beforehand reported.
Vought’s controversial feedback and actions have made him the topic of quite a few violent threats since final yr, courtroom filings and sources say. He’s now protected by a safety element from the U.S. Marshals Service, the federal legislation enforcement company that led the investigation into Demarco and is a part of the Justice Division.
He’s certainly one of a number of senior officers within the Trump administration who routinely receives credible threats. A number of sources have informed CBS Information that Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy additionally has authorities safety due to the threats he has obtained.
In accordance with the felony grievance, which was drafted by an Arlington County police officer, Demarco was captured on a Ring doorbell digicam on the entrance door of Vought’s Arlington dwelling on Aug. 10 sporting gloves, a backpack, sun shades and a surgical masks.
He was additionally seen wanting by Vought’s mailbox, and he approached a neighbor to ask if anybody was dwelling. The neighbor informed investigators that Demarco appeared to have a gun tucked beneath his shirt.
The neighbor initially recognized the improper suspect, however the U.S. Marshals had been later in a position to determine Demarco because the particular person within the Ring video, in line with the grievance, and so they interviewed him at his Rockville dwelling.
Demarco admitted touring to Arlington and claimed to be in search of a job, the grievance stated.
Arlington County Police 
Ultimately, he stated that he went to Vought’s dwelling as a result of he wished to confront him about Challenge 2025. He denied having a gun or any intent to hurt anybody, nonetheless. He additionally informed brokers that the November 2024 election was “the bottom level in his life” and he feared “impending conflict and a fascist takeover,” the grievance says.
Demarco additionally spoke of his admiration for Luigi Mangione — the person who’s charged with murdering former United Well being CEO Brian Thompson.
When Marshals Service investigators obtained a search warrant for Demarco’s iCloud account, they discovered a sequence of notes discussing a stash of weapons, and one other titled “Physique Disposal Information” that referred to as for taking steps similar to “at all times put on rubber gloves” and “make an hermetic alibi.”
Within the word concerning the weapons, titled “Dad’s Gun Stash,” he wrote a couple of .357 Magnum Colt revolver (FULLY PRE-LOADED!).”
Though the grievance says that legislation enforcement believed the listed firearms had been at his residence, a partial search of Demarco’s room by the Marshals Service on Aug. 14 didn’t flip up any weapons. However the Marshals Service did see him crumple a bit of paper containing the phrase “tyranny.”
He additionally exchanged messages on the social media platform Discord during which he allegedly wrote about his need to kill the president. One message highlighted within the grievance learn: “The extra Trump does shit like this, the extra I wanna seize a gun and attempt to shoot him… I’m at my wits’ finish and this is likely to be the ultimate straw. I wish to get a gun, head to DC and kill him.”
In his Discord messages, he additionally apparently talked about Vought, saying: “I discovered this man’s deal with,” the grievance says.
He later appeared to allude to Mangione, asking, “Are you keen to place your livelihood on the road and hunt down the man’s dwelling to Luigi him?”
The grievance stated that Demarco has come to the eye of legislation enforcement’s radar prior to now.
In November 2024, he was taken into custody in Maryland by a psychological sickness emergency petition, after he requested a police officer to run him over or shoot him.
“Demarco acknowledged he wished to die because of Trump being elected as president,” the grievance says. “Demarco suggested that he had created a manifesto and that when it was accomplished he would kill folks.”
It was not instantly clear why Demarco is dealing with state costs in Arlington County, fairly than federal costs filed by the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for the Japanese District of Virginia. The case was largely investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service, and Demarco crossed state traces from his dwelling in Rockville to Vought’s dwelling in Northern Virginia.
The Japanese District of Virginia obtained an indictment in mid-January towards one other man for leaving a threatening message for Kennedy Middle president Richard Grenell. That indictment was obtained simply days earlier than Arlington County Police arrested Demarco.
