Hyattsville Man Firebombed A House, Pleads Guilty

GREENBELT, MD — A Hyattsville man has pleaded guilty to firebombing a house in Landover in March of 2016.

Police say 35-year-old Richard Butler III pleaded guilty in federal court to being a felon in possession of explosives and malicious use of explosive materials, according to a statement from the U.S. Justice Department.

The incident happened on March 4, 2016, at around 3:25 a.m. at Overland Garden Apartments in Landover. Firefighters arrived to find a fire in the master bedroom.

"Investigators located, in close proximity to the brick, an improvised incendiary device,—specifically, a clear plastic water bottle, which contained an unknown liquid, and a brown paper towel material protruding from the mouth of the bottle," the statement reads. "Investigators also located a similar plastic bottle melted to the top of the burned bed. On the exterior of the apartment, in close proximity to the broken master bedroom window, investigators located a blue plastic one-quart motor oil container. The three bottles were submitted to the ATF Forensic Science Laboratory for examination and were found to contain the presence of gasoline."

Two adults and three minors were inside at the time.

Surveillance video at a local gas station captured Butler buying gasoline and filling three plastic containers.

Image via Flickr user Chris Potter