Who was James Yoo? Paranoid conspiracy theorist who triggered blast at his Virginia home presumed dead
James Yoo, a conspiracy theorist, believed the US government wanted to kill him
A homeowner suspected of triggering an explosion at his home in Arlington, Virginia, is presumed dead in the tragedy, police have confirmed. Human remains were found in his property, which erupted into a fireball after he fired over thirty flares.
The man, 56-year-old James Yoo, was a paranoid conspiracy theorist who believed the US government wanted to kill him, the Daily Mail reported. His LinkedIn account, which is now deleted, contained several strange posts. Among them, a post from December 1 claimed his neighbours were spies planning to carry out his assassination. There were several other anti-America posts on his social media. He also called his ex-wife a “witch.”
Who was James Yoo?
According to Yoo’s LinkedIn profile, he was the former Head of Information and Physical Security for an international telecommunication company. On Tuesday, December 5, Arlington County Police Chief Andy Penn said at a press conference, “Human remains have been located at the scene. The office of the Chief Medical Examiner will work to positively identify the individual and cause and manner of death.”
It has also been reported that in the past, Yoo had communicated with the FBI through phone calls, online tips and letters. David Sundberg, FBI assistant director for Washington, said, “I would characterize these communications as primarily complaints about alleged frauds he believed were perpetrated against him.”
Fellow residents called Yoo a “loner.” He apparently thought locals were carrying out surveillance operations on his house and providing information to the US authorities.
“Jamie/Rosemary and Lance and her two children are spies and act as buffers collecting my information and then delivering to their handlers,” Yoo wrote in a social media post. He also claimed they were “working with the witch and the alien” plotting a “surprise attack” against him on December 7, which is the Pearl Harbor attack anniversary.
Yoo did not provide any evidence for his allegations. In fact, he had filed lawsuits against state and federal authorities in the past. In 2018, he launched a case in New York against family members, including ex-wife Stephanie, and Rochester General Hospital. He alleged he was detained against his will. Judges, however, dismissed his suit as “frivolous.”
“The Court has carefully reviewed each page of Plaintiff's submissions. Plaintiff's Complaint consists of delusional-sounding allegations intermixed with other statements that seem more factual,” the court document reads. “Plaintiff believes he is the victim of conspiracy against him by his sister, his ex-wife, and others including RGH. Plaintiff believes, for example, that his sister, ex-wife and RGH conspired to prevent him from obtaining an attorney.”
The judges dismissed Yoo’s complaint, saying he “apparently believes there is a connection between the alleged conspiracy, the terrorism on September 11, 2001, and the current investigation into the 2016 presidential election by Special Counsel Robert Mueller.” According to court documents, Yoo even tried to contact Mueller to warn him of the so-called links.
Meanwhile, in March 2017, Yoo’s wife Stephanie had filed for divorce. After she won a court ruling and their divorce was finalised months later, Yoo was asked to pay her a sum of $80,000. He was also asked to buy her out of her share of their marital home for $150,000. The same property was destroyed in the recent blast. It is believed that the couple did not have any children.
The house explosion
A video of the house exploding is now viral on social media. The blast took place shortly after police wrote on social media about a suspect who allegedly set off a flare gun inside an Arlington home.
After the blast, police updated the post saying, “UPDATE: As officers were attempting to execute a search warrant at the residence, the suspect discharged several rounds inside the home. Subsequently, an explosion occurred at the residence and officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the explosion.”
