The Blount Family Bombing Part Two: The Teenager and the Businessman

Shortly after the 1985 bombing murders of Joe Blount, Angela Blount, and Michael Columbus, early suspicion fell on people connected to Hilltop Mobile Home Park, including drug dealers and Angela’s 15-year-old classmate. Despite rumors and circumstances that drew investigators to the teenager, the ATF ultimately eliminated him in the initial investigation.

Months later, in 1986, an Azle businessman became a person of interest after an ATF operation. Although the circumstances that led to his arrest looked like a promising lead in the Blount Family bombing, agents but were also unable to connect him. Later that year, another potential lead emerged after a major North Texas drug raid in which authorities recovered weapons and explosive materials. Following the unfortunate trend, it went nowhere.

Ten years later, federal, state, and local investigators assembled a new task force and began again from the beginning. It led back to the 15-year-old classmate of Angela Blount who was a suspect in the original investigation. His telephone was tapped and witnesses testified before a grand jury, but they chose not to indict.

In 1997, one telephone tip finally sent agents and investigators in a new direction. By December of that year, the task force reported they had witnesses capable of placing the bomb in their suspect’s hands. After the longest-running investigations in ATF history, authorities announce that they expect a capital murder indictment and an arrest in the bombing murders.

If you have any information about the murders of Robert and Angela Blount and Michael Columbus, please call the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives tipline at (888) 283-8477.

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