Fire Marshal detonates explosives connected to old Howard County stalking case
Deputy State Fire Marshals conducted a controlled detonation March 24 of explosives discovered by a passerby in a wooded area of Linganore in Frederick County. Investigators determined that the materials were connected to Alan Chmurny, who committed suicide nearly 20 years ago by ingesting cyanide after being convicted of assault in a stalking case in Howard County.
Upon receiving the 911 call at approximately 2:10 p.m., Deputy State Fire Marshals responded to the scene where they located a container filled with bomb-making materials and a loaded handgun. They also located a series of documents connecting the devices to Chmurny, who once lived about a half-mile from the scene.
Chmurny was charged in 2000 with pouring mercury into the vents of a co-worker’s car as part of a long-term stalking case that culminated with his arrest. The victim was not physically harmed in the incident. Upon his conviction in 2001, Chmurny ingested cyanide in open court and later died at a nearby hospital.
“We are glad that these dangerous materials were discovered and could be destroyed safely,” said State Fire Marshal Brian Geraci. “It was quite a surprise to learn they were connected to an old criminal stalking case in which a woman could have been seriously harmed.”
No one was injured in the discovery or detonation of the devices.
