Man arrested after authorities find explosive materials, book about making explosives

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- The New Mexico State University Police Department arrested a 46-year-old man for owning an explosive device, jail records said. Authorities found a book about making explosives in his home, according to court documents.

According to court documents, NMSU Police went to David J. Curtis', trailer home in the desert June 9. Authorities received a call that he detonated pipe bombs.

It was south of 4100 Dripping Springs road near Centennial High School. It's also not too far from the NMSU campus. Documents said the property had a makeshift fence, barbed wire and a "no trespassing" sign.

Documents said land in the area belongs to the Elephant Butte Irrigation District, but Curtis claimed his family member owned the land.

The person who called police said he heard an explosion, saw two men in the desert and saw another explosion, documents said. NMSU police set up a perimeter at the trailer home and watched two men walk back and forth around the property.

While police watched the men, a woman in a truck pulled up and dropped off wooden pallets. Curtis then tried to leave the area, but was stopped and questioned, documents said. He refused to share his identity and was arrested.

The woman, Tamara Lewis, tried to leave the area too, and was stopped and questioned. She said she didn't know anything about the explosives or pipe bombs, according to documents. Police dismissed her after questioning.

Curtis' son, Thomas, went up to police and "refused to cooperate." Police arrested him too, documents said.

A search warrant was obtained based on the statements made by the person who called police, documents said.

A Las Cruces Police drone found a crater on the northeast end of the property, which matched the reporting person's story about seeing an explosion in the same area, documents said.

The drone also found a fire extinguisher in a blue barrel with several wires, marking it as a suspicious item, according to documents.

An explosive detection dog handler said suspects will do test runs of homemade explosives before a bombing run, documents said.

The Dona Ana Sheriff's Office's bomb squad helped with the warrant. Authorities found chemicals and a copper pipe with a fuse hidden under the RV, documents said.

DASO's bomb squad took away unknown chemicals, sol sulfur, aluminum powder, hydrochloric acid and potassium chloride, according to documents.

NMSU Police took away the empty copper pipe, fuse and found a book titled "Blasters' Handbook," which had instructions to make explosives, documents said.

Public safety bomb technicians confirmed that if the chemicals combined in the pipe, Curtis would have had a working explosive, documents said.

June 10, Curtis was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center on possession of explosive device or incendiary device, jail records said. He was booked without bond.

According to records, Curtis has a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 25.