Austin police affidavit describes accused bombmaker's 'science experiments'
AUSTIN (KXAN) — In an arrest affidavit, an Austin Police Department detective claims a man who previously made explosives allegedly manufactured more while out on parole.
The affidavit, filed Thursday with the Travis County District Court, describes APD officers finding alleged homemade explosives in a south Austin home and the bomb squad’s decision to detonate some of those materials on Tuesday, leading to an evacuation of those nearby.
Steven Aldrich, 66, faces one felony count of possessing explosive components, according to Travis County court records. He was on parole for a prior conviction of possessing a prohibited weapon, specifically a homemade bomb, KXAN previously reported.
Aldrich’s 95-year-old mother, who owned the Vintage Stave Road home, gave APD and federal officers permission on Tuesday to search her home, according to the detective.
“APD Bomb Squad Corporal … spoke with Aldrich’s mother … who stated that Aldrich makes ‘science experiments inside of the house,'” the detective wrote in the affidavit.
The corporal also had “a consensual interview” with Aldrich, the detective wrote.
“Aldrich stated he had experience previously manufacturing TATP, that he previously disposed of some TATP at another property … [and] that precursors used to manufacture TATP were currently inside of the residence,” the affidavit read.
TATP, or Triacetone Triperoxide, is a homemade explosive material that has been used in several bombings, according to the US Joint Counterterrorism Assessment Team. The detective also wrote that another homemade explosive material, Methyl Ethyl Ketone Peroxide, or MEKP, and “numerous types of precursors” were found in the home.
Authorities removed as much of the alleged explosives as they could from the home; however, APD, FBI and ATF technicians determined that the MEKP could not be safely moved, according to the affidavit. That led to the controlled detonation of the remaining material on-site.
