Ryan Wesley Routh, the man behind the failed assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump, has a long and troubling criminal history stretching back decades in Guilford County, North Carolina.
Routh, once a resident of Greensboro, accumulated a string of arrests between the 1980s and 2010, ranging from writing bad checks to more serious charges like felony firearm possession and possession of a stolen vehicle. Perhaps most alarming were his 2002 charges for possessing a “weapon of mass destruction”—specifically a binary explosive with a detonation cord and blasting cap.
Neighbors from Routh’s past paint a picture of a man who, while eccentric, didn’t appear outwardly dangerous at first glance. Kim Mungo, a neighbor who had known Routh for nearly two decades before he moved to Hawaii, described odd behavior, such as keeping a live horse inside his house, but never felt threatened by him.
“They were…kind of weird. But they didn’t bother me, and I didn’t bother them,” Mungo said. She confirmed Routh’s identity to law enforcement after the Palm Beach incident, expressing disbelief over his involvement in the assassination attempt. Despite his oddities, Mungo remembered Routh as a “good guy” who was kind and sweet, at least outwardly.
However, Routh’s erratic behavior extended far beyond just keeping a horse indoors. His criminal record reveals a man with a dangerous side, capable of possessing illegal explosives and engaging in various felonious activities.
His life seemed to spiral further when his marriage dissolved in 2003, with civil court records showing that Routh’s daughter lived with him full-time after the divorce, while his son lived with his ex-wife. The financial strain became evident, and by 2009, Routh’s ex-wife expressed concerns about his financial stability, ultimately agreeing to terminate child support requirements.
Neighbors of Routh’s ex-wife, who now lives with a new husband, expressed shock over the developments. They described her and her current family as “neighborly and seemingly normal,” with no outward signs that her ex-husband was entangled in such a serious criminal plot. The family’s connection to Routh has drawn attention, but by all accounts, their lives were separate from his in the years leading up to his arrest.
Federal authorities have now charged Routh with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, but additional charges may be forthcoming as the investigation continues.
With his long history of criminal behavior, it’s clear that Routh’s life was marked by instability and danger, culminating in his attempt to assassinate Trump.
