ARLINGTON, Va. (Diya TV) — A 26-year-old Maryland man faces attempted murder charges after authorities say he went to the Arlington home of Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought while plotting a violent attack. Police arrested the suspect, Colin Demarco, on Jan. 22 after a months-long investigation led by the U.S. Marshals Service.
Prosecutors allege Demarco targeted Vought because of his role in shaping conservative policy and his work on Project 2025. Court records show investigators linked Demarco to online threats, detailed notes about weapons, and a plan labeled a “Body Disposal Guide.”
Arlington County Police took Demarco into custody on several state charges, including attempted murder. He is scheduled to appear in court on Feb. 23. A person who answered the phone at the Arlington public defender’s office said Demarco has retained counsel. The office declined to comment further.
Court records say Demarco traveled from Rockville, Maryland, to Northern Virginia last summer. On Aug. 10, a Ring doorbell camera captured him at Vought’s front door. He wore a surgical mask, gloves, sunglasses, and a backpack. Investigators say he looked through the mailbox and asked a neighbor if anyone was home. The neighbor told police that Demarco appeared to have a gun under his shirt. Investigators later identified Demarco as the person in the video and interviewed him at his home.
The criminal complaint says Demarco plotted to kill a person identified as “R.V.,” who “has served as a presidential appointee.” Sources familiar with the case confirmed to CBS News that the alleged target was Vought.
Vought has drawn controversy for his role in the Trump administration. He helped design Schedule F, a plan that would reclassify federal workers and make it easier to fire them. He also played a leading role in Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation-backed effort to shape a policy agenda for a future Republican administration. The complaint says Demarco went to Vought’s home to confront him about Project 2025. Demarco denied carrying a gun and denied any intent to hurt anyone, according to the filing.
Investigators later obtained a search warrant for Demarco’s iCloud account. They found notes that discussed a weapons stash and another document titled “Body Disposal Guide.” The notes urged steps such as wearing gloves and creating an alibi.
One note, titled “Dad’s Gun Stash,” listed a .357 Magnum Colt revolver and described it as “fully loaded.” Law enforcement believed the weapons were at Demarco’s residence. A partial search of his room in August did not uncover firearms, though agents saw him crumple a paper with the word “tyranny.”
Authorities also reviewed messages Demarco sent on the social media platform Discord. In one message cited in the complaint, he wrote about wanting to shoot President Donald Trump. Other messages referred to Vought and said he had found the official’s address. Demarco also expressed admiration for Luigi Mangione, who faces charges in the killing of former UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson. In one message, Demarco asked whether someone would “seek out the guy’s home to Luigi him,” investigators said.
The complaint says Demarco had prior contact with law enforcement. In November 2024, police took him into custody in Maryland under a mental health emergency petition. Officers reported that he asked them to run him over or shoot him after Trump’s reelection. During that encounter, Demarco said he was writing a manifesto and planned to kill people once he finished it, according to the complaint.
When investigators interviewed him in August, Demarco said the November election marked the lowest point in his life. He told agents he feared an impending war and a “fascist takeover,” the filing states.
A spokesperson for OMB said the agency is grateful for law enforcement’s work in keeping Vought and his family safe. Court filings say Vought has received numerous violent threats since last year. He now has protection from the U.S. Marshals Service. Several senior Trump administration officials face similar threats, according to sources. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. also receives government protection.
