ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A man killed in a car explosion last weekend with his toddler son and adult friend blew it up with homemade explosives, detailing his plans in letters to police and family in which he lamented how miserable his life was, authorities said Thursday.
Jacob Schmoyer, 26, sent the letters shortly before the blast in Allentown that killed him, his 2-year-old son Jonathan “J.J.” Schmoyer, and a friend, 66-year-old David Hallman, authorities said. One letter was delivered Tuesday, the rest Wednesday, and were dated Sept. 29, agent Don Robinson of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms said at a news conference.
“He was miserable,” Robinson said. “Basically, the four letters described a miserable life, he was unhappy with himself. … He admitted to a number of criminal acts, and he didn’t think it was going to get any better. There was a lot of hatred there, some directed at Mr. Hallman and some at his son.”
The crimes he admitted to included petty thefts and burglaries, Robinson said.
It wasn’t clear why Schmoyer targeted Hallman, but Robinson said Schmoyer “lured” the man to his vehicle on the night of the blast, which scattered debris and body parts over a wide area and forced the closure of several city blocks for days.