ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Investigators are expected to reveal the cause of a car explosion in Allentown, Pennsylvania, that killed three people, including a father and his toddler son. Officials with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are holding a news conference Thursday with prosecutors and Allentown police.
They’re expected to discuss the contents of letters that 26-year-old Jacob Schmoyer sent before the weekend blast that killed Schmoyer, his 2-year-old son Jonathan “JJ” Schmoyer and a friend, 66-year-old David Hillman. The two men knew each other, authorities have said.
The explosion scattered debris and body parts over several city blocks.
Schmoyer’s grandmother, Kathleen Pond, told WFMZ she received a letter. She did not reveal what he wrote, but told the station: “Maybe in my heart I knew he would do it to himself, but never to JJ.”
“The scene was probably the most horrific thing that I have ever seen. It was a large scene a lot of components involved a lot evidence, so it is taking a while to process it,” said Allentown Police Chief Tony Alsleben.
At least 50 federal agents are assisting local authorities looking for clues about what caused the blast. But they have ruled out terrorism.
“We know we’re dealing with a material that exploded, a lot of energy exploded,” said Don Robinson, ATF Special Agent in Charge. “That could be anything from an accident to a device.”
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