Santa Barbara DA Charges Suspect in Santa Maria Courthouse Bombing and Arsons
Nathan James McGuire, 20, Faces 10 Counts in County Court, Including Attempted Murder and Arson
The Santa Barbara District Attorney’s Office has filed 10 charges against Nathan James McGuire, 20, after he allegedly threw a bomb into the Santa Maria Courthouse and injured at least five individuals on September 25. This comes after the U.S. Attorney’s Office filed federal charges against McGuire the day after for maliciously damaging a building by means of explosive.
According to the DA’s felony complaint, McGuire is being charged with two counts of attempted murder, use of an explosive device with the intent to murder, use of an explosive device for purposes of terrorizing, use of an explosive device causing injury, possession of loaded firearms, and multiple counts of arson with the use of an accelerant. McGuire is also charged with a special allegation for being out on bail for a separate felony charge of possessing an un-serialized firearm.
McGuire was scheduled to be arraigned for his September 17 firearms violation in Department 9 on September 25 when, instead, he allegedly leaned into the Santa Maria courthouse and threw an improvised explosive device inside, according to authorities. Authorities quickly apprehended the subject as he headed back to his car and later found several loaded firearms in his vehicle, along with 10 Molotov cocktails and another bomb, which was later rendered safe. A search of McGuire’s house turned up an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material.
McGuire is also being charged with three counts of “arson of a forest land” in the Santa Maria area. The felony complaint estimates that the three arson fires — two on Palmer Road and one on Tepusquet Road — occurred on September 25, just prior to the courthouse attack.
The suspect is currently being held without bail in federal custody. The county’s charges will remain pending until after McGuire deals with the federal charges brought against him. McGuire is scheduled to be arraigned on his federal charges in U.S. District Court in L.A. on October 18.
McGuire was detained as he was returning to his Ford Mustang, where authorities say they found a flare gun, rifle, shotgun, ammunition, and 10 Molotov cocktails. | Credit: Courtesy 
Inside McGuire’s car, authorities also found another suspected bomb, which they rendered safe. | Credit: Courtesy 
A search of McGuire’s residence turned up what appear to be the makings of a pipe bomb: an empty can with nails glued to the outside, a duffel bag containing matches, black powder, used and unused fireworks, and papers that appeared to be recipes for explosive material. | Credit: Courtesy
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