He stood trial for attempted murder with the cult leader and six other followers in 1987. All were aquitted. Mr. Fatta lives in the remote rural compound but was not there during the Feb. 28 raid because he was attending a gun show in Austin. He is believed to be in the Waco area but could not be reached for comment Monday. According to state tax records, Mr. Fatta began the business in February 1992, almost a year after he began renting the garage to repair personal vehicles.
State records list the business as a sporting goods company.
Gary Welch, owner of the garages and the surrounding five-acre tract, said Mr. Fatta began renting the property about 21 months ago to store and repair his collection of old cars. Mr. Welch said Mr. Fatta and his friends appeared to live in the building, which is surrounded by weeds and aging cars and trucks. I don't understand why they had to do that. I offered yesterday to give them a key. Staff writers George Kuempel and David McLemore contributed to this report.