Vermilion County, Illinois bombings
The Vermilion County bombings were a series of three bombings in the towns of Danville and Oakville killing at least two people and injuring 34. The bombings were committed by Richard White. First Bombing. On 30 December 1997, Richard White placed a pipe bomb triggered by a motion sensor inside a cooler outside United Methodist Church in Oakwood, Illinois. Brian Plawer left the church and noticed the cooler, while attempting to move it the motion sensor activated causing the pipe bomb to detonate killing 46-year old Brian Plawer instantly. The bombing was heard throughout the  town and caused minor damage to the United Methodist Church. Second Bombing. On 24 May 1998, Richard white went to First Assembly of God Church in Danville Illinois. There he went to the west side of the church and placed a pipe bomb on top of an air conditioning and heating unit next to an exterior support pillar. In the church, over 300 people were attending mass when the bomb detonated near the youth section. The explosion blew a 10 foot by 15-foot hole in the west side of the church. Because the bomb was placed on the air  conditioning unit and the way the bomb was built most of the fragments from the bomb flew over the congregation. No one was killed in the bombing however 34 people were injured. Investigation. After the first bombing both the ATF and the FBI got involved but were unable to find anything linking the bombing to an individual. After the second bombing, the ATF and FBI found that both bombs had a blue-insulated, silver-coated, single-strand wire in common. While the forensics teams were investigating the bomb's components, investigators were asking witnesses and members of the church about  info that could lead to an arrest. Eventually, they came upon Richard Dean White was a person of interest as he was a member of the church but not a suspect. Third Bombing. On 30 May 1998, The ATF went to interview Richard white at his property but he wasn't there. A family member that was living at the premises said he was living with his mother and called ahead. Before the ATF could reach his house Richard white went into a garage on his property with his german shepherd dog. At 4:44 PM he detonated a pipe bomb  on himself, killing both himself and his dog instantly and damaging the garage. When the FBI when into the garage they found an unexploded bomb and the corpse of Army veteran Richard Dean White with his dog. Motive. There are several possible motives as to why Richard Dean White committed the bombings. Richard White had mental problems and spent time in the mental wards of multiple veterans’ hospitals over the course of several years. Another possible reason or motive stems from his younger brother Randy Shotts who was injured in a swimming accident in 1986 that left him paralyzed. Multiple  of the doctors who treated Randy Shotts attended the two churches, Richard White is said to have had resentment at the way the doctors treated his brother.