Daniel James Murray, Man Sought For Threatening Obama, Arrested

SALT LAKE CITY — Authorities have arrested a man who allegedly told bank tellers while cleaning out his savings account in Utah that he was on a mission to kill President Barack Obama.

The Secret Service said Daniel James Murray, 36, was arrested Friday outside a casino in Laughlin, Nev., a gambling town 100 miles from Las Vegas on the Nevada-Arizona line.

He was charged Thursday in Salt Lake City with a federal count of conveying threats while talking to tellers last month at Zions First National Bank in St. George, Utah.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Barbara Bearnson said Murray was in federal custody in Nevada and likely will get a court date there Monday. Neither Bearnson nor the Secret Service would discuss whether Murray was considered to be a serious threat.

Charging documents say Murray, originally from Rexford, N.Y., is the registered owner of eight guns.

He was described by his father and former neighbors in Rexford as troubled but not dangerous, known for strolling down a street wearing a cape while talking to himself.

"He's sick. He's been sick for about 10 years," Michael Murray, his father, told the Times Union of Albany, N.Y.

In charging documents filed Thursday, the Secret Service said Daniel Murray made bizarre statements while opening _ and then closing within two weeks _ an $85,000 savings account.

First, he demanded to know if Zions First National Bank was solvent, saying, "I'm sure if citizens happen to lose their money, they will rise up and we could see killing and deaths," bank tellers told a Secret Service agent.

On May 27, as a teller counted out bills no larger than $50, Murray delivered a rambling discourse on the probability of economic and social disorder, ending with "We are on a mission to kill the president of the United States," a bank employee told the Secret Service.

The next day, Murray withdrew the remaining $72,000 and closed his account.

In Washington, Secret Service spokesman Malcolm Wiley said Murray offered no resistance when he was arrested at 7 p.m. Friday on a warrant in the parking lot of the Riverside Hotel and Casino in Laughlin, Nev. Wiley wouldn't offer any further details. It wasn't clear if Murray had a lawyer.

___

Associated Press writer Kathleen Hennessey in Las Vegas contributed to this report.

Comments

[ColPash]

Why does this nut ball have 8 guns, let alone one?

[Bogey907]

It would suit me just fine if they do pry them from his cold, dead fingers...

[JZ735]

Don't you know it's every Americans god given right! The NRA says so! (and the sorry excuse for a Supe Ct. we have now)...

[latsirk]

I need to add more to my previous comment, and this may or may not be relevant..­.... the church that the crazy man was standing at was an LDS church and the guy they arrested is from Utah, does anyone know if he is LDS??? Again, not sure if this is even relevant, it's just a thought.

[latsirk]

This is weird, I live in Eureka, Ca. and last week there was crazy man standing at the entrance of a local church, wearing a cape and screaming at the top of his lungs that a revolution was coming, I believe he was taken into custody but still, this is weird.

[Jtt]

Its weird its now, last year US large banks failed simultaneously and needed to be propped up.

I think many on the right are just now figuring out that it really went to he((.

[joebaggadonuts]

What color was the cape?

[chicagurl]

He made the comments last month - it took the FBI a month to find him? He was going to kill the president, yet in a month, he didn't travel east from Salt Lake City (towards DC), he traveled southwest to Laughlin. Yep, the $85,000 is confusing, why he would have the money to begin with to open up an account, and then close it two weeks later. And if his family and friends all know he's mentally unhinged, where and how would he have this money to run around with? Lots of questions, but now, after this, I'm sure they'll be able to put him away somewhere and give him meds so he'll get better.

[squatmunkie]

This is why we need stronger gun controls. This lunatic is probably schizophrenic yet he is allowed to own EIGHT guns with ease.

[zerotimes10]

A "crazy man" walking around wearing a cape and muttering to himself with 72,000 dollars in a checking account? Hmmm . . . Who was helping this man?

[joebaggadonuts]

Cheney had a secret.

[Imzadi]

Helping him would be socialaized medicine. Not in our republic..­.

[JZ735]

It is a bit odd that he had that much money.

[benji85]

Agreed; don't get me wrong I like the 2nd Amendment but we need to make sure that those that are imbalanced shouldn't be allowed to own guns for the safety of the community as a whole.

[Jtt]

No i think so. As a citizen you should be trusted to own weapons. He obviously should not have been but his family and friends should have said something.

I dont want to see more of this:

Police Beating of Schizophrenic Caught on Tape ( http://www.abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=7773867&page=1 )

[MJinCanada]

Do you think it would have helped the poor guy if he'd had a gun? Not bloody likely. Nor would anyone else have pulled a gun on a cop, because that is suicide.

What was wrong in that case was a police officer who should never have been given a badge.

[garystartswithg]

thats a perfect case of how the wrong people end up in police uniforms -- just like the wrong people end up on wall street. if you lie, cheat and plagerize then you get an mba you are in on wall street. police all too often hire the most brutal lemmings of society to "keep the peace". if you have the ability to think for yourself then the police don't want you. american society is built on dichotomys -- no place for the meek, honest, simple.

i fully agree with the previous poster -- pull a gun on a police officer and you are dead, pure and simple. and its time for a victory dance for the police because you are the criminal element -- not them for murdering you for trying to protect yourself.

[nylibgrrl]

"but his family and friends should have said something.­"

How often do you see that? Always, after a tragic mass shooting, someone (or several someones) knew or suspected something but didn't say anything? People need to speak up with their suspicions, sure, but no way should this guy have been allowed to purchase 8 guns. He probably got them via a gunshow where there's a loophole--no background check required.

[RoadCrossingChicken]

HELLO!! Anybody listening?­??????????­??

[garystartswithg]

why listen when its much more fun to point fingers and throw tea bags around

[SnarlsBarky]

How does one person become the owner of EIGHT registered guns without sending up a red flag in the gun registration system? Is there no national gun registry?

[zerotimes10]

The American Extreme Right Wing Terrorist Contingent's new mantra:

"bring us your crazy and derranged, eager to destroy all that is beautiful and good."

[700rpm]

There is no "national gun registry." The red flags should have gone up around an obviously unbalanced person owning ANY guns at all. Fault: family and friends.

[CalSailor]

no, there is no national gun registry. In many states you can buy multiple weapons per month. In Virginia several years ago there was a huge fight over limiting gun sales to one/month. A considerable number of people argued that this was an enfringement of their 2nd Amendment rights. For a "serious" gun owner, 8 is no big deal...wha­t the states do who allow multiple gun purchases on a monthly basis, or an unlimited "right" means nuts can acquire a huge arsenal...­and "straw men" who are not disqualified, can buy as many guns as possible in their state and resell them in underground sales. If Washington DC totally banned weapons, even if the courts agreed...i­t wouldn't do them any good...the­re are hundreds of thousand of cars that come into the city from surrounding states along dozens of roads every day. How would the city stop them? Search every car? Never happen.

As far as this nut..peopl­e like him will never be excluded, because the sorts of "indicators" which might throw up red flags will NEVER be included in background checks. Been committed on a 72 hour watch in a hospital? Been known to cops in the community as being "strange" like this guy...beca­use his "rights" would be abridged. "Background checks" are usually worthless.

His dad says this guy was "sick" for 10 years. Did he sound a warning? Nope. Says it all.

Pr Chris

[ymuttley]

Just the threat of what he said will get him federal time,anyone who says these things and get caught saying them will do time,thats the way it goes, anyway he deserveres it, I don't care how sick his dad says he is!!!!!!!!!

[analisethis]

I am puzzled as to why his father knowing that he is "sick" did not previously inform the authorities about his guns to avoid this very situation.

[joebaggadonuts]

Probably his dad didn't know he had guns.

[taddles]

Hopefully he will get the help he so obviously needs.

[vegassoul]

Water board him until he says who the "WE" are.

[DLBSR]

Come on guys, there is no consp*iracy here. "WE" is him and him alone, except for all of the "other people" he is talking to. As far as the money is concerned it's really very simple. Here you have a guy with guns, a cape. He acquired the $85K by pulling CAPERS! The FBI will make that determination within the next five years or so.

[Jtt]

He could have even sold his house after being told the banks would all fail. Considering he is from the east coast and salt lake isnt exactly a shortcut to Washington.

Hes probably very impressionable, considering his condition. Its a shame none of his "friends" could get him to a doctor.

[Knowitall]

You may want to make light of this, but I can remember the assassinations and assassination attempts of the '60s, '70s, and '80s. What we know is that mentally ill people really believe what they are saying is true. Anyone who has dealt with the mentally ill know that they can be very convincing--at least enough to get right wingers to believe they would pull the trigger.

Whoever, gave this guy the $85,000 to go after Pres. Obama, probably thought, this guy is a little off, but just the kind who would carry this thing out. Another John Hinckley. I agree with those who say "follow the money". It would be interesting to know if he already had the 8 guns, or whether they were part of the deal.

From the article, it sounds like the guy was a paranoid schizophrenic, maybe untreated. (Otherwise, how could he have gotten guns legally? I don't think he did.)
His paranoia about leaving his money in a bank shows that he's been listening to somebody in the media.

It's within the realm of possibility that this guy being a known nut, would be a benefit to the people behind this. People are already saying he acted alone. That's what everybody wants to think. If there are masterminds behind this, that is what they are hoping for. Everybody will think he was controlled by the voices in his head.

[zerotimes10]

You seem to know alot. How do you know?

[mitsie]

I will say this again, my concern is the crazies like O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Beck, Bachman and even Palin, who say these crazy things that can set someone like this off. I believe in the first amendment, but people need to be adults and be responsible for their own actions. If any person, whether mentally ill or not, acts out because of something someone has said, then that person who said it, should be a subject of public ridicule.

[MJinCanada]

Is there that much money in pickled flower buds?

I'd rather suspect that someone yet unknown is a poor judge of hit men.

[squatmunkie]

You nearly made me choke with laughter..­.HA!

[joebaggadonuts]

Time to rent a movie. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118883/

[Vman5]

So, this guy has been "[mentally] sick for 10 years" but he's the registered owner of eight guns. The NRA's cool with that?

[700rpm]

No. Do you have any idea what you're talking about?

[mitsie]

So what's the procedure for taking away a registered gun from someone who is mentally unstable?

[JZ735]

Certainly the gun kooks don't.

[Gronkie]

I would love to know which radio and TV entertainers/ pundits he listens to. Before we know for sure, let me guess: Fox News, Limbaugh, Hannity, etc.

[BatedBreath]

Sounds like he's listening to the voices in his head. No sane assassin would announce his intentions to bank tellers. That doesn't mean he would try to kill the president, though.

[Traynor]

I've heard some of them say things as dangerous and traitorous. When are they to be arrested?

[DeBartolo]

I agree with you 100%.. In my opinion, they delibertly insight the fringe to do what they cannot win in elections or manipulate through the GOP biased court systems.

[MNCurler]

Good guess because we know if he was listening to Air America he would have felt guilty having so much money and would have had to give it all away to someone who didn't earn it.

[MJinCanada]

Geez, you mean orphans and people who lose everything in fires and people with dying children who can't afford medical treatment have to "earn" their charity now?

If you consider yourself a Christian, I'd suggest you dig out your Bible (if you have one) and read all the bits printed in red ink.

[mitsie]

That's exactly my point.

[Jtt]

For all you rocket scientists thinking this is some type of mastermind and not someonne that needs help:

"We are 94 million miles from the sun, and are in between the sun and moon, and the eagle that flies between them, and it's a giant step for mankind ... I have traveled thousands of miles to be here and know things that are going to happen ... the banking system will fail and people will di e ... there will be chaos in the world." ( http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12520998 )

and yes I did know he said that before I posted.

[DrMatt]

Practically by definition you would have to be mentality unstable to make a death threat....­to anyone. This guy is a loon who also happens to be dangerous. In other words, he's exactly the type of teabagging nutcase the secret service needs to worry about.

[Jtt]

People make impassioned threats all the time. Not in a passing conversation to a bank teller.

You shouldn't ever joke about killing someone or make jokes about it. In all seriousness I cant see someone with a cape, eight guns and busy talking to himself getting past secret service.

Its the ones that are not so easy to spot and are not out making threats you need to be concerned with.

His spiel is more secular survivalist gun fanatic - with a bit of 60's style red scare and dramma mixed in. Just his going west is a bit concerning, as that is the territory for that kind of survivalist stuff.

Being gay and a believer in gun rights Ive been watching these people for years. The religious fanatics are the worse. Worry about them.

[TheLearnedEnglishDog]

Thank you Dr Matt, for stating the obvious. The Secret Service need to crack down on domestic terrorism (a.k.a. right wing extremism) These wackos are dangerous, and they hate us for our freedoms

[Jtt]

You know I served my country and paid my taxes - then here when I advocate for the mentally challenged the Bots attack.

When I advocated for gay rights they attack.

I think that is despicable and I liked it better when people like this were Republican.

[TheLearnedEnglishDog]

Well lets get this guy off the street, and see what he needs treatment -wise

[jrutle]

Unfortunately, there are a lot of wingnuts who are mentally imbalanced and capable of violence to achieve their cause. There are plenty more like Roeder and Murray in the countryside. Law authorities and the public in general need to stay alert to those who threaten violence. They are not an aberration, but a fairly significant group who are fed by the right wing hate media.

[neverfm]

He told the bank teller: " WE are on a mission to kill the president of the United States." In addition to following the money, the authorities have to find out who the WE are. These treats should be taken as seriously as those from extremist threats outside of the United States.

[Obamalicious]

As serious as the allegations are, there is nothing of major concern in this case. They guy is mentally ill. "We" may be voices in his head. He was suffering from some form of psychosis.

It is good that he has been arrested, and he will now get the mental health services that he requires.

[ArcEnCiel]

Maybe, maybe not. "We" might as well be a group of real people. The guy is not necessarily mental ill just because his father states so. He has managed to save more than $80,000.00 and owns 8 guns; he doesn't seem as hopelessly sick as some would want us to believe!

[Naithom]

While you may be correct, it will need to be investigated to make that sure that that is the case and not a situation of others utilizing the fact that he is mentally ill to use him as a tool.

You know, find someone who is already psychotic and paranoid, whip them up with hate speech, make sure he's armed and point him towards your target. Whether or not he's successful, he gets the blame, people blow it off as the work of a single nut and those actually responsible walk away with their hands supposedly clean.