Former manager for the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games, Thomas Dewey Taylor Jr., age 44, appeared in federal court in Asheville on Wednesday, March 1st and plead not guilty to trying to plant a bomb at the Grandfather Mountain offices. Taylor was charged with attempting to damage and destroy with an explosive device, possessing a destructive device not registered to him, and making a destructive device.
Taylor was arrested in September of 2021 when an explosive device was discovered at the Grandfather Mountain Highland games’ office in Linville. In addition Taylor is suspected of embezzling money and committing financial credit card theft. Taylor was dismissed as office manager for the organization in August of 2021. The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was notified of these allegations and agents responded to investigate. They found what was described as an improvised explosive device (IED) which prompted the Avery County Sheriff’s Office, the SBI, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to respond. Taylor is currently facing three counts of attempted murder and one count of possession of a weapon of mass destruction. He has an ongoing court case in Avery County with his next court hearing scheduled for March 13.
