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Police: Man plotted to decapitate ex-girlfriend, kill troopers

YORK, Pa. (WHTM) – Police say they’ve filed charges against a man who plotted to kill his ex-girlfriend, state troopers and Pennslyvania judges.

Howard Timothy Cofflin Jr., 56, of Dundalk, Maryland was charged Wednesday with attempted homicide, attempted homicide of a law enforcement officer, terrorism, threat to use weapons of mass destruction, aggravated assault, terroristic threats, and bomb threats.

“Clearly he had the intent to kill many members of our agency,” Pennsylvania State Police Captain Adam Kosheba said.

Authorities said Cofflin wanted to “go to war” with the state police and had graphic plans to kill his ex-girlfriend.

“With the intent of decapitating her, he was then subsequently going to put her head on a stick,” Kosheba said.

Investigators claim Cofflin’s hatred stemmed from a Protection From Abuse order filed against him in August after a fight with his ex-girlfriend. Troopers were made aware of Cofflin’s murderous plot after his defense attorney in the PFA case came forward.

“His intent of doing this was not simply a premise of I’m angry against some individuals,” York County Prosecutor Tim Barker said. “It is I am going to make a statement, I am going to change the way York County operates.”

During an interview, Cofflin told troopers he conducted surveillance on the state police barracks in Loganville. A search of his phone showed he searched “how to kill a state trooper.”

Troopers showed some of the materials they believe Cofflin was going to use, which included rounds of ammunition, part of a homemade AR-15 rifle, and some improvised explosives.

“Based on what he has there, depending on where he put it, he could have leveled at least a portion of this building and killed several people,” Kosheba said.

Cofflin is in custody in Maryland and is awaiting extradition back to Pennsylvania.

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