Man accused of threatening witnesses, jurors during Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial to remain in custody

The self-proclaimed white supremacist accused of threatening Jews and targeting witnesses, jurors and police during the Pittsburgh synagogue shooting trial will remain in custody.

A federal magistrate judge said Wednesday at a detention hearing in Wheeling, W.Va., that Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 47, of Follansbee, W.Va., poses a flight risk and would be a threat to the community if released on bond.

Magistrate Judge James P. Mazzone said he based his decision on Lloyd having a criminal history that includes a gun possession conviction and the fact that he violated terms of his federal supervised release on multiple occasions in the past.

Lloyd faces three federal counts — obstruction of justice, transmitting threats over interstate and foreign commerce, and witness tampering — in connection with posts authorities said he made on his website during the trial of Robert Bowers. Bowers was convicted and sentenced to death for killing 11 people Oct. 27, 2018, at the Tree of Life synagogue in Squirrel Hill.

Lloyd was charged by criminal complaint earlier this month. On Tuesday, a federal grand jury also returned an indictment against him.

The indictment said that on May 17, Lloyd wrote on his website, “Robert Bowers is a hero. Any juror who finds him not guilty is an anti-white criminal who should be treated as such.”

The same day, according to the indictment, Lloyd wrote on the far-right Russian social media site VK, “FREE RICHARD BOWERS PGH OR ELSE THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.”

“The posts also included long references to lone wolves, that they should disobey and kill,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Jarod Douglas.

During Wednesday’s hearing, FBI Special Agent Matthew Message testified that Lloyd posted about a person he referred to as “Witness 1” on his website.

On June 3, the indictment said, Lloyd posted a picture of the witness on the site’s “enemies” page and listed her name.

“This page contains publicly gathered info, 90% of (which comes from the) social media accounts of known anti-white bigots and criminals,” Lloyd wrote. “It is not illegal to post this info, nor to say it is for lone wolves. U.S. law allows such speech. This would only be illegal if we called for actual direct action against them. We are simply reposting their own publicly posted info and stating our opinions for lone wolves.”

Message said he spoke to that witness about the posts.

“She said they frightened her,” he said. “They made her concerned for her safety.”

In a May 19 email to people on his email distribution list and to several news media outlets, Lloyd wrote that he would file to get jurors’ names in the synagogue trial.

“Hope the jurors get told that and vote the right way,” he said.

The FBI agent also said investigators found two audio files on Lloyd’s website in which he threatened police officers.

“The cops come to my door, then I’m going out shooting,” he said in one recording played in court.

In another, he said: “If the cops ever do show up at my door, I’m just going to start shooting. I’m prepared to kill and to die for my people.”

On cross-examination by the defense, Message testified that Lloyd was cooperative and did not resist when law enforcement showed up at his apartment to arrest him. He said they found three black powder revolvers at his home.

Defense attorney Beth Gross argued Lloyd does not pose a threat to law enforcement and has never reacted on his many encounters with them at his home.

“Nothing has occurred. He goes peacefully,” she said. “He comes to the door and walks right out.”

He also does not pose a danger to the community, she said, noting that Lloyd was in the process of seeking mental health treatment when the alleged offenses occurred.

Gross argued Lloyd made no direct threats to police officers or to the witness or jurors in the synagogue trial.

“The court really needs to think whether the danger is actual or theoretical,” Gross said.

The government said the statements don’t need to be made directly to the targets to be threatening.

Douglas argued Lloyd has financial resources to possibly flee and he’s a danger to the community.

“It exists, not only in this defendant but the people who listen to the defendant,” Douglas said. “He’s getting messages out while he’s in jail. If he gets out, he’s going to get people riled up again.”

Investigators said that after the Bowers trial began, Lloyd placed — or had others place — antisemitic and “all-purpose hate” stickers on utility poles and public surfaces in Pittsburgh.

They were found in Wightman Park in Squirrel Hill, as well as Schenley Park, along Beechwood Boulevard and in Oakland.

Lloyd also distributed leaflets and posted emails threatening jurors and families of victims, authorities said.

On May 14, Lloyd called shooter Bowers “the Great Lone Wolf” on VK. He also was active on far-right site Gab.com, where Bowers posted before the attack.