Devon Arthurs, former neo-Nazi and convert to Islam, charged with killing roommates

Former neo-Nazi Devon Arthurs was arrested Friday and charged in the double-murder of two men who allegedly “disrespected” Islam.

Jeremy Himmelman, 22, and Andrew Oneschuk, 18, were shot and killed May 19 in a Tampa, Florida, apartment complex. Police eventually apprehended Mr. Arthurs, 18, the same day after he took three individuals hostage inside a local business.

“I had to do it. This wouldn’t have had to happen if your country didn’t bomb my country,” Mr. Arthurs is quoted as saying in a police affidavit, a local Fox News affiliate reported Monday.

Police said the suspect entered the Green Planet Smoke Shop at 5:30 p.m. after the killing and began talking about the crimes.

“He came in there with a gun, never faced it at [the employees],” manage Fadi Soufan said, the station reported. “[He was] telling them the world’s corrupt, crazy stuff like that, and that he just shot someone.”

Mr. Arthurs faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of aggravated assault and three counts of armed kidnapping, The Tampa Bay Times reported Monday. He is being held without bail at Hillsborough County jail.