Realtor David Hagaman said he spoke several times over the past 15 years with Ryan Wesley Routh to discuss Routh's possible willingness to sell the Hiatt Street, he said.
"He got a little agitated with me when we were working on the price," Hagaman said. "But I would not say he was erratic. It was a straight-forward transaction. He was not erratic or crazy with me in any way."
Todd Doerner purchased the frame house at 2106 Hiatt St. from Ryan Wesley Routh and his daughter Sara Routh about a year ago. He said he found it in a state of gross disrepair.
"I can't believe anyone could have lived in that house, considering the condition it was in," Doerner said. "There was just debris everywhere outside of the house... the doors nearly falling in in some places."
Federal authorities, including the Secret Service and Homeland Security, showed up at the house around 9 p.m. Sunday after Routh was taken into custody in Florida. Officers left after spending a few minutes there and it was unclear if they took anything from the home.
The house is currently unoccupied. A News & Record tour of the property on Monday showed evidence of squatters sleeping and eating in the structure.
Doerner, who is investing in other properties in the neighborhood, plans to ultimately raze the structure, he said.
Suspect's Past in Greensboro
Routh, 58, made his first court appearance Monday in Florida. He faces charges of possessing a firearm despite being a convicted felon and possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional and more serious charges are possible as the investigation continues and prosecutors seek an indictment from a grand jury.
In North Carolina, he has had multiple encounters with law enforcement dating back to 1998 with about 100 arrests, according to a LexisNexis search of his name. Tax problems have also followed Routh, who racked up 14 judgements and liens, according to LexisNexis.
Armed Standoff
In 2002, he was involved in a three-hour armed stand-off with police in Greensboro. He was accused of wielding an automatic machine gun and barricaded himself inside United Roofing Company on the former Lee Street where he had worked.
He was ultimately charged with carrying a concealed weapon and possession of a weapon of mass destruction in that case, as well as obstructing a police officer and resisting arrest.
A visit to United Roofing Co. at 2601 Husbands St. on Monday found only a fenced-in lot with materials, scraps and a weathered business sign.
Yelp reviews of the company, posted on Sunday and Monday, included remarks from Routh's former customers who weighed on his service and the attempted assassination. One former customer alleged Routh had tried to recruit him to fight in Ukraine.
Troubled Past and Military Ties
Routh, a roofing contractor who has lived most of his life in Guilford County is the son of a chemist who worked for a major paint manufacturer and a homemaker. Routh is registered to vote at the Hiatt Street address. Records show he was an unaffiliated voter who most recently voted in the Democratic primary in March. He had previously voted between 2008 and 2012 in Guilford County.
On Routh's X account, his profile includes the following message: "I feel lucky to have been born in America, with freedom and opportunity and hope that I do not waste such a valuable thing; to do more and take less."
In a Facebook post from Dec. 23, 2023, Routh portrays himself as something of an agent for soldiers for hire who are willing to fight in Ukraine, touting his connection to foreign soldiers.
He has said that he fought for Ukraine for several months in 2022.
"I have thousands of Afghan soldiers that wish to serve for the Haiti national police at cheap wages. 1000 with passports ready to fly.'' Then a final plea: "Please help me'' after a phone number listing in the post.
Routh has not disclosed to authorities his motive for allegedly attempting to kill Trump.
The former president has publicly stated he would not support the war in Ukraine if elected in 2024.
Recruiting for the International Legion
Routh was interviewed in 2023 by the New York Times for a story about volunteer soldiers from the U.S. and other countries who had traveled to Ukraine to help the beleaguered country fight Russia.
He told the Times he was "seeking recruits from among Afghan solders who fled the Taliban'' to fight alongside members of the International Legion, a volunteer group Ukraine created for expat soldiers.
Routh told the Times he was supporting the Legion in response to waning membership. He further told the Times that "dozens'' of soldiers had responded to his recruiting efforts and that he had plans to move such soldiers from Pakistan and Iran to Ukraine. Such moves could be illegal in some scenarios, Routh told the Times for the story published March 23, 2023.
The Times article highlighted the fact that through the International Legion, volunteers who didn't necessarily have any military training, had access to a vast array of weapons.
The Times on Sunday went on to note that Routh, who appears to have lived in Hawaii in recent years, in a 2020 Facebook post invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to vacation in Hawaii and allow him to play host so the pair could hash out a peace accord between North Korea and the U.S.
Apprehended in Florida
Routh attached a GoPro camera to the fence through which he allegedly threaded the muzzle of his rifle on Sunday. He also left two backpacks by the fence at the scene, according to authorities.
Routh was driving a Nissan SUV when authorities apprehended him along I-95 after he fled Trump International Golf Course.
A current Facebook page for Routh, which was still active Sunday evening, had very few photographs posted, but did feature images of a slate gray Dodge Ram pick-up truck that appeared to be Routh's own.
Martin County, Florida Sheriff William D. Snyder said the suspect was apprehended within minutes of the FBI, Secret Service and Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office putting out a “very urgent BOLO” — or “be on the lookout” alert detailing the specific vehicle sought, license plate number and description of the occupant, according to the Associated Press.
Snyder said his deputies “immediately flooded” northbound I-95, deploying to every exit between the Palm Beach County line to the south and St. Lucie County line to the north.
“One of my road patrol units saw the vehicle, matched the tag and we set up on the vehicle,” Snyder said, “We pinched in on the car, got it safely stopped and got the driver in custody.”
Snyder told WPTV that the suspect "was not armed when we took him out of the car.”
The man had a calm, flat demeanor and showed little emotion when he was stopped by police, Snyder said, saying the suspect did not question why he was being pulled over.
“He never asked, ‘what is this about?’ Obviously, law enforcement with long rifles, blue lights, a lot going on. He never questioned it,” Snyder said, the AP reported.
A History of Legal Troubles
Guilford County Assistant District Attorney Chris Parrish told the News & Record Monday that while Routh's arrests reach a high tally, Routh has never been convicted of a violent offense.
The Hiatt Street house in Greensboro formerly owned by Ryan Routh was recently sold. The structure was left in gross disrepair, according to new owner Todd Doerner of Greensboro.
The house at 2106 Hiatt St., the address associated with Ryan Wesley Routh, in Greensboro.
A chain and padlocks on the gate at the house at 2106 Hiatt St., the address associated with Ryan Wesley Routh, in Greensboro, on Monday.
The investigation into Routh's alleged assassination attempt continues as authorities seek to uncover his motive and understand the full extent of his actions.
