Colin Demarco, 26, was arrested Jan. 22 and charged with attempted murder after appearing at OMB Director Russell Vought's Arlington home on Aug. 10, according to court records. Ring footage, messages found on Discord, and notes recovered from his iCloud account — including a "Body Disposal Guide" and a weapons list — are cited in the complaint. Demarco told investigators he feared a "fascist takeover" after the November 2024 election and had previously been taken into custody under a mental-illness emergency petition. The case was investigated in part by the U.S. Marshals Service; Vought now receives Marshals protection.
Maryland Man Arrested on Attempted Murder Charges After Confronting OMB Director Russell Vought
File: Russell Vought, OMB director, at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on July 15, 2025. / Credit: Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg via Getty Images(Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Arlington, Va. — A 26-year-old Maryland man has been arrested and charged with attempted murder after appearing at the Arlington home of Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, court records and law enforcement sources say.
Key Allegations and Arrest
Colin Demarco was taken into custody by Arlington County Police on Jan. 22 on multiple criminal counts, according to court documents. He is scheduled to appear in Arlington County court on Feb. 23. The U.S. Marshals Service — which provided security for the alleged victim and participated in the investigation — assisted in identifying Demarco from Ring doorbell footage.
Evidence From Video, Devices and Messages
The criminal complaint says Ring footage captured a person investigators later identified as Demarco at the front door of Vought’s Arlington residence on Aug. 10. The video reportedly shows a man wearing a surgical mask, gloves, sunglasses, a backpack and looking through a mailbox. A neighbor told investigators the person appeared to have a gun tucked under his shirt.
When interviewed at his Rockville, Maryland, home, Demarco initially said he had traveled to Arlington to look for work but later told agents he went to Vought’s house to confront him about Project 2025. Demarco denied carrying a gun or intending to harm anyone, but told agents the November 2024 election was "the lowest point in his life" and that he feared an "impending war and a fascist takeover," the complaint says.
Notes, Online Messages and Previous Contacts With Authorities
Investigators obtained a search warrant for Demarco's iCloud account and say they found notes describing a weapons cache and a file labeled "Body Disposal Guide," which included advice such as "always wear rubber gloves" and to "make an airtight alibi." One note titled "Dad's Gun Stash" reportedly referenced a ".357 Magnum Colt revolver (FULLY PRE-LOADED!)." A partial search of his room in August did not recover firearms, law enforcement said.
Undated: Colin Demarco mug shot. Court records show that Demarco is accused of plotting to murder a victim with the initials
Prosecutors also cite messages on Discord in which Demarco allegedly wrote about wanting to kill the president and referenced finding Vought's address. The complaint says Demarco praised Luigi Mangione, the man charged in the fatal shooting of former UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, and at one point asked whether others would be willing to "Luigi" the target — an apparent reference to Mangione.
Demarco previously came to police attention in November 2024 under a mental-illness emergency petition after telling officers he wanted to die and saying he had been drafting a manifesto. According to the complaint, he reportedly said that once the manifesto was complete he would kill people.
Victim, Motive and Investigation
The complaint identifies the alleged target only by the initials "R.V.," described as a presidential appointee. It links that person to Project 2025, a policy initiative associated with the conservative Heritage Foundation that aims to reshape federal governance and increase executive authority. Sources familiar with the investigation confirmed the target was Russell Vought.
Vought has been a polarizing figure because of his association with Schedule F, a plan to reclassify certain federal career employees, and for private remarks reported by ProPublica about putting career civil servants "in trauma." Because of previous threats, Vought is protected by a U.S. Marshals Service security detail.
Federal vs. State Charges
It was not immediately clear why Arlington County prosecutors filed state charges instead of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, since the investigation involved the U.S. Marshals Service and crossed state lines from Maryland into Northern Virginia.
What Comes Next
Demarco remains in custody pending his court date. Officials have declined additional comment while the investigation continues. The case highlights concerns about targeted threats against senior government officials and the role of online communications and device records in modern investigations.
Note: All details above are drawn from court filings and sources cited in the criminal complaint. Charges and allegations are those filed by prosecutors; defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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