COEUR D'ALENE -- Federal agents arrested a Sagle man for making the bomb that was allegedly part of a murder-for-hire plot.
Agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms arrested Larry Fairfax, who is currently in federal custody. Fairfax made his first appearance at the Federal Courthouse in Coeur d'Alene Wednesday afternoon.
According to the FBI, Fairfax is accused of "making and placing a bomb onto a vehicle." FBI officials tell KREM 2 News Fairfax is suspected of making the bomb that was found underneath the SUV of local attorney Edgar Steele on Tuesday.
According to federal prosecutors, Steele paid a man $500 to kill his wife and mother-in-law, and promised an additional $100,000 from an insurance settlement.
Following his arrest, in an interview with Coeur d'Alene Police, Fairfax said he was hired by Steele to kill Steele's wife. Fairfax told officers he built two bombs in his house in Sagle as part of the murder-for-hire plot.
Documents show Fairfax claims he was instructed by Steele to put the bomb in the SUV on May 30 because Steele's wife would be driving to Oregon on May 31.
Fairfax also told officers he was instructed to build a second bomb and put it under Steele's vehicle in order to provide an alibi that both he and his wife were targeted. Both bombs were supposed to be functioning, however, Fairfax said he put a special tape on the bomb under Steele's car to prevent it from working.
Steele's wife dropped the SUV off at the Fast Lane Quick Lube off Bosanko in Coeur d'Alene Tuesday morning before going to her husband's initial court appearance.
Steele plead not guilty to the charges and requested to be released on his own recognizance. A judge denied his request.
Police closed the Fast Lane Quick Lube after employees found the bomb while doing an oil change on the vehicle. The Spokane County Bomb Squad detonated the bomb.
Investigators say the bomb was made of a galvanized pipe with two end caps, and the fuse was taped to the vehicle and muffler.
Steele is most known in North Idaho for formerly representing the Aryan Nations. He remains in federal custody.
