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Bradley Ray Roberts, 60, was pronounced dead in his Foxville Road home in Smithsburg on Thursday, Nov. 3 after state police investigators were contacted by his family who had not spoken to him in several days.
According to police, at approximately 11 a.m. on Thursday morning, troopers from the Hagerstown Barrack responded to Roberts’ home in Smithsburg to conduct a welfare check.
Family members from out of the area reported they had not spoken with Roberts for several days and that he had been ill, investigators said.
Upon their arrival, troopers were able to look into the window of the home and found a man - later identified as Roberts - lying on the floor in front of what appeared to be a homemade laboratory with an excessive amount of unknown chemicals.
“Investigators trained in clandestine laboratories and explosive chemical compounds, along with local task force agents from the Drug Enforcement Administration responded and assisted with entering the home to render aid,” according to a state police spokesperson.
Paramedics from the Washington County Fire and Rescue HazMat team, along with investigators from the Maryland State Police Criminal Investigation Division also responded to the scene to assist with the investigation.
Due to the unknown nature of the chemicals, and the equipment required to safely breach the home, Foxville Road was closed to vehicle traffic in the area until the chemicals could be tested and found to not be explosive.
First Call Environmental responded to the scene after being requested by the DEA Task Force to help safely remove the chemicals from the residence.
Investigators noted that there is no indication of violence or foul play at the scene, which remains under investigation.
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