January 1, Freed Bomb Suspect Slays Officer — Judges Ignored EVERY Warning

Wyatt’s Take

• Career criminal with bomb obsession repeatedly released despite prosecutors screaming he was dangerous
• Radical soft-on-crime judges ignored explosive expertise and violent history — now a cop is dead
• Minnesota’s catch-and-release disaster proves liberal justice reform kills innocent Americans

A Minnesota cop killer with a documented obsession for explosives and a rap sheet longer than your arm walked free over and over again — until he allegedly murdered a police officer.

Now the blood is on the hands of every liberal judge who cut him loose.

The FBI is grateful for the unwavering commitment shown by every agency involved in bringing this manhunt to a successful conclusion. Thanks to the relentless work and coordination among the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, Virginia State Police, USMS, ATF, FBI, and Surry County… pic.twitter.com/ilgocbCTUB

— FBI Richmond (@FBIRichmond) June 1, 2026

Cody Puckett, 38, is charged with murder in the shooting death of Pope County Deputy Josh Owen during a traffic stop. But here’s the sick part: prosecutors had been warning courts for years that this maniac was a ticking time bomb.

Court records show Puckett had multiple felony convictions and a well-documented history of threatening violence and stockpiling bomb-making materials. He’d been arrested before on weapons charges, terroristic threats, and possessing explosive devices.

Every single time, soft-on-crime judges let him walk.

“This individual has demonstrated violent tendencies and explosive expertise that make him an ongoing threat to public safety.”

That’s what prosecutors told the court. Again and again. The judges didn’t care. They turned him loose anyway, probably muttering something about “rehabilitation” and “second chances.”

Now Deputy Owen — a husband, a father, a servant to his community — is dead. He pulled over Puckett’s vehicle during a routine traffic stop. Puckett allegedly opened fire without warning, killing Owen before fleeing the scene.

He was captured hours later after a manhunt involving multiple agencies. By then, it was too late. Another hero in a uniform murdered by a criminal who should’ve been locked up years ago.

This is what the left’s “justice reform” looks like in practice. Violent felons with bomb fetishes getting endless do-overs while law enforcement officers pay the ultimate price.

Minnesota has become a laboratory for every brain-dead progressive experiment in criminal leniency. No cash bail. Light sentencing. Early release. All in the name of “equity” and “restorative justice.”

The only thing getting restored is the body count.

Puckett’s case isn’t an anomaly. It’s the blueprint. Across blue states and cities, repeat offenders with violent histories are being recycled through a broken system that values criminals over victims.

“He should never have been on the streets. This tragedy was preventable.”

That’s what law enforcement leaders are saying now. It won’t bring Deputy Owen back. It won’t comfort his widow or his children. But maybe — just maybe — it’ll wake up a few voters before the next election.

The woke judges and prosecutors who enabled this nightmare need to be voted out and replaced with leaders who understand that public safety isn’t negotiable. Protecting dangerous criminals isn’t compassion. It’s complicity.

Deputy Josh Owen served his community with honor. He deserved better than to be gunned down by a monster the system kept unleashing.

Wyatt Matters

When the people in black robes care more about coddling criminals than protecting families, working Americans end up burying their heroes. This isn’t justice — it’s insanity. And it stops when we demand accountability from every judge, every prosecutor, and every politician who puts ideology ahead of safety.