Feds arrest Oklahoma high school student who bought guns, talked of hiding bodies

Authorities arrested Timmy Dean Eike, 18, on Tuesday night and seized a shotgun, rifle and 250 rounds of ammunition from the bedroom of his Woodward home, court records show.

He bought the 20-gauge shotgun July 5 and the rifle July 9, the records show.

The taxi driver, Travis Ballard, also reported Eike's relatives told him they had witnessed Eike watching videos of the 1999 Columbine, Colo., school shooting while loading the 20-gauge shotgun.

Eike was charged Wednesday in Oklahoma City federal court with illegally possessing firearms and with making false statements to purchase the weapons. He was being held Thursday in the Logan County jail.

A prosecutor and his defense attorney declined to comment Thursday. Woodward High School Principal Kirk Warnick confirmed Eike is a senior for the upcoming school year.

The taxi driver, Ballard, on Sunday reported to the Woodward County sheriff's office that Eike had talked that day of avoiding arrest for murder. Eike had used the taxi service regularly in recent months to get from his home to a job at Walmart.

“During these trips, Eike had been asking Ballard very odd questions. Eike had been asking Ballard about how to hide dead bodies and what countries will extradite back to the United States,” agent Chad Oubre with the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives wrote in a court affidavit.

“On July 22 ... Eike asked Ballard if he had a warrant for his arrest, how hard the police would look for him. Ballard stated it would depend on what the warrant was for. Eike replied, ‘It would be for murder,'” the agent wrote.

Ballard, 34, told The Oklahoman on Thursday that he also was told Eike ordered two sets of handcuffs and a ski mask on the Internet.

He said that information came from a relative of the student.

The taxi driver said he had no doubt Eike was planning on killing someone. “Honestly, if I don't stop that, that is just as guilty on my part,” he said.