Steven Beck

In the early hours of a March morning in Rockville, Maryland, a thunderous explosion shattered the pre-dawn quiet, leveling a house on Ashley Drive and shaking the surrounding neighborhood. The blast was so powerful it blew out windows in nearby homes and scattered debris across the area. When the sun rose, all that remained of the single-family home was a pile of rubble. The home, it would later be discovered, was scheduled to be sold at auction later that very day.

Amidst the wreckage, ...

WBAL: Police: Man shot dog, himself before house exploded

Washington Post: Md. man found dead in house destroyed in explosion had shot himself, police said