ATF Agents Lead Search For Explosives At Carnesville Home

Nearly 40 law enforcement officers converged Tuesday on the property of a Franklin County man whose business partner was shot to death in January in a homicide that continues to trouble investigators.

U.S. Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents supervised the raid geared at finding explosives used by Kyle Myers, 26, because the ATF believes Myers may be violating a federal law regulating such explosives, according to ATF spokesman Richard Coes.

Federal agents, accompanied by Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents and deputies with the sheriff’s offices in Franklin and Hart counties, raided the Royston residence of Myers. Authorities also raided on Tuesday the 60-acre farm of Lamar Myers, Kyle’s father, in Lavonia.

No arrests were made, nor did Coes know if any explosives were seized.

“The idea at one of the locations was to take firearms, but they did not do that,” Coes said.

Coes said he could not comment on whether the raid stemmed from the investigation into the slaying of 32-year-old Keith Richard Ratliff, who was found dead in his business outside Carnesville on Jan. 3.

The investigation has widened into other states, according to the GBI.

Ratliff was co-owner with Myers of FPS Industries, which made guns. As productions of FPSRussia, the men posted videos on YouTube, which featured Myers using weapons the men acquired or made.

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