KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – A man from Tennessee has been convicted for his role in the U.S. Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, and for plotting to kill federal investigators. Edward Kelley, 35, was found guilty in Knoxville on charges including conspiracy to murder federal employees, soliciting violent crime, and threatening a federal official, as reported by the U.S. attorney’s office in a recent announcement.

Kelley, residing in Maryville, was one of many individuals apprehended for unlawfully entering the Capitol. While awaiting his trial, Kelley devised a scheme to assassinate law enforcement personnel, particularly targeting FBI agents, according to prosecutorial statements. He now faces a potential life sentence at his sentencing hearing set for May.

Prosecutors revealed that Kelley created a “kill list” featuring the names of FBI agents and others involved in the investigation. He shared this list along with videos that included images of FBI staff members with an accomplice, as part of his aggressive agenda. Court documents indicate that a witness submitted the list, which contains 37 names, to a police department in Tennessee.

A cooperating defendant, who has already pleaded guilty in connection with this conspiracy, testified that he and Kelley plotted assaults on the FBI’s Knoxville office, considering the use of car bombs and incendiary devices attached to drones. They also discussed strategies for killing FBI personnel both at their homes and in public venues such as movie theaters, according to the prosecution.

Evidence presented during the trial included recordings where Kelley was heard stating, “every hit has to hurt,” emphasizing the severity of their plans.