COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Newly obtained police and court records reveal significant inconsistencies in the events leading up to the February 2025 arrest of Army Sapper NCO Joshua Alexander King, raising questions about when his wife, Darcy King, first became aware of an alleged explosive found in their former home—and what led investigators to the discovery nearly two years after police previously documented damage inside the same garage.
King, a soldier with the 588th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division at Fort Carson, was taken into custody after his wife called Colorado Springs Police on February 4, 2025, reporting she had found a block of C4 explosive inside a wooden dresser in the garage. The two were in the process of a divorce. The report prompted a response from the FBI and the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID), who photographed the explosive material and opened a federal and military investigation.
The explosive was found inside their family home, a residence where King had not lived since mid-2023, according to court filings.
Domestic Damage Documented in 2023 Included the Garage
Colorado Springs Police had previously responded to the same home during an October 9, 2023 domestic incident. According to “Attachment A” of the police report authored by Officer S. Pacheco, the residence showed widespread damage: couches were cut open with stuffing removed, drawers were emptied, belongings were scattered through multiple rooms, drywall and furniture were damaged, and both the interior and exterior of the home appeared rummaged through.
The officer specifically documented the garage as part of the damaged areas, noting that items were “strewn across the floor as if they had been gone through or thrown.” The report states destruction occurred in “multiple areas of the residence including the garage,” confirming law enforcement inspected that portion of the home during the 2023 response.
These observations are significant because Darcy King told investigators she discovered the explosive in February 2025 while “cleaning the home,” specifically the garage area where the dresser was located. Court documents do not indicate the dresser or any suspicious item was identified by police during the 2023 response.
Restitution Records Required Documentation of Damage
Following the 2023 incident, the District Attorney’s Office initiated restitution proceedings based on documented property losses. On June 14, 2024, the court approved an initial restitution order totaling $16,979.38, based on documentation submitted through the prosecution. After further review, the amount was revised to $5,066.76 in September 2024.
Although the court record does not specify who created the itemized list of damaged property, the supporting documentation necessarily involved assessing destroyed or missing items throughout the home, including areas inside the garage. Despite this review process, no record indicates that the garage dresser or any explosive material was noted during the 2023 police response or the 2024 restitution review.
Darcy King’s Statements Regarding the Explosive
During the February 2025 investigation, Darcy King told officers she believed Joshua brought the explosive home in 2023, shortly after her father provided the couple with a retired explosives-detection dog. According to the investigative reports, Darcy’s father is a retired Department of Homeland Security employee, a detail she volunteered to police when explaining the background of the detection dog and its previous work history.
Darcy told investigators she recalled the dog “alerting” in the garage at some earlier point, though she stated she did not understand why at the time. She also told law enforcement that Joshua had warned her not to disclose that he brought the explosive home.
As part of the investigation, officers interviewed another former partner of King, who stated that he previously showed her photographs of what appeared to be a block of C4. No date was provided for when the photographs were shown, and the investigative reports do not indicate whether the images referenced were recovered, verified, or tied to the material found in 2025.
According to court filings in the probation case, the alleged explosive remained in the home for more than a year after Joshua King moved out in mid-2023. Investigative reports note that King’s access to the property ended months before the dog was reportedly reacting to the garage area, and long before the February 2025 discovery was reported to police.
Background on the Domestic Case and Probation Compliance
Following the 2023 incident, King was charged with felony criminal mischief, criminal tampering, theft, and harassment. He later entered a supervised deferred sentence for misdemeanor criminal mischief in May 2024 as part of Veterans Trauma Court. Court notes throughout 2024 describe King as a consistent and compliant participant who completed treatment phases, attended scheduled reviews, and paid restitution.
The Explosives Case: Timeline, Charges, and Affidavit Details
The corresponding explosives case provides additional details about the investigation and charges. According to the arrest-warrant affidavit, officers recovered what appeared to be a block of C4 inside a wooden dresser in the garage on February 4, 2025. The affidavit states that the explosive material was photographed by FBI and CID agents and secured for laboratory analysis.
The charging documents span an unusually broad timeframe, alleging that King possessed the explosive “between February 8, 2023 and March 11, 2025.” During much of that period, King was deployed, training, or—according to probation filings—no longer living at the residence where the explosive was found.
The District Attorney later amended the original complaint, splitting the explosives charge into two separate counts of possession/use/removal of explosives. In response, the defense filed a Bill of Particulars, arguing that the two-year charging range lacked sufficient specificity. A Motion to Dismiss followed, asserting statutory and procedural defects in the complaint and arguing the allegations do not meet the required elements of possession or unauthorized removal.
Court filings do not identify any detonation mechanisms, wires, blasting caps, or triggering components associated with the C4. Without such components, the recovered material is classified as an explosive, not an explosive device.
Probation Revocation and Jail Hold After C4 Report
When the explosive was reported, probation filed a violation against King, and on March 12, 2025, the court ordered King held without bond. The court’s “NOBD” entry resulted in King remaining in jail for several weeks solely due to the explosive allegation.
At an April 3 revocation hearing, the parties argued over bond. The judge then set a new bond at $5,000 cash or surety, which King posted the following day.
On April 7, prosecutors withdrew the revocation request, stating the alleged possession “predates the time the Defendant was placed on probation” and noting that King no longer lived in the home when the explosive was found.
Firearms Dispute Months Before the Explosive Report
Court records show King relinquished his firearms in May 2024, transferring them to a third-party custodian who secured them in gun safes. The issue resurfaced on August 15, 2024, during a restitution hearing. The judge asked Darcy whether she preferred retrieving the weapons herself or proceeding with the planned transfer to Springs Armory.
Darcy stated she wanted one firearm she claimed was registered to her. Judge David Shakes denied the request, explaining that firearm disposition must be handled through Veterans Trauma Court. When Darcy asked to pick up the guns that same day, the judge again denied the request and ordered all weapons transferred to Springs Armory.
This dispute occurred roughly eight months before the C4 report.
Case Status: Domestic Case, Explosives Case, and Military Review
In the domestic case stemming from the 2023 incident, the matter remains open pending a motion filed in November 2024 to terminate King’s probation. Court records show King remained compliant with treatment and supervision throughout the program, and the court has not yet issued a ruling on the termination request.
The explosives case, involving the alleged C4 recovered from the garage in February 2025, is active and proceeding toward a jury trial currently scheduled for 2026. The case includes amended charges, defense motions challenging the charging documents, and ongoing discovery.
A search of U.S. Army judicial records shows no pending court-martial actions related to the alleged explosive.
All of the redacted court documents obtained by The Salty Soldier can be viewed at TheSaltySoldierUncensored.com.
© 2025 TheSaltySoldier.com. All rights reserved. Reproduction or redistribution of this article is strictly prohibited without written permission.
