Residents in Mesa neighborhood express concern over pipe bomb suspect's return to his home

MESA, Ariz. (KSAZ) -- The Mesa man accused of making dozens of pipe bombs and storing them in his garage is due back in court on Wednesday.

Jeffrey Metcalf, 51, was arrested back in August, and several homes in his neighborhood had to be evacuated, while law enforcement safely removed the devices. According to court paperwork, Metcalf, a former Marine, indicated he suffers from PTSD. His neighborhood had to be evacuated on August 28, after dozens of pipe bombs were discovered in his home.

Metcalf is accused of making 42 pipe bombs in his home, and charged with dozens of misconduct charges.

Now, Metcalf is out on bail and has returned home. As part of his release conditions besides a $50,000 bond, Metcalf was told he could not return to his Mesa home, where he admitted to making dozens of pipe bombs that were stored in his garage, along with more than 7 thousand rounds of ammunition.

However, at the end of September, the court granted Metcalf permission to return to his home, and some residents in the neighborhood are anxious, nervous, and angry.

"He had a box full of bombs in his garage 100 feet away from where my children and my grandchildren watched TV in my house," said one person, who did not want to be identified. "That pissed me off."

The neighbor says he believes Metcalf is a victim in all this too, as he returned home with PTSD and no treatment after serving in Afghanistan. He says he feels terrible for Metcalf, but will feel devastated if something goes wrong.

"I don't want him to blow up his house and take mine with it and maybe the little girl across the street and maybe some people who are just coming back with groceries," said the person. "It's the violence going on right now.

No one appeared to be home at Metcalf's Mesa home on Tuesday.