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2 Walpole natives killed by roommate shortly after moving to Tampa

WALPOLE, Mass. — Two Walpole natives were killed recently after moving to Florida and being shot by their new roommate.

Jeremy Hammelman, 22, and Andrew Onechuk, 18, had recently moved from Walpole to Tampa Palms and in with 18-year-old Devon Arthurs who they had met through a mutual friend.

“Two kids who are just down there for a change of scenery. They were fishing, would feed homeless animals,” Hammelman’s sister Alyssa said.

Tampa investigators say Arthurs told police he shared his neo-Nazi beliefs with his roommate and that he converted to Islam. Investigators say Arthurs did not like what his roommates had to say about his faith so he Arthurs allegedly pulled out a gun and killed them.

“He practiced some sort of radical Muslim, I don't know. They were disagreeing with his beliefs,” Alyssa Hammelman said.

Arthurs then allegedly went to a Tampa smoke shop and held employees hostage.

“The kid walked in there, about 18 years old, came in there with a gun, had it in the air like this. Telling them the world corrupt,” one witness said.

As Tampa police were investigating the double murders, they found a garage piled with bomb making materials. Another roommate, Brandon Russell was also arrested for allegedly making explosives.

Alyssa Hammelman said she spoke to her brother the day of the shooting and found out about his death hours later.

“They called us Saturday, it was on the news before they called us,” she said. “It's important that you know he is a very good person at heart. He meant well.”

Jeremy Hammelman’s girlfriend told Boston 25 News she had spoken to him about 20 minutes prior to the shooting, and he said he couldn’t Facetime with her because he was having a conversation with his roommates.