David "Davey" Hearn, a 67-year-old three-time US Olympic canoeist, was indicted on July 2 for felony destruction of property linked to damage at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool on June 19, 2026 [1, 2]. Hearn was arrested the same day after allegedly pulling up and removing about two square feet of recently installed sealant from the pool’s bottom, causing over $1,000 in damage [3, 2, 4]. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro, a Trump ally, said, "National Park employees observed Hearn actually forcefully and violently pulling up and removing the bottom liner with both hands... According to witnesses, Hearn damaged approximately two square feet of sealant from the bottom of the pool" [4]. Pirro added the felony charge carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years [2, 5].
Hearn denies the allegations, saying, "I didn't vandalize anything. I didn't destroy, rip, tear, peel, or remove any part," and claims his arrest and indictment are politically motivated [3]. He said, "By the time I realized what was going on, I was being put in handcuffs" [6]. His lawyers described the charges as "outrageous" and an attempt by the current administration "to shift blame for their own failures" [7]. They also criticized the indictment timing, stating, "On the eve of our nation’s Independence Day, Americans should be deeply concerned by the misuse of government power against an ordinary citizen based on a concocted narrative" [8].
The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool, built in the 1920s and stretching about 2,030 feet between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument, recently underwent a $14 million to $14.7 million renovation ordered by former President Donald Trump in April 2026 [3, 6, 9]. The pool was resurfaced with a blue sealant dubbed "American flag blue" and refilled in early June but quickly faced algae bloom and peeling of the paint [6, 10]. Trump claimed vandals sabotaged the pool shortly after reopening and publicly alleged a 300-foot gash was cut in the pool liner, promising to release evidence, which has not been made public [6, 10].
Hearn was arrested at the scene during a bike ride when he reportedly reached into the pool water to touch a peeling piece of the liner [3, 11]. At least five other individuals have been arrested or cited for vandalism related to the pool since the renovation [3, 9].
US Attorney Pirro held a press conference on July 3 announcing the indictment and additional arrests connected to Reflecting Pool vandalism, stating, "This was a deliberate act to damage the reflecting pool at the National Mall that members of the National Park Service actually have worked hard to restore" [3, 5].
The case is pending further legal proceedings.
