After Kennedy defeated Vice President Richard Nixon in the 1960 presidential election, 73-year-old Pavlick decided to kill Kennedy. He turned his property over to a local youth camp, loaded his meager possessions into his 1950 Buick, and disappeared.[1][3] Soon after, Belmont's postmaster began receiving bizarre postcards from Pavlick[3] stating that the town would soon hear from him "in a big way";[1] noticing that the postmarked dates and locations matched Kennedy's movements, the postmaster contacted the Secret Service;[1] the Secret Service interviewed locals and learned of Pavlick's previous outbursts and that he had recently purchased dynamite.[1] During his travels, Pavlick had visited the Kennedy compound at Hyannis Port, Massachusetts,[3] and photographed the Kennedy home while also checking out the compound's security.

Shortly before 10 a.m. on Sunday, December 11, as John F. Kennedy was preparing to leave for Mass at St. Edward Church in Palm Beach,[1] Pavlick waited in his dynamite-laden car hoping to detonate his 1950 Buick to cause a fatal explosion. However, Pavlick changed his mind after seeing John F. Kennedy with his wife, Jacqueline and the couple's two small children.[1][5] Pavlick said, "I did not want to harm her or the children."[1] While waiting for another opportunity over the next few days, Pavlick visited the church to learn its interior, but the Secret Service had informed local Palm Beach police to look out for Pavlick's automobile.[1]

Four days later, on December 15, a Palm Beach police officer spotted Pavlick's vehicle crossing the Royal Poinciana Bridge.[3][1] After his arrest, Pavlick said, "Kennedy money bought the White House and the Presidency. I had the crazy idea I wanted to stop Kennedy from being President."[6]

On January 27, 1961, Pavlick was committed to the federal medical center in Springfield, Missouri, then was indicted for threatening Kennedy's life seven weeks later.[1] According to Ted Sorensen, Kennedy "was merely bemused" when he found out about Pavlick.[3]