R. Scott Crabtree

R. Scott Crabtree retired from the FBI in 2007 after nearly 25 years of service. Throughout his career, he worked on many important cases like white-collar crime, terrorism, counterintelligence, cyber threats, and civil rights.

Scott served in various field offices, including the FBI's largest office with over 1,000 agents in New York City and in one of its smallest offices, as the sole agent in Salina, Kansas. In addition to multiple field assignments, Scott also worked at the FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

In the days immediately after the Oklahoma City bombing, Scott played a key role in the Central Kansas portion of the investigation, including interviewing bombing suspect Terry Nichols. He later testified in the multiple hearings as well as the trials of both Nichols and Timothy McVeigh. Scott’s recounting of a few of his investigative efforts were included in the 2025 Netflix special, Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror.

Before joining the FBI, Scott served in the Marine Corps, and after retiring, he worked for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.

In writing this book, Scott hopes to share his firsthand experience of the intense days following the Oklahoma City bombing. He is grateful for the opportunities he has had throughout his career and wants to give readers a unique perspective on this significant event.