An eye-opening new book set to hit the shelves this July from Simon & Schuster has the potential to ignite a national conversation about the truth surrounding the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, as well as the grim prison death of Kenneth Trentadue. This case has long been suspected to be linked to a cover-up by the FBI, with allegations that federal agents may have been responsible for his murder.
For Jesse Trentadue, Kenneth’s brother and a practicing attorney in Utah, this journey towards uncovering the truth has been a relentless 30-year battle, marked by a series of lawsuits aimed at exposing the facts of this troubling case.
The forthcoming book, Blowback, is penned by Margaret Roberts, a seasoned investigative journalist and former news director for America’s Most Wanted. Roberts claims that her findings will dismantle the narrative of Timothy McVeigh as a lone wolf terrorist and reveal a concealed truth about the bombing that has been shielded by government insiders for three decades.
“Blowback reveals the FBI’s previously undisclosed involvement in both Kenneth’s murder and the Oklahoma City Bombing,” Jesse Trentadue shared in a note to friends and family, asserting that the two events are intertwined due to the FBI’s erroneous belief that Kenneth was John Doe No. 2, allegedly a collaborator with McVeigh.
GOVERNMENT CLAIMS SUICIDE; EVIDENCE SUGGESTS MURDER
Kenneth Trentadue, a 44-year-old construction worker with a clean record, was apprehended in August 1995 for a parole violation after a traffic stop near the Mexican border. He was subsequently transferred to the Federal Transfer Center in Oklahoma City, where he was found dead in his cell just days later. The Bureau of Prisons ruled it a suicide by hanging.
However, when his body was returned to his family, they reported that it was covered in makeup, allegedly to conceal bruising and lacerations on his face. The family contended that Kenneth had been murdered.
Moreover, the blood-stained condition of his cell raised suspicions that he may have been beaten to death while in federal custody. The family has made graphic photos available online, revealing the extent of Kenneth’s injuries.
Extensive bruises, severe head wounds, and a bloody cell were documented in photos obtained by the family. Conflicting prison records and an ‘unknown’ cause of death from a medical examiner further fueled concerns. A subsequent congressional inquiry, spurred by documents unearthed through Jesse’s persistent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) litigation, suggested evidence consistent with homicide.
“His body resembled someone who had gone ten rounds with Mike Tyson,” Jesse remarked in legal filings.
Merrick Garland, who served as U.S. Attorney General, played a crucial role in crafting the official narrative surrounding the Oklahoma City bombing during his time in the Justice Department in the 1990s. As the lead prosecutor in the McVeigh and Nichols cases, Garland was pivotal in promoting the government’s lone-wolf theory while dismissing alternative explanations, including the identity of “John Doe No. 2” and claims of FBI foreknowledge or involvement.
Critics, including Jesse Trentadue, argue that Garland’s oversight helped entrench a misleading narrative while suppressing evidence that contradicted it. His subsequent tenure as Attorney General has only heightened concerns about the DOJ’s reluctance to release long-sequestered documents related to both the bombing and Trentadue’s suspicious death.
Garland was nominated by then-President Barack Obama on March 16, 2016, to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by Justice Antonin Scalia’s passing, but the Republican-controlled Senate declined to confirm him. The seat eventually went to Neil Gorsuch, while Garland was later appointed by Joe Biden as Attorney General in March 2021.
A GENERATION OF LEGAL FIGHTS FOR TRANSPARENCY
As a practicing attorney, Jesse Trentadue has initiated over two dozen lawsuits against the Department of Justice, FBI, CIA, and Bureau of Prisons, pushing for transparency and accountability. His legal battles have resulted in the release of thousands of pages of government documents, including heavily redacted FBI memos that hint at foreknowledge of the bombing and informant operations tied to militia groups.
Among the most notable revelations from his lawsuits include:
- The FBI’s “Patriot Conspiracy” (PATCON) Program: Documents revealed through Jesse’s litigation show that the FBI had informants deeply embedded within far-right militia groups during the early 1990s, some of whom interacted with McVeigh and others linked to the bombing.
- Secret Videotapes of the Murrah Building Bombing: Evidence surfaced indicating that surveillance tapes from federal buildings, which could identify who exited McVeigh’s Ryder truck—including John Doe #2—were seized and never released, despite references in FBI internal documents.
- Misidentification of Kenneth as “John Doe No. 2”: Internal memos suggest that federal agents believed Kenneth matched the description of the second man seen with McVeigh, leading to an off-the-books interrogation and ultimately, his death.
- DOJ “Sensitive Informant” Files: Jesse’s court battles unearthed documents indicating that the FBI had informants who warned about the bombing beforehand—warnings that were ignored or buried. These informants were reportedly present in major newsrooms and among defense attorneys in political trials.
This aligns with other documents obtained by Trentadue about an FBI agent in Los Angeles attempting to sell video footage of the second bomber at Oklahoma City for $1 million, a sale that was halted due to a senior-level FBI informant working within CBS News management.
The PATCON program, initiated as a counterterrorism measure, has come under scrutiny for its secretive practices, questionable informant activities, and potential ties to the Oklahoma City bombing. Critics allege that PATCON operatives might have used violence to further governmental interests, fostering an environment where more violence leads to increased funding and expanded authority for the FBI.
Jesse Trentadue and others maintain that Kenneth was murdered due to mistaken identity, as federal officials believed he was involved with McVeigh. Another individual, Richard Lee Guthrie, Jr., who was arrested in 1996 and also died in custody, was similarly classified as a suicide by authorities.
Links between Timothy McVeigh and the ongoing PATCON operations suggest a more complex narrative than the government has publicly portrayed.
Trentadue’s decades-long legal efforts have revealed significant misconduct by federal authorities, including witness intimidation and evidence tampering. Despite achieving court victories and penalties against federal agencies, Jesse’s pursuit of the truth has faced relentless challenges, including sealed files, missing audio logs, and retaliation.
“They’ve stonewalled, lied, and destroyed records,” he stated in a 2011 deposition. “It’s not incompetence. It’s a cover-up.”
A FAMILY’S DEDICATION TO REVEALING EVIDENCE
In anticipation of the release of Blowback, Jesse Trentadue has launched a comprehensive website—kennethtrentadue.com—to catalog documents, court filings, and photographs related to the case. He states that the evidence on the site has already begun to “cause quite a stir.”
In his communications, Jesse warned that the DOJ and FBI would likely mount a vigorous defense against the revelations when the book is published, anticipating a wave of attempts to discredit both himself and the author. Simon & Schuster has slated the book for release in July 2025: Blowback by Margaret Roberts.
If Roberts’ book succeeds in dismantling the established narrative of the Oklahoma City bombing, the political and legal ramifications could be profound, not only for the families of the victims but also for a government that has long maintained McVeigh acted alone.
The approaching 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City bombing—and the suspicious death of Kenneth Trentadue—provides a critical opportunity for current leaders, including President Trump and Attorney General Pam Bondi, to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and accountability.
