# How did the FBI identify the body of Thomas Crooks (Trump's would be assassin)? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [July 14, 2024, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202 "2024-07-14T14:29:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/21 "2024-07-15T13:43:07Z")
We know. The question is, how could they have gotten the results that quickly? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/22 "2024-07-15T13:47:00Z")
> [@mbh](#): > > For that matter, once they traced the gun, they could have shown the parents a photograph of the body, and said, “Do you recognize this person?” From what I’ve heard, Crooks was killed by a head shot (unsurprising, if he was in a prone shooting position basically pointed at where the countersnipers were). A body isn’t going to be very recognizable after a headshot. Another thought: Even if he left his ID behind, he had to have had his car keys. Go through the parking lot clicking until you find the car that beeps, and then run the plates. EDIT: They had to have done something like this, actually, since there was reporting fairly early on that his car was full of explosives. That implies that they found his car relatively quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/23 "2024-07-15T13:48:36Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > no videos of high school friends NewsNation interviewed one last night. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/24 "2024-07-15T13:55:57Z")
The DNA piece has been widely reported. One cite: > **[Thomas Matthew Crooks: What we know about Donald Trump's attacker](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3gw58wv4e9o)** > > The 20-year-old kitchen worker and registered Republican has been named by the FBI as the gunman. > Thomas Crooks had not been carrying ID, so investigators used DNA and facial recognition technology to identify him, the FBI said. Could that be incorrect? Sure. I suppose it could be. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/25 "2024-07-15T18:03:52Z")
If they traced the gun that opens other questions since the ATF claims they do not archive the 4473 forms. They are kept on file at the dealer. ---
**Author:** ![Dinsdale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/97f17d/32.png) [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/26 "2024-07-15T19:46:22Z")
Didn’t they supposedly do a very rapid DNA test of Bin-Laden before dumping him? How quickly was the shooter IDed? At the “national security” level, I can imagine some things are available that aren’t generally available. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/27 "2024-07-15T20:43:11Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#): > > Didn’t they supposedly do a very rapid DNA test of Bin-Laden before dumping him? How quickly was the shooter IDed? > > At the “national security” level, I can imagine some things are available that aren’t generally available. A blind test hoping to get a match through CODIS would still take a long time. A match test between two samples doesn’t take long at all if you are at the front of the line. Receiving results back from CODIS can be measured in years rather than hours. 24 hours for a comparison test seems right. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/28 "2024-07-15T20:45:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@mbh](#): > > > > For that matter, once they traced the gun, they could have shown the parents a photograph of the body, and said, “Do you recognize this person?” > > From what I’ve heard, Crooks was killed by a head shot (unsurprising, if he was in a prone shooting position basically pointed at where the countersnipers were). A body isn’t going to be very recognizable after a headshot. Yes. I’ve seen the picture. Not totally unrecognizable but in line with the FBI saying they had a preliminary ID that required verification. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2024, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/29 "2024-07-15T21:08:29Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > From what I’ve heard, Crooks was killed by a head shot (unsurprising, if he was in a prone shooting position basically pointed at where the countersnipers were). A body isn’t going to be very recognizable after a headshot. Nah, his head wasn’t badly mangled. I accidentally stumbled across a very clear, very graphic close-up in a forum last night. (Forum URL blurred because of aforementioned graphic nature.) [Looks like they may have the correct Thomas Matthew Crooks.... | Political Talk](https://www.tigerdroppings.com/rant/politics/looks-like-they-may-have-the-correct-thomas-matthew-crooks/114105145/) ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2024, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/30 "2024-07-16T02:22:00Z")
The pensylvania DMV will have his picture ( assuming his drivers license is from there) which is digitally scanned and they use facial recognition software to check for fraud etc. I imagine it would not be difficult to match what remains of his face with a search on the DMV records to get a list of possible matches. Probably could have searched a few more adjacent states databases as well. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/31 "2024-07-17T00:37:40Z")
> [@Spiderman](#): > > I doubt there was DNA testing involved, just given the time frame involved. Yeah, that’s why I had the (?!) after that. It’s not my idea, it’s something that was being reported in the media. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/32 "2024-07-17T01:30:19Z")
It’s possible he’d left his driver’s license in his car. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/33 "2024-07-17T01:31:57Z")
How would they know which car? It was reported that they used the sales record of the gun from the serial number and worked from there. ---
**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/34 "2024-07-17T01:33:43Z")
Someone upthread conjectured he had his car keys on him and that’s how they found his car. I daresay they used more than one means of IDing him before announcing it. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2024, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202/35 "2024-07-17T01:36:12Z")
They looked up the gun owner from the gun. They found that the gun owner had a 20 year old son. They looked up the son and the pictures on line looked like the dead guy. The end. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-did-the-fbi-identify-the-body-of-thomas-crooks-trumps-would-be-assassin/1004202.md?page=1)