FBI Ignored Urgent Minnesota Murder Investigation Messages

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) failed to respond to critical messages from a lead investigator in the Renee Good murder case for over 72 hours after they were sent, according to documents reviewed by WIRED. On November 9, 2022, BCA Special Agent and lead investigator, Johnsen, sent multiple text messages to FBI agent Robert Ritter asking about the status of their investigation into Good’s murder. The messages requested an update on the case files, potential leads, and any new information that had been gathered by the FBI. Ritter never responded to the messages, leaving investigators without crucial details in a time-sensitive investigation. The lack of communication raised concerns among law enforcement officials about the effectiveness of their collaboration with the FBI. The incident has sparked an internal review within the BCA to determine how such a significant lapse in communication occurred and what measures can be taken to prevent similar incidents in the future. In response to WIRED’s requests for information, the FBI stated that they were “aware” of the messages sent by Agent Johnsen but declined to comment further on the matter.