FBI's Response to Minnesota Investigator's Texts Sparks Criticism

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) failed to respond to text messages sent by a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator in the days following Renee Good’s killing in January 2022, according to records obtained by WIRED. The text messages, which were sent on multiple occasions between January 23 and January 26, 2022, went unanswered for at least two days, prompting questions about the agency’s communication protocols and response times. The investigation into Renee Good’s murder was led by the Minnesota BCA, with assistance from local law enforcement agencies. However, in recent weeks, the FBI has faced scrutiny over its handling of similar investigations, including a high-profile case involving a missing child in Utah. In this instance, the text messages sent to the FBI by the Minnesota investigator were obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request made by WIRED. The records show that the texts were sent from an FBI-issued phone to a non-FBI phone number, but the agency failed to respond to at least one message within a reasonable timeframe. The lack of response has raised concerns among law enforcement officials and advocates about the effectiveness of interagency communication and coordination in high-stakes investigations. “It’s disturbing when you have agencies that are supposed to be working together and can’t even get basic information back and forth,” said an FBI spokesperson, who declined to comment further on the matter. The incident has sparked calls for greater transparency and accountability within the FBI, particularly with regards to its communication protocols and response times in sensitive investigations. “This kind of lack of responsiveness is unacceptable, especially when it comes to cases involving serious crimes like murder,” said a law enforcement official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.