Evidence Destroyed? The Controversial Handling of Trump Shooting Suspect’s Remains

by AbleChild

The federal investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump can be described as one screw up after another. Just last week, Congressman Clay Higgins (R-LA) submitted a Preliminary Investigative Report to the House Bipartisan Task Force reviewing the attempted assassination and shocked the nation by explaining that the body (of the alleged shooter) was gone.

The fact that the body of the alleged shooter, Thomas Matthew Crooks, was released from the Allegheny County Medical Examiner to the family for cremation just ten days after the shooting is bizarre on its face. In fact, the Butler County Coroner told Congressman Higgins “he would have never released Crooks’ body to the family for cremation or burial without the specific permission from the FBI.”  The Congressman suggested a cover up when he wrote “this action by the FBI can only be described by any reasonable man as an obstruction to any following investigative effort.”

The FBI, right on cue, had the expected naïve and defensive reply when a spokesman for the FBI reported, “any suggestion the FBI is interfering with congressional efforts to look into the attempted assassination which took place in Butler, PA, is inaccurate and unfounded.” The spokesman continued saying the FBI “followed normal procedures in the handling of the crime scene and evidence…and the shooter’s body was released to his family after coordination with the coroner’s office and our state and local law enforcement partners, which is also in keeping with normal procedures.”

AbleChild has been two steps ahead of the MSM and had questioned much of the coroner’s role in the identification of the alleged shooter’s body in an August 5, 2024, article titled “Crime Scene Compromised. Alleged Assassin’s Autopsy Missing. What’s Going On?”  Now, learning that the alleged shooter’s body had been destroyed (cremated) just ten days after the shooting adds another oddity to the already long list of questions that make up this “investigation.”

First, contrary to the FBI’s explanation, let’s be honest, there is nothing “normal” about a dead body lying on a metal roof all night until 6 a.m. the following morning when the Butler County Coroner was allowed to make identification of that body. Recall that the coroner arrived at the AGR building at midnight on July 13^th and was asked to return later – the following morning. Why was the coroner prohibited from making the identification of the body at midnight? Who refused him access? What would have been the procedure had it been raining or snowing. Would the body lay on the roof during the inclement weather? It is insulting to think it is “normal” that the body laid on the roof all night. But more importantly, someone needs to explain why the body lay on the roof all night.

However, when the coroner returned at 6 a.m. the next morning to the AGR building, how did he make identification? Did the coroner photograph the crime scene, and did he collect the crime scene log which would have documented anyone who would have entered the crime scene/been on roof. Did the coroner collect fingerprints and DNA swabs from the body that morning? Who was the police investigator who should have been at the scene when the coroner was recording his findings? Where are the chain of custody forms that must be completed? These are basic and universal procedures. The state and local police would have jurisdiction over the crime scene. Where are those reports?

As reported by AbleChild, the autopsy was released back to the Butler County Coroner prior to August 5^th.  The Congressman is stating that the “coroner’s report and autopsy are both “late” as of Monday, August 5… they were a week late.”  It appears someone is lying to a Member of Congress.

Remember that AbleChild spoke with the Allegheny Medical Examiner’s Office and was told that the autopsy had been completed and the results were sent to the Butler County Coroner. And AbleChild was further advised that the release of the autopsy was up to the coroner. This information was made public in the AbleChild article that was published on August 5^th.  So, the coroner has some explaining to do.

The Medical Examiner’s office was clear when it explained to AbleChild that the autopsy was returned to the Butler County Coroner because “it was commissioned and completed (paid for) by Butler County.”  Again, AbleChild made that information public on August 5^th. Neither the cause of death report nor autopsy is “late.”

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