Dark History - 145: Ruby Ridge, Waco, & the bombing that TERRIFIED America | Dark History

Episode Date: September 18, 2024

Hi friends, happy Wednesday! Most of us here at Dark History know about the Waco massacre. But nobody really talks about how the Waco massacre led to the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in United... States history.  And the story of how we got there is *WILD.* I’m talking Doomsday preppers, a Neo Nazi book that still inspires people today, and a whole lot of weird cult stuff. This is... The Dark History of the Oklahoma City Bombing.  I appreciate you for coming by, and tune in next week for more Dark History. Want some cool Bailey Merch? Shop Dark History Merch: https://www.baileysarian.com _______ You can find the Dark History podcast on Apple, Spotify, wherever you listen to your podcasts, and every Thursday here on my YouTube for the visual side of things. Apple Podcast- https://www.apple.co/darkhistory Dark History Merch-  https://www.baileysarian.com _______ FOLLOW ME AROUND  Tik Tok: https://bit.ly/3e3jL9v Instagram: http://bit.ly/2nbO4PR Facebook: http://bit.ly/2mdZtK6 Twitter: http://bit.ly/2yT4BLV Pinterest: http://bit.ly/2mVpXnY Youtube: http://bit.ly/1HGw3Og Snapchat: https://bit.ly/3cC0V9d Discord: https://discord.gg/BaileySarian RECOMMEND A STORY HERE: cases4bailey@gmail.com  Business Related Emails: baileysarianteam@wmeagency.com Business Related Mail:  Bailey Sarian  4400 W. Riverside Dr., Ste 110-300  Burbank, CA 91505 ______ For listeners of the show, Dipsea is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to https://www.DipseaStories.com/DARKHISTORY.  For FREE breakfast for life go to https://www.HelloFresh.com/freedarkhistory. One free breakfast item per box while subscription is active.  Stop putting off those doctors appointments and go to https://www.Zocdoc.com/DARKHISTORY to find and instantly book a top-rated doctor today. 

Transcript
Discussion (0)
Starting point is 00:00:00 Are you a true crime junkie who's run out of episodes? Are you possibly too nosy when it comes to your friends' dating lives? Then the Dating Detectives podcast is about to be your next obsession. Hosted by private investigator Mackenzie Foltz and me, comedian Hannah Anderson, every Monday the Dating Detectives bring survivors to the mic to share their unbelievable yet true stories of love gone wrong. From cheaters and liars to con men and scam artists, these cases will leave your jaw on the floor. So listen to the dating detectives now on Spotify,
Starting point is 00:00:26 because true crime has never been this close to the heart. When a tragedy is covered by the news, I mean, the sad reality is that people, you know, are going to kind of forget about it after a few days, because of course, you know, something else is going to happen and take over the headlines. And a lot of important stories may get left in the dust.
Starting point is 00:00:46 Most of us here at Dark History know about the Waco Massacre, but nobody really talks about how the Waco Massacre led to the deadliest act of domestic terrorism in United States history. The only other terrorist attack bigger than it was 9-11. And the story of how we got there is wild. I mean I'm talking about doomsday preppers, a neo-nazi book that still really inspires people today,
Starting point is 00:01:14 and a whole lot of like weird cult stuff. Now listen up, this is the dark history of the Oklahoma City Bombing. Hi friends, I hope you're having a wonderful day today. My name is Bailey Sarian and I like to welcome you to my podcast, Dark History. And guess what? This is season four of Dark History can you believe it you guys they can't believe it either Joan and Paul they are shocked I know I'm so excited to be here we've learned so much throughout the years haven't we well we are going to continue that this next season I'm very excited for us that's some loud stuff coming up today's
Starting point is 00:02:03 story is pretty wild as well. Before we get into it, don't forget to like and subscribe. I come out with that hot juicy history goss every week. And let me know what you think down below in like the comment section. I love hearing from you and at the end usually I you know read some of them if you stick around. Okay so today's story, it's pretty gnarly. Let me tell you about it. Wow. So it's the early 1980s and we're in a, we're in a little town in Idaho and it's called Ruby Ridge. Sound familiar? Maybe it does. And a new family has just moved into town. They're the Weavers.
Starting point is 00:02:41 So Vicki and Randy Weaver, they were starting over in life. They had sold everything they owned and they had built a cabin in Ruby Ridge because they were like committed to learning how to live the quote unquote simple life. But it wasn't because they were sick of technology or just wanting to simplify their life. Vicky and Randy, they were what you would call
Starting point is 00:03:04 doomsday preppers. I'm like hesitant to say that because there's some good doomsday preppers who like mind their own business, do their own thing and like, you know, mean no harm. The weavers were a little extreme, okay. They believe that the government was getting like way too involved in the lives of everyday citizens. And because of that, the end of the world was like just around the corner.
Starting point is 00:03:29 So they had to pack up, stock up, and move somewhere where like they could live off the land. So Randy especially believed that there were spies for the government everywhere. Oh yes. In general, he was like a very intense person. So right when Randy moved into the town of Ruby Ridge, allegedly he was throwing out assassination threats
Starting point is 00:03:53 left and right. He even like threatened to kill the Pope at one point. Eventually, Randy gets reported to the FBI, which is wild to think because this is before the internet and all that. So it's like, we're just traveled. Wild. It's wild to think, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:04:10 But the FBI opened an investigation and they decided that their best approach would be to send an undercover informant to befriend Randy. So this informant ends up moving to Ruby Ridge where he and Randy become friends. I know imagine thinking like oh my god I just like I just got a brand new best friend and we're like hanging out braiding each other's hair having fun but actually like they were sent from
Starting point is 00:04:35 the government to ruin your life. Could you imagine? No because that sounds fake. Well it's not. Now listen where they meet is interesting. The two of them end up meeting within a white supremacist group called Aryan nations and I guess Randy feels like he can just like trust this informant because you know they went to a meeting together. He can't work for the government I don't know he's just thinking like he can trust him. So Randy starts letting his new friend in on like all sorts of plans that he has to rebel against the government.
Starting point is 00:05:10 And it's clear to the informant right away that Randy has a lot of conspiracy theories. Randy thought that there was really only one way to save America, and that was to take down the US government. Is life getting a little boring lately? Even the book you've been reading is maybe not doing it for you, you know?
Starting point is 00:05:33 I personally find myself stuck on this one book that's just not doing it for me. It's been boring. Well, now there's a way to add a little extra spice to life all while we multitask. Or maybe just lay there and listen. Thanks to the Dipsy app. Dipsy is the female founded app
Starting point is 00:05:52 for spicy audiobooks and more. It was created by women for women. So believe me, they understand what you want. Okay, baby? Listen, their app has over a thousand spicy audiobooks, all crafted by a team of professional writers and amazing narrators. So whether you're into Irish stable hands or Australian movie stars, vampires or Greek goddesses, you'll find characters you love on Dipsey. You can even listen to these romance audiobooks while you run your least favorite errands, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:06:27 Now you can wait for your oil to be changed while listening to a sweet talking mechanic give someone else a tune up, if you know what I mean. With their easy to explore app, you can search for your favorite romance genres. Everything from contemporary to historical is available for your listening pleasure. And new chapters are released every week so you won't like run out of things to listen to.
Starting point is 00:06:52 Keep it spicy every week. So start listening now and then circle back and thank me later. It's good. For listeners of the show, Dipsy is offering an extended 30 day free trial when you go to dipsystories.com slash dark history. That's 30 days of full access for free when you go to dipsy, D-I-P-S-E-A,
Starting point is 00:07:17 stories.com slash dark history. dipsystories.com slash dark history. So at some point, Randy had altered some weapons he had to make them more powerful, which was against the law. And Randy ends up giving some of those illegal weapons to his new best friend, the informant. Now the informant turned around and reported him to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
Starting point is 00:07:46 ATF for short, way easier. And in 1991, Randy was arrested. He was later released, but his case was still open. You know, Randy is supposed to report to court, but he fails to show up multiple times. And because of that, his case then escalated, and there was now a warrant out for his arrest, which meant that the US Marshals, they were coming for his ass. US Marshals, they don't mess around.
Starting point is 00:08:12 I mean, especially if you're not cooperating and especially if they know that you have weapons. On August 21st, 1992, Randy was at home with his family. Suddenly his dog alerted him that someone was near their property. It turns out it was the U.S. Marshals conducting a surveillance operation on Randy's wife Vicki. So Randy's dog I guess is outside and he runs after the U.S. Marshal. So the Marshal turned around and ends up shooting the dog. What? Yeah. Then Randy's 14 year old son is
Starting point is 00:08:48 named Samuel. He was outside as well like with the dog. So the guys they point their gun at Samuel. Now I guess Samuel had a gun and he fires at the marshal. Not great idea, but he was kind of raised to do that. Okay. Which then caused them to like fire back. So sadly, Samuel was shot and killed. Meanwhile, the family's in the house, like watching all of this go down. By this point, another one of Randy's friends
Starting point is 00:09:19 had heard the commotion. So he takes a shot at the marshals and ends up killing one of them. And this totally escalates everything. So the US Marshals are asking the Weaver family to surrender. But the Weaver family is like, no. Well, first of all, you just shot our son and our dog. Like, this is what Randy was fearing, okay?
Starting point is 00:09:42 And it's all like happening. So this leads to a standoff and then a shootout. Now sadly, during all this, Vicki, Randy's wife, she's shot and killed. And even after being wounded by gunfire, Randy went on to have an 11-day standoff with officers before eventually surrendering. In the end, it was proven that the government
Starting point is 00:10:03 had used extreme force towards the family and almost all of Randy's original charges were dropped. The government ended up having to admit like to wrongdoing and the remaining Weaver family got millions of dollars in settlement money. That was just like a light little recap okay because this incident became known to the people as Ruby Ridge because of where it took place. Now this story is huge when it comes to anti-government groups. To them this is like the origin of the government turning against its people and their rights. And then another event that shaped anti-government groups was the Waco Massacre. Now I did an episode on the Waco situation.
Starting point is 00:10:47 It's one of those like historical events that's constantly featured in TV shows and movies because the story was just wild, bizarre, weird. It was nuts. Essentially it was this huge standoff between a religious extremist group and the FBI. And just like with like Ruby Ridge, between a religious extremist group and the FBI. And just like with like Ruby Ridge,
Starting point is 00:11:06 there were rumors that there were altered weapons being traded and sold and blah, blah, blah, which meant the ATF had to get involved. It was a whole situation. This standoff had lasted for over 51 days. And when all of this was like said and done, it was discovered that 75 people, including many children had died.
Starting point is 00:11:28 To the public, Waco seemed like this really kind of weird culty group, tragic, but like, no, it was just weird. It was weird. But to the anti-government groups around the country, they were starting to see a pattern. Ruby Ridge, the Waco thing, they were like, something much bigger seems to be happening. I mean, after Waco, something changed. And in the 80s and the 90s, there was like a shift in America.
Starting point is 00:11:54 It seemed like the power to sway the government was now with the suburbs and the cities. And people out in the country kind of felt like they were getting left in the dust and felt abandoned. De. Abandoned. Anti-government groups saw themselves in the Weavers and with like the people at Waco and they're starting to believe that they're being attacked by the government, right?
Starting point is 00:12:20 I mean, after what they just saw, they're like, oh crap, this means like, anyone could be a target, therefore, we are a target. So then a new group of people start to emerge. Many militias, essentially, or like armed citizens, bandied together to take a stand against the government. And they believed that they needed to use weapons and violence to do it. So by 1995 there were militia groups in like 36 states out of 50 and you know this idea really like clicked with some people. A lot of people wanted to join the militia any way they could. They wanted to be a part of something some bigger movement and one of those people was Timothy McVeigh. Okay finally we're getting into the Oklahoma City bombing of it all. You need that backstory to understand how we get here, okay?
Starting point is 00:13:11 Go with me on this journey, because it's a journey. So we got Ruby Ridge, we got Waco, now we're on to Timothy, okay? Great. So Timothy. Timothy was born on April 23rd, 1968 in Lockport, New York. He was raised by his dad. It was said that Timothy was possessive,
Starting point is 00:13:29 stubborn, and determined. So good qualities, depending on how you use them, I suppose. But it was said that Timothy was a pretty shy guy, and in school, he would get bullied a lot. He was tall, he was kind of gangly, so kids would call him Noodle McVeigh. I know they're never creative with bully names You know, but they would force him they would give him like swirlies and all this stuff at school It wasn't great for him. Timothy apparently dealt with this by like disassociating and pretending
Starting point is 00:14:00 He lived in a fantasy world as many do and in this world He wasn't like he wasn't like, he wasn't just taking this bullying, no, he got revenge. As a teenager, Timothy becomes very interested in guns. I guess his grandfather was into them. So, you know, naturally Timothy got into them as well. It was like a bonding experience between the two. Timothy said he wanted to grow up
Starting point is 00:14:24 and like one day maybe own a gun shop. After high school, Timothy ends up joining the army. It says he's happy there because he gets to be around guns all day. And apparently it was said that he had a talent with guns. He became known as like an expert marksman and he like, honestly, he shines while he is in the army. David Dilley, who served in the army with Timothy said,
Starting point is 00:14:51 quote, everything we did, he excelled at. He was the best always. Now that's unfortunate now, huh? So in 1991, Timothy was deployed to fight in the Gulf War in Iraq. And like so many other soldiers, Timothy was really traumatized by his time there. I guess he had killed several people during the war
Starting point is 00:15:12 and it really affected him. It haunted him really. He was given several medals and recognitions as if that's gonna take away, you know, the feelings. And he was even given the opportunity to join special forces. But Timothy, he couldn't seem to pass the test needed to get in to special forces. Some people just aren't good test takers, really.
Starting point is 00:15:38 So eventually Timothy was honorably discharged. So he goes back home and he starts questioning the war and why the hell did my government make me go fight in it? What was it all for? You know, start ruminating on it. And in an interview that Timothy did with 60 Minutes, I know I was like what? He said, I went over there hyped up just like everyone else. What I experienced though, was an entirely different ball game and being face to face close with these people and personal contact,
Starting point is 00:16:11 you realize they're just people like you. So he's home, he's got a lot of free time. What do you do when you have a lot of free time and there's no internet yet? He starts to read and Timothy becomes obsessed with this book called The Turner Diaries. I was like do I mention this book because I don't want to bring like more awareness in this book but it has to be mentioned for the story because the
Starting point is 00:16:33 Turner Diaries is it's a fictional book about a revolution in the United States that is led by anti-government groups. And listen, the author of this book is a neo-nazi and a founder of a white nationalist group. So how do you think this book is going to lean? It's not ideal. It's not inspiring for everyone, you know? Oh, it's bad. In the book, an anti-government militia kills like all the Jewish and non-white people and then massacres all the quote liberal actors and politicians. I did like, okay, for research, you know, I read a lot. So I tried to read this, but it was just making me so,
Starting point is 00:17:18 it was making me so mad. It was making me so mad. I couldn't finish. It was stupid. But a lot of people read this and they're like, oh my God, this is the shit. It's making me so mad. I couldn't finish. It was stupid. But a lot of people read this and they're like, oh my God, this is the shit. It's embarrassing. And you might be thinking like, hey, it's just a book,
Starting point is 00:17:30 you know, like whatever. But if it's in the wrong hands, it could be seen as very inspirational to some. And Timothy, he was reading this and he was definitely inspired. Sometimes life is too busy to figure out how you'll deal with all the picky eaters in your life. I mean, I've only got one picky eater
Starting point is 00:17:50 and she's usually pretty clear on what she wants. We get it Joan, you like corn. Luckily on days like that, I have HelloFresh, America's number one meal kit. With HelloFresh, you get farm fresh, pre-portioned ingredients and seasonal recipes delivered right to your doorstep. HelloFresh even lets you choose from a ton of different menu options so you can find
Starting point is 00:18:12 something to suit all your needs and tastes. From fit and wholesome to quick and easy, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Tonight, for example, I can make a warm spinach and spicy chorizo salad with a side of feta crusted corn. You know, that way I keep Joan and myself happy at the same time. Or if I decide I don't want that salad, I can customize my meal with protein or veggie swaps. Every week you can check out the HelloFresh Market
Starting point is 00:18:39 for delicious add-on items to spice up your scheduled weekly deliveries. HelloFresh cuts out the time you spend shopping, planning and prepping so you get to enjoy a home cooked meal with way less stress. So why spend all the money on delivery apps when you can make amazing food for yourself? So try it for yourself, say goodbye to last minute trips
Starting point is 00:19:01 to the grocery store and hello to easy delicious meals. For free breakfast for life, go to hellafresh.com slash free dark history. One free breakfast item per box while subscription is active. That's free breakfast for life. Just by going to hellafresh.com slash free dark history. So online I was noticing that a lot of people refer to this book as like the Bible for extremists and racists, but when we spoke to our expert for today's episode, he told us that the author actually planted that idea himself.
Starting point is 00:19:39 He called it the Bible for like extremists and racists, and then people just started repeating that. So I guess you could just do that. Dark history is the Bible of dark history. Pass it on. I didn't say that though. Anyways, but the author himself called it a Bible of sorts and people loved it.
Starting point is 00:19:58 They ran with it. Oh, it makes my stomach turn in knots. Timothy spends his time reading this book and dreaming about a better life because at this time, it seemed like nothing was really working out for him. You know, he's at home, he's trying to like, he's taking different jobs
Starting point is 00:20:16 and they're all like dead end jobs, you know? He ends up developing like a horrible gambling addiction. He gets deep into debt and he has to default on his loans. On top of that, he has like no love life. You know, he wants a girlfriend, but he's not having any luck. At this time, he's just very lost
Starting point is 00:20:35 and he's also getting like really angry. He's just an angry guy. Oh, the cherry on top, boop. He gets a letter in the mail from the military saying that he had been overpaid. He's like, what? So on top of being in debt, he now owed the government over $1,000
Starting point is 00:20:56 because of their mistake. So I mean, this makes him freaking lose it, you know? Just one thing after another, it's just too much. So Timothy decided he would write the government a letter and air his frustrations. Now in one of his letters, he said quote, "'Go ahead, take everything I own. "'Take my dignity.
Starting point is 00:21:15 "'Feel good as you grow fat and rich at my expense, "'sucking my tax dollars and property.'" So I think it's safe to say that he is very angry. To be fair, it does suck when like the government comes like, hey, we want money. And you're like, excuse me? I want money too. Cute.
Starting point is 00:21:35 It would piss any of us off really. So when the Waco massacre happens, Timothy's watching this and he's in a really dark place and he's watching the explosion of the compound on live TV and he's triggered. He thought that Waco was a perfect example of what happens when the government punishes its citizens for not following the rules.
Starting point is 00:21:58 And he obsesses over the death of those 75 people. So, you know, he's not in a good place. He kind of needs comfort, maybe some community, and he starts going to gun shows. He found that at the gun shows, there was a community of people who felt the same way about the government. They're like, hey, you hate the government?
Starting point is 00:22:20 I hate the government too. What? You know, he starts to hyper-fixate on the Waco massacre and he's like I'm gonna get revenge. Apparently he would print out little cards with the name and address of one of the FBI snipers who was present at Waco. So on the card it was kind of like suggesting, hinting that hey you know maybe you should like take care of this guy. hinting that hey you know maybe you should like take care of this guy you know he killed someone maybe if you uh killed him so he's like suggesting that someone should kill this FBI sniper but not really saying it does that make sense i think that makes sense anyways and he ends up
Starting point is 00:23:00 like really making a name for himself at these gun shows. I guess he had gone to over like 80 gun shows in 40 states all within two years. I know, apparently he had a lot of free time. So while at these shows, he would hand out those cards. He would also sell copies of his favorite book, The Turner Diaries. He was trying to turn his fellow gun enthusiasts into extremists like himself.
Starting point is 00:23:23 I mean, he wanted community. He wanted to pretty much overthrow the government, you know? So Timothy ends up reconnecting with two men who would change everything for him, Terry Nichols and Michael Fortier. So Timothy, Terry and Michael, they actually had known each other from their time in the military.
Starting point is 00:23:42 They even made an effort to like stay pen pals afterwards. So in 1994, Timothy calls up Michael. I guess at this point, Michael had fallen on hard times and he was also said to be struggling with an addiction to meth. So it was not like the best place. So Timothy calls him up and he's probably thinking like, he just wants to get together or whatever.
Starting point is 00:24:03 No, on the phone, Timothy tells tells Michael like it's time for action. Now Michael's confused because he's like what meth? He's like no action. He's like what does that mean? Timothy goes on to explain that they need to get the government's attention by bombing a government building. I know I'd be like what? That's a little that's a jump. Okay. Now apparently like Michael, he was at first, he's like, okay, sure. But then after a little bit, he's like, I don't know.
Starting point is 00:24:33 I don't know. Well, Timothy gets to work. He doesn't really give a rat's ass about what Michael says. He starts building a bomb and he's like very thorough when it comes to building his bomb. He put in a lot of effort testing out different chemicals to make like the worst bomb possible. He even drove out to the desert to test out different versions of his bombs, you know, just blowing them up, seeing which one did the most damage, whatever, like he was obsessed.
Starting point is 00:25:00 So all these bomb tests made things a little too real for Michael, you know, as soon as Timothy asked him to come over and help build it, Michael was like, no, I don't know. No. Timothy was irritated that Michael was like, I'll talk, you know, he's like, dude, you suck. So Timothy ends up calling up his other friend and his army buddy, Terry. So Terry, he too was like in a weird place. He had left his wife and he went on to like marry a 17 year old girl and have children with her.
Starting point is 00:25:29 And I don't know, things were just a little weird, but they had something in common. Terry also blamed the government for all of the bad things that were happening like all around him. And this is exactly the kind of chaos Terry craved. He's like, bomb, blow it up, a building, what? I'm in. So Terry is really excited about this plan to blow up a government building. Now, Timothy, a lot of T's going
Starting point is 00:25:53 on. Timothy was thrilled, you know, that Terry wasn't all talk like Michael was, you know? So the two of them like start making the plans even more real. They pick their target. The Murrah building in Oklahoma City. Timothy and Terry pick the Murrah building because it held so many important government branches in one building. Also the two of them believed that this building was where they had orchestrated the Waco attack. And to them, Timothy and Terry, what was even more exciting, or maybe the cherry on top, was that there was a daycare on site
Starting point is 00:26:34 for the families of the federal employees. So they knew that the explosion could wipe out the building, killing men, women, and children. So in their mind, this for sure was going to get the government's attention. So they settled on the building, now they started putting together an execution plan, really. So first, they needed funding. All of the supplies they needed to make this happen, I guess, cost a ton of money. The Aryan Republican Army, a white supremacist militia,
Starting point is 00:27:07 was like, guys, don't worry, we got your back. So this group ends up robbing the home of a gun collector in Arkansas, stole all of their guns, ends up selling them, and now they had money to finance this bombing. So with that cash, they bought supplies to build the bomb and they also rented a Ford F-700. Put up a picture here. Great. What's it look like? Tell me because I can't, I don't know, but I guess it's a big truck. It's a very big truck but what they
Starting point is 00:27:39 were going to do is like turn this truck into a bomb delivery truck. So once they have everything, Terry steps out because Timothy had planned to do the actual bombing on his own. He was like, I don't need you anymore, bye. Terry told him like he was planning on watching the whole thing go down on TV because he knew just the date of the bombing alone would get a ton of media attention.
Starting point is 00:28:02 What, why? Well, let me tell you, shut up, listen. It's April 19th, 1995, which was the two year anniversary of the Waco Massacre. I fricking roll, yeah. He's like, what if we do it on a date? At 8 a.m. there was like an annual prayer breakfast being held in the Murrah building.
Starting point is 00:28:22 So I guess people that day had arrived earlier than usual. There were already 21 kids dropped off at the daycare. At 9.02 a.m., Timothy drives his truck filled with 5,000 pounds of explosives up to the building. He parks the truck by the north entrance and just like books it out of there. Then when he's far away, he detonates the bomb. Side note, the day Timothy bombed the Murrah building,
Starting point is 00:28:48 he was wearing a shirt that said death to tyrants on it in Latin. It was what John Wilkes Booth shouted after he killed Abraham Lincoln. It was a deep cut. Listen, so the bomb gets set off and within seconds, this whole building, half of the building gets completely blown up and wiped away. Oh, the images are so crazy looking.
Starting point is 00:29:18 It looks like a war zone. And the explosion was so powerful that shock waves were said to be felt from like 55 miles away. It registered on the Richter scale as a 6.0 earthquake. The hell? I know, I was like what? Now if you've been around for a while, if you've been alive, you've seen the pictures of this building and it looks... oh it's... ugh. I don't even know what to say, there's no words. It looks...it's tragic. The blast immediately destroyed most of the Murrah building. Most of it collapsed into a pile of rubble. Flying glass and pieces of metal went everywhere. Just everywhere. It was ugh awful. And the bomb didn't just damage the Murrah building, it damaged the buildings near it too,
Starting point is 00:30:07 including the daycare. So when the ambulance was called, they had a hard time getting to the building because the dust and smoke were so thick that you could barely see through it. And it was just a horrifying scene. Wanda R. Webster, she had worked on the eighth floor of the building. She told
Starting point is 00:30:25 the New York Times, quote, we weren't screaming. We were quiet, just holding on to each other and saying we were going to get out. Richard H. Dean, who also worked in the building, remembers, quote, I had just finished my first cup of coffee. I remember seeing a brilliant flash of light and hearing a huge explosion before everything turned pitch black. After finding his way out of the rubble, Richard went back to the Murrah building to help his colleagues, who he knew were either badly injured or dead. He remembers helping rescue his co-worker, Sharon Littlejohn, who was in such horrible shape after the blast that he didn't even recognize her.
Starting point is 00:31:04 He said, quote, "'She was under three to four feet of debris and rubble. Her outer clothing had been blown off and she was completely soaked with blood and water. I had to ask her name because she was not recognizable due to significant blood loss in the scalp and facial areas.'" You know, luckily Sharon did survive, but so many other people weren't as lucky.
Starting point is 00:31:24 168 people died, including 19 children from the daycare, and 674 people were injured. Timothy's act of terrorism became known as the Oklahoma City bombing. So after this, after Timothy blew up the place, he went on the run. It's, can I even say that? Because he really didn't even get that far. So he's on the run. He's on the run for like an hour and 15 minutes and he gets pulled over by a police officer and he ends up getting arrested
Starting point is 00:31:53 because he was driving without a license plate and he also had an illegal firearm. Now this police officer had no clue that this was the guy who just blew up that building. He had no idea. He was just like, you know, no license plate, illegal firearm, you're arrested. Timothy's taken to jail.
Starting point is 00:32:09 And at that point there was a sketch released of the bombing suspect. So when police saw it, right away, they started to realize that this Timothy guy might be the bomber. I mean, what are the odds of that though, huh? Then the clues just kept pouring in. First of all, there were traces of chemicals used
Starting point is 00:32:28 in the explosion all over Timothy's clothes. He also had a note on him saying, TNT, $5 a stick, need more. I'm not sure what that means, but like, okay, guy. One of the final smoking guns was Timothy's car. When the FBI searched his car, they found a shocking amount of anti-government literature. And since he was such a vocal member of anti-government groups, the cops knew this was their man.
Starting point is 00:32:56 This was the guy. So in the end, Timothy got charged with 160 state counts and 11 federal counts. Some of these counts were one count of conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction, one count of using a weapon of mass destruction, one count of destruction by explosives, and eight counts of first degree murder for the deaths of eight federal agents. Timothy got arrested, right?
Starting point is 00:33:22 What about his friend, Terry? If you've had to make an appointment with a doctor lately, then you know how annoying it can be. You have to look through a ton of different search results and websites and calendars, and then you finally get through to the doctor you need or you want, and sometimes the sassy receptionist, they just like hang up on you
Starting point is 00:33:42 or the call gets disconnected. Oh, and the worst part of all is that you're like usually going through this whole process when you're not feeling your best. Well luckily the whole doctor finding process is made way easier when you use ZocDoc. Oh yes, ZocDoc. ZocDoc is a free app and website where you can search and compare high quality in network doctors, choose the right one for your needs and click to instantly book ZocDoc is a free app and website where you can search and compare high quality in-network doctors, choose the right one for your needs, and click to instantly book an appointment. And you can filter your search so ZocDoc can give you the best options for you.
Starting point is 00:34:15 Oh yeah, you can find doctors nearby, ones who take your insurance, and who already come highly rated by real verified patients. We're talking about in-network appointments with more than 100,000 healthcare providers across every specialty, from mental health to dental health, eye care to skincare, and there is so much more. Recently, I've been looking for a new dentist, and there's so many out here, you know?
Starting point is 00:34:41 It's like, which one do I go to? I don't even know. But, you know, thanks to ZocDoc, I can like look at the verified patient reviews, find the ones that take my insurance, and just like book through the app. It's so easy. I freaking love this app. On top of that, ZocDoc appointments happen fast. I mean, typically within just 24 to 72 hours of booking.
Starting point is 00:35:00 You can even score same day appointments. I know. So stop putting off those doctor's appointments and go to ZocDoc.com slash dark history to find and instantly book a top rated doctor today. That's ZocDoc.com slash dark history. ZocDoc.com slash dark history. Well, Terry look his address and name was on the rental for the truck. So Terry actually ended up turning himself in and was formally charged on May 10th, 1995. In a letter to the jury, Terry wrote that he never thought Timothy would actually carry out the plan.
Starting point is 00:35:40 Okay, sure. But it didn't matter. Terry Nichols was sentenced to life in prison and Timothy's other army buddy, that Michael guy, yeah, he was charged too. Even though Michael was apologetic to the jury, he also played the dumb card claiming that he didn't realize how serious Timothy was, but the evidence said otherwise.
Starting point is 00:36:01 Michael was sentenced to 12 years in prison and a $200,000 fine. So he's out of prison now and allegedly, rumor has it, he's in the witness protection program. Why? Okay, so Timothy's trial on the other hand wasn't so cut and dry. His trial took over two years. They even had to move the trial to Denver because it was impossible to find an impartial jury in Oklahoma. I mean, this was everywhere. This was all over the news.
Starting point is 00:36:34 It was huge, it was major. Everybody knew about it. So I'm sure like any, everyone would just convict him. He's guilty, he did it. Like, F that guy, right? So whatever. Timothy decided to use the necessity defense, arguing that the bombing was needed in order to prevent the federal government from stripping American citizens of their rights.
Starting point is 00:36:57 Timothy once said, quote, what the US government did to Waco and Ruby Ridge was dirty, and I gave dirty back to them at Oklahoma City. So the trial included heart-wrenching testimony from the families of victims and from police officers who described the horrors of finding bodies of dead children from the daycare. I can't imagine. So the jury ends up deliberating for like 23 hours and then in the end, you know, they finally returned with a verdict. Timothy McVeigh was sentenced to death. I mean, I think we can all agree
Starting point is 00:37:29 that was probably the right move. I mean, maybe not, you don't agree, but you know, yeah, I think, I think that's fine. It was said Timothy never really showed remorse. He wrote in a letter before his death, quote, "'I'm sorry these people had to lose their lives, but that's the nature of the beast. It's understood what the human toll will be.
Starting point is 00:37:47 Yeah, he's gotta go. Send him out. So, you know, he got his last meal, which was like a mint chocolate chip ice cream. That was his last meal. And then on June 12th, 2001, 33-year-old Timothy McVeigh was executed by lethal injection.
Starting point is 00:38:04 In the aftermath of the Oklahoma City bombing, everyone assumed it was the work of a foreign terrorist. And without any evidence, the media started a manhunt for a Middle Eastern looking terrorist. Oh yes. When Timothy's face was shown all over the news, everywhere, people were shocked.
Starting point is 00:38:23 They were like, a white man? What? They were so confused. It was like shattering their idea of safety. Americans now were not only afraid of homegrown domestic terrorists, but I think they're realizing like, oh yeah, people who live here could do this shit too, huh? Like it wasn't just from foreign countries like everyone wants us to believe, the call was coming from inside the house. Anyways when I was learning about this story I was thinking did like what came from this? Did anything come from this besides devastation right? Like after the fact, did any laws change? Government buildings get locked down?
Starting point is 00:39:08 Like what happened? Well, here's what I found out and I thought this was really interesting. It's not that interesting, but I thought it was. After the bombing, the White House put fencing around the front entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue. So now this was a huge deal because normally they would need public
Starting point is 00:39:26 approval to do this and the White House was supposed it was like open for all. The White House was just open but the White House I guess didn't want to risk it. They were worried that someone would park another car bomb outside the White House and would blow it up. So they put up the fencing around the White House and the fencing has been up ever since. Ain't that some shit? Literally, like even now, if you go to the White House, you know there's fencing still up. It's because of this bombing.
Starting point is 00:39:58 Isn't that weird? Are you a true crime junkie who's run out of episodes? Are you possibly too nosy when it comes to your friends' dating lives? Then the Dating Detectives podcast is about to be your next obsession. Hosted by private investigator Mackenzie Foltz and me, comedian Hannah Anderson, every Monday the Dating Detectives bring survivors to the mic to share their unbelievable yet true stories of love gone wrong.
Starting point is 00:40:18 From cheaters and liars to con men and scam artists, these cases will leave your jaw on the floor. So listen to The Dating dating detectives now on Spotify because true crime has never been this close to the heart. In the year 2000, the Oklahoma National Memorial Museum was built on the former site of the Murrah Building and its purpose is to honor the victims and all those who were affected by this horrible tragedy.
Starting point is 00:40:42 You could learn more about this memorial on their website, memorialmuseum.com, and also I'll link it down below for you. Now here were some questions I had that were not answered. One, that white supremacy group who helped like steal all those guns and get the cash to fund Timothy's bombing, what happened to them and how come they weren't investigated?
Starting point is 00:41:12 Exactly. Exactly. Two, I guess that was mainly it. They funded the whole thing. Anywho, this story was like, nuts. I never knew anything truly about it. I mean, I remember the images and like how horrifying it was but I really didn't understand like why it happened you know. I was just a young little Bailey at the time but it was such a wild ride and it's like who knew so many things in history were just connect who knew all these things were connected who knew? Okay so it got me wondering like how the hell in the turn diary still thing because I was looking at the list of like banned books. Have you recently taken a little gander? A little look-see at banned books? It's like to kill a mockingbird of mice and men. What? Lord of the Flies, Catcher of the Rye, Animal Farm. I don't see Turner diary on this thing. It's just kind of interesting to me, isn't it? You know what's not on this list either? Mein Kampf.
Starting point is 00:42:07 It's not on this list either. It's kind of interesting. I think we're a little confused here, aren't we? Anywho. Now what? Now you're gonna go about your day with this knowledge. And what did we learn here today? We learned, I'm not saying this is gonna solve
Starting point is 00:42:28 every problem out there, I'm just saying, thinking of the future, thinking about things we should be thinking about as a community, as a whole. We should give veterans, people who are honorably discharged from the army, from the Navy, whatever, there needs to be some kind of like therapy and direction and plan for them after the fact when they come back to the normal,
Starting point is 00:42:52 quote unquote normal worlds. Cause you can't go from like killing a bunch of people and then back to like normal society and just act normal. I mean, these people need like help and guidance. It should be available to them. I know that not everyone's going to take advantage of it, but it should be available to them, right? I'm not saying it could have prevented this,
Starting point is 00:43:10 but I'm saying it would have been a nice option for him to maybe talk it out. Let me know what you guys think in the comments down below. So takeaway here, I can't wait for all the Turner diary people to just light me up. So next week, we're kicking off our Halloween episodes. I know, what are you gonna wear? Hold on, my hair's knotted.
Starting point is 00:43:32 What are you gonna be? I think I'm gonna be a cat. I don't know. But we are, you know, kicking off our Halloween episodes with the topic that most of us actually have experience with. What's that? You don't know what I'm talking about?
Starting point is 00:43:48 Well, it's your annoying uncle's favorite thing to do. It's caused some of the worst fights in history and in some cases even led to murder. I'm talking about board games. What? Yeah. Isn't that fun? We'll see. I mean, I want to know,
Starting point is 00:44:09 like where did the Ouija board come from? You know, how many people have died over a game of Monopoly? You'd be surprised. And was Yahtzee really invented on a yacht? You know, my curious ass was up all night, like, try to figure it out for you. So anywho, join us next week as we kick off spooky season and talk all
Starting point is 00:44:32 things Ouija board, Monopoly and Yahtzee. Well friends thank you for hanging out with me today. Did you know that you can join me over on my YouTube where you can watch these episodes on Thursday after the podcast airs. And if you're watching me right now, hi! And while you're there, you can also catch my Murder Mystery in makeup. Don't forget to subscribe because I'm here for you weekly with new content. Well actually really quick, listen. Murder Mystery I do every other Monday.
Starting point is 00:44:59 Dark History we do three and then one week off. That might be confusing, but I'm just letting you know. I love to hear your guys' reactions to today's story, so make sure to leave a comment below so I can see what you guys are saying and maybe your comment might even get featured in a future episode. Now, let's read a couple of comments you guys have left me.
Starting point is 00:45:18 Tyler Hackner, 9731, hi Tyler Hackner, left a comment on our Death to Disco episode saying, Disco actually kicks ass. Wow Tyler, I couldn't agree more. It does. Oh, you can see my brassiere. Oh dear. AmberJD11 left me a comment saying, My dad has become obsessed with you.
Starting point is 00:45:41 At first he wasn't sure. You totally pulled him in. He's blown away by your abilities to story tell. He loves you. At first he wasn't sure. You totally pulled him in. He's blown away by your abilities to storytell. He loves you. Thank you for being a part of his healing. He almost died on my birthday in November. He's massively come around from heart failure and other things. You've been fantastic company for him. Amber! That's so special. Give your dad a big hug for me. Say it's from me. That's very sweet.
Starting point is 00:46:08 Thank you so much for sharing that with me. I mean, I don't know. Thank you both for listening. I just appreciate you. I hope your dad is healing well and I'm glad he came around because daddy, I'm great. Daddy. Hi daddy. Hey daddy. Daddy. Hi, Daddy. Hey, Daddy.
Starting point is 00:46:27 Daddy. I'm just kidding. Daddy. Okay. I love you. Thank you. I appreciate you. That was really sweet.
Starting point is 00:46:36 Thank you for sharing that with me. It really means a lot. Sometimes I forget that people are actually watching my videos because really when you think about it, it's just me sitting in front of a camera and then my two friends here who don't talk. So a lot of the times I'm like, is anybody even like watching or listening? And you know, you guys let me know and I just really appreciate it.
Starting point is 00:46:55 It really means a lot. Thank you. Shereine E. Roberts, 8537 left us an episode suggestion saying, hi Bailey. Hey, I love how dark history fills in some of the gaps I learned in history. Thank you. This is a big ask.
Starting point is 00:47:12 Oh no. But I would love it if you did a dark history of the phone companies and TV to cable services. Love dark history or DH. Okay, at first I was a little worried about what you're gonna ask me, because sometimes people ask me to do weird shit. Like, hey, for $5, can I suck your big toe?
Starting point is 00:47:28 And I'm like, okay, fine, you know? So I was a little worried. I didn't know where this was going. But listen, I didn't think about this, and that's actually a really good idea, because like, cable companies are low-key the worst, and what is up with them, huh? Hmm.
Starting point is 00:47:44 I'm gonna look into this. Thank you, that's a good one. I like this. I like them, huh? Hmm. I'ma look into this. Thank you, that's a good one. I like this. I like you, I like this. And I appreciate you for watching and listening and being here. Thank you. Taylor Guestler said,
Starting point is 00:47:56 "'Petition for Bailey to get a cat to star "'in these dark history episodes.'" Taylor, listen. Let me think about this listen I don't have anything against cats but if you haven't noticed Joan is a bird and cats and birds they have their own dark history so I think a cat might actually kill my cohost. Well, maybe I should get a cat. Thanks for the suggestion. What would I name the cat?
Starting point is 00:48:40 Cause I got Paul, Joan. What would the cat be? Puss in boots? Shrek. Okay, dvdv8197 left me a joke. Oh, I love a joke. Did I ever tell the story of the time I went to the seafood disco? No, I pulled a muscle.
Starting point is 00:49:03 Okay, I won't lie. I won't lie. I won't lie. I won't lie. I won't lie. Like at first, you know, that was dumb. But as it marinates, I'm definitely going to use that. That's really funny. LOL. LOL. Send me more jokes. I like this idea. Anyway, I love you guys so much for watching. I appreciate you so much for being here with me, especially throughout all these years. Excited for the season four. Keep on commenting because maybe you'll be featured.
Starting point is 00:49:35 Maybe you won't, but either way, it's fun and I read them. And hey, if you don't know, Dark History is an audio boom original. I wanna give a big special thank you to our expert, Professor Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University, co-author of the book, God, Guns and Sedition. He really gave us lots of education on today's subject. So big thank you to him.
Starting point is 00:49:57 And I am your host, if you don't know, Bailey Sarian. I hope you have a good day, you make good choices, and I'll be talking to you next week. Goodbye!

There aren't comments yet for this episode. Click on any sentence in the transcript to leave a comment.