Report: Mystery Donor Paid For Would-Be Trump Assassin’s Cremation
An “anonymous donor” paid for the cremation of would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks, according to newly obtained federal records.
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Just days after the deadly rally shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks was cremated, according to documents provided to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley as part of his ongoing investigation into the first assassination attempt against then-presidential candidate Donald Trump, as reported by the New York Post.
The documents allegedly state that an “anonymous donor” funded Crooks’ cremation, according to a note included at the end of a summary of an interview his father, Matthew Crooks, gave to federal investigators. (RELATED: RETRACTED: FBI Docs Reveal Trump’s Would Be Assassin Contacted Butler Officials Before The Attack)
The information appears to have come from an attorney representing the family.
The records also noted that Matthew was retired while his wife was on leave from work, indicating the family may not have had the funds to cover Thomas Crooks’ funeral expenses.
In other portions of the records reviewed by the NYP, Matthew said he was unemployed at the time of the shooting.
The cremation was first disclosed by Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins, who questioned why the FBI released Crooks’ body to his family just 10 days after the July 13, 2024, assassination attempt.
President Trump’s would-be assassin was born without making a sound on Sept. 20, 2003, according to a separate NYP report.
“When Thomas was born, he did not scream, and he was always quiet from that point on,” his father, Matthew Crooks, told federal investigators.
That quiet demeanor followed Thomas Crooks throughout his life. He was killed at age 20 by Secret Service gunfire moments after firing at Trump and grazing his ear.
In interviews with the FBI, Matthew Crooks said he “never really had a father/son bond” with Crooks and described him as emotionally reserved. He rarely showed strong emotions, hardly laughed, and was difficult to read.
Matthew Crooks told investigators that his son never appeared to pursue romantic relationships and “never showed interest in girls,” according to the NYP.
His father also said his son “repeatedly denied” being gay when the subject came up over the years.
Thomas Crooks became increasingly interested in guns and shooting as a teenager, though he had little interest in hunting or fishing.
Matthew Crooks said their conversations were often brief and centered on firearms, including Thomas Crooks asking whether he would need a background check to buy his father’s Glock — a question Matthew considered “odd.” He also asked about inheriting his grandfather’s guns.
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Thomas Crooks began going to a gun club around the start of the pandemic, initially as a “terrible” shot. Matthew said “he could not hit the paper [target],” and estimated it took four to five years of practice before his son became proficient.
Eventually, the would-be assassin began using targets set up more than 100 yards away. When Crooks’ father asked why he was “going out so far,” Thomas Crooks said, “he wanted to see how far he could shoot with rudimentary sights.”
After buying a prism sight, Thomas became “very knowledgeable” about measuring and zeroing his weapon and calculating the precise number of clicks needed to adjust the sight.
As his interest in guns grew, the would-be assassin also began ordering large numbers of Amazon packages, including “parts, tools and items to increase the capacity of his rifle.” (RELATED: Widow Of Butler Rally Victim Says Trump Assassination Attempt Was ‘An Inside Job’)
He sometimes used the pseudonym “Bob Dole” as a delivery name, a practice Matthew said began after his Citizens Bank account was hacked and fraudulent BetMGM charges appeared.
Thomas Crooks also believed using an assumed name would help protect his accounts from being compromised.
Matthew Crooks explained that the purchases were still linked to his bank account regardless of the delivery name, but his son dismissed the explanation and continued using pseudonyms for online orders.
Crooks also introduced his father to privacy tools, which he said made them “less likely to be compromised by outside actors.”
He also used encrypted email services such as GMX and Mailfence.
Around that time, he began experimenting with 3D printing and attempted to build a Glock 19. Matthew told investigators his son used “carbon fiber plastic, a dryer and a toaster oven” to make the gun. After firing a single round, Matthew worried the frame could explode and refused to allow him to use it again.
His other projects included building a gaming PC and a security camera using a Raspberry Pi. Matthew said his son’s likely role model was Marvel’s Iron Man. (RELATED: Secret Service Agent Shot At WHCD Was Only One To Return Fire: Affidavit)
Federal investigators also interviewed an unnamed person who described Crooks as a “big history buff” who was “interested in politics,” though he generally discussed politics casually.
According to the NYP’s review of the records, Crooks frequently talked about Trump, Biden and Marco Rubio, including what he liked and disliked about each politician.
Despite his interests and political discussions, Matthew Crooks said the family saw no obvious warning signs. As they struggled to understand why their son attempted to kill Trump, his father told investigators that he “never showed any signs indicating something was wrong.”
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