Where is Michael Fortier now? All about Terry Nichols' accomplice from Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror
While Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols are known as the masterminds, there was a third man tied closely to the plan, Michael Fortier, in the U.S. domestic terror attack. In April 1995, the Oklahoma City bombing shocked the nation. It killed 168 people, injured hundreds more, and left a lasting scar on American soil.
Though he wasn’t physically present when the bomb detonated, Fortier knew it was coming. He helped sell stolen guns to fund the attack, scouted the target building, and chose to stay silent.
Decades later, the Netflix documentary Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror revisits the case in detail, bringing renewed attention to Michael Fortier’s involvement. His decision to testify helped convict both bombers, but it also earned him a shorter sentence and a quiet life under federal protection.
Michael Fortier’s part in the plan
From army buddy to insider
Michael Fortier met Timothy McVeigh in the Army. Their friendship deepened over shared anti-government views. As McVeigh’s plan to strike back against the U.S. government took shape, Fortier was looped in. According to multiple sources, he learned about the idea months before it happened. He knew the target was Oklahoma City’s Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building.
Instead of alerting authorities, Fortier, as reported by Time on April 19, 2025, helped McVeigh sell stolen weapons to raise money. He also assisted in scouting potential targets. His wife, Lori Fortier, helped laminate the fake ID McVeigh used to rent the truck filled with explosives.
When the bomb exploded on April 19, killing children and federal workers alike, Fortier didn’t come forward. It wasn’t until investigators approached him that he began cooperating. Even then, he initially lied until the pressure grew too much.
What happened after the bombing?
Eventually, Michael Fortier struck a deal. As reported by The Oklahoman on April 13, 2025, he pleaded guilty to four charges: failing to alert authorities, lying to investigators, and helping with illegal firearms sales. In exchange for his testimony against McVeigh and Nichols, he was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined $75,000.
He became a key witness, testifying in court about McVeigh's plans and what he knew. His testimony helped secure the convictions. However, his reduced sentence caused a stir. Many survivors and victims’ families questioned why someone who knew so much got a deal.
After serving around ten and a half years, Fortier was released on January 20, 2006. He was immediately placed in the federal Witness Protection Program.
Where is Michael Fortier now?
Since his release, Michael Fortier has disappeared from public view. No photos. No interviews. No trace. According to multiple sources, he and his family were given new identities and relocated through the federal protection program. That remains true as of 2025.
Netflix’s Oklahoma City Bombing: American Terror has brought Fortier’s name back into the headlines. The documentary revisits the lead-up to the attack and the investigations that followed. It doesn’t say where Fortier is today, but it makes clear how pivotal his knowledge was to both the planning and the prosecution.
Aside from Michael Fortier, the two primary co-conspirators were Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols. McVeigh was found guilty on eleven federal charges connected to the bombing, including first-degree murder and conspiracy to deploy a weapon of mass destruction. He was sentenced to death and executed by lethal injection on June 11, 2001, at the federal prison in Terre Haute, Indiana.
Nichols, who assisted McVeigh in acquiring bomb components and storing materials, faced separate trials at the federal and state levels. He was convicted of conspiracy and eight counts of involuntary manslaughter in federal court and received a life sentence without parole.
Later, in Oklahoma state court, Nichols was found guilty of 161 counts of first-degree murder and sentenced to 161 consecutive life terms without the possibility of parole. No additional individuals were formally charged as co-conspirators in the case.
Stay tuned for more updates.
