The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) processes thousands of requests each year. When requesting a file on a certain individual under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) / Privacy Act, you, as the requester, are required to show either 1) a certified statement from the person you are requesting files on, and the fact they are ok with you receiving the records, or 2) proof of death. This can be in the form of a death certificate or obituary from a valid/reputable source.
As these requests for files are processed, the FBI has compiled a list, used as an internal reference, which totals more than 17,000 people that the FBI understands are deceased.
What is valuable about this list, is that each and every name on it — can be be referenced by researchers, as that individual actually having a file, and that the FBI already has determined and understands, they are deceased.
In November of 2019, The Black Vault received part of the most recent version of this list (or believed to be the most recent version.) Previous releases are archived here for reference as well.
Follow The Black Vault on Social Media:
This post was published on January 7, 2023 5:00 am
A newly released set of FBI records obtained by The Black Vault through a May…
A document released from the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), obtained under the Freedom of Information…
Background Welcome to the FBI Files on Historical Figures & Groups archive at The Black…
Welcome to the FBI Files on American Military Personnel archive at The Black Vault. This…
This article was originally published June 5, 2024. It was updated on May 7, 2025,…
Following a surge of more than 5,000 drone sighting reports in New Jersey in late…