FBI Phoenix
Brooke Brennan and Kevin Smith
(623) 466-1999
April 10, 2015

$310,000 Reward Offered in Exchange for Information Leading to the Arrest and Conviction of the Individual(s) Responsible for the Derailment of the Sunset Limited Passenger Train

A reward of up to $310,000 is being offered in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the derailment of the Amtrak passenger train “The Sunset Limited.” The derailment of the Sunset Limited passenger train occurred on October 9, 1995, around 1:35 a.m. in a remote desert area approximately 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona.

This incident resulted in the death of one Amtrak employee, serious injuries to 12 others, and minor injuries to approximately one hundred additional passengers. At the time of the derailment, the Sunset Limited had 258 passengers onboard. Images of the scene after the derailment are below.

The reward of up to $310,000 is being paid collectively by multiple entities. It should be noted that each entity offering reward money attaches a separate set of criteria that must be met in order for the reward money to be paid. The reward is broken down as follows:

  • FBI - Up to $250,000
  • Amtrak - Up to $50,000
  • Maricopa County Attorney’s Office - Up to $10,000

This case is being investigated jointly by the FBI, Amtrak Police Department, Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, and the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona.

If you have information about the derailment of the Sunset Limited, please report it to the FBI Phoenix Field Office at 623-466-1999 or tips.fbi.gov.

A reward of up to $310,000 is being offered in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the derailment of the Amtrak passenger train The Sunset Limited. The derailment of the Sunset Limited passenger train occurred on October 9, 1995, around 1:35 a.m. in a remote desert area approximately 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. A reward of up to $310,000 is being paid collectively by multiple entities.

The derailment of the Sunset Limited passenger train occurred on October 9, 1995, around 1:35 a.m. in a remote desert area approximately 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona. A reward of up to $310,000 is being paid collectively by multiple entities.

The Amtrak Sunset Limited passenger train after it was derailed on October 9, 1995, in a remote desert area approximately 70 miles southwest of Phoenix, Arizona.