Who was Richard Jewell and what was his connection to the Atlanta Olympics bombing?

Disclaimer: This article contains mentions of bombings and deaths. Readers are advised to exercise caution.

In July 1996, a 40-pound pipe bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park, killing a woman and injuring more than 100 people. The explosion occurred in the middle of the 1996 Summer Olympics. Several media outlets reported that a security guard named Richard Jewell found a suspicious backpack in the park and decided to evacuate the scene. Although Jewell saved many lives, he soon became one of the suspects. After an investigation was launched, Jewell received negative media attention.

According to The New York Times, Jewell found an abandoned backpack in Centennial Olympic Park. With the help of authorities, he evacuated nearly 100 people from the area. Minutes later, however, the bomb exploded, killing a woman. Another person died of a heart attack immediately after the explosion. Jewell said in an interview at the time that he wanted to save everyone, but unfortunately, he was unable to do so. He said, “All I wanted to do was get everyone out of the area.” However, a report by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution suggested that Jewell may have been a person of interest in the bombing.

As a result, authorities raided Richard Jewell’s home and searched it thoroughly. The New York Times reported that he was not allowed to leave and remained in his home. Later, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution quoted people who knew Jewell. According to the acquaintances, Jewell had a backpack that looked similar to the one found at the crime scene. On the other hand, certain officials at Jewell’s workplace noted that the prime suspect appeared “overly zealous” on the day of the explosion. In the meantime, authorities continued their investigation into Richard Jewell.

What happened to Richard Jewell and who was the bomber at the Atlanta Olympics?

For three months, police investigated Richard Jewell’s connection to the Atlanta Olympic bombings. However, they could find no evidence against him. In October 1996, the Justice Department finally announced that Jewell was no longer a person of interest.

The New York Times quoted the letter as saying that “unless new evidence is discovered, this status will not change.” In addition, the Justice Department expressed regret that the investigation was made public. “The public should remember that Richard Jewell was not charged with any crime in connection with the bombing at any time, and the property seized pursuant to court-authorized search warrants has been returned,” the letter said.

Nearly two years after the bombing, authorities announced a man named Eric Rudolph as the prime suspect in the Atlanta Olympics bombing. CNN reported that police had named him as a suspect in a bombing that took place in Alabama. In 2003, authorities arrested Eric Rudolph in North Carolina and charged him on multiple charges. Two years later, he pleaded guilty to multiple bombings in several cities, including the Olympic Park bombing.

In August 2005, Eric Rudolph was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences for the bombings. On the other hand, Richard Jewell died of natural causes in 2007 at the age of 44. NBC News cited the autopsy and stated that he had “in essence” suffered a heart attack.

In 2019, a film was released called Richard Jewell, which was based on the investigation into the Olympic Park bombing. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Paul Walter Hauser as Richard Jewell and Kathy Bates as his mother, Bobi Jewell. Notably, Bates received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor (Female). The film is available to stream on MAX and Prime Video.