Weldon L. Kennedy

Weldon Lynn Kennedy (born September 12, 1938) was a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation and served for 33 years. He is known for negotiating a peaceful end to the Atlanta Prison Riots and his involvement in the investigation of the Oklahoma City bombing. He retired as the FBI's No. 2 in command, Deputy Director, in 1997.

Weldon was born in September 1938 in Menlow, Texas, a small community in Hill County that no longer exists. After service as an officer in the United States Navy's Office of Naval Intelligence, Weldon joined the FBI in 1963. In 1987, he earned fame as the special agent in charge during a riot at United States Penitentiary, Atlanta, where he negotiated a 13-day takeover. He then acted as Special Agent in charge of the arrests and investigation of Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols of the Oklahoma City bombing. In 1995, he was appointed Deputy Director by Louis J. Freeh. In 1997, Kennedy retired and left his office to William Esposito, but only for a few months. Thomas J. Pickard assumed the office officially after Esposito. Kennedy was then hired as Vice Chairman of Guardsmark by Ira A. Lipman. He now resides with his family in Prescott, Arizona. His memoir, On-Scene Commander: From Street Agent to Deputy Director of the FBI, was published by Potomac Books, Inc. on 10 September 2007.