Release and Assignment Form for Burial of Identified Bodies (Text)

The body of [space left for name] who died in Jonestown, Guyana has been transported from Delaware to California pursuant to an order of the California Superior Court, and the steel sealed casket containing the body is now resting in the mortuary facilities at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, California.

The United States Government, which repatriated the body from Guyana, has required me to advise you that the body is not suitable for viewing and that the sealed casket should remain closed.

This letter is notice to you that you may now instruct a licensed undertaker or funeral director of your choice to take custody of the body and arrange for interment according to your wishes.

If you make such arrangements and certify to me that you do not have resources sufficient to pay the costs of burial, I am authorized by the Court to reimburse you, if you have paid the funeral director arranging the burial, or to pay directly to the funeral director, if he has not been paid, the actual cost of interment not exceeding $540.

Upon completion of interment you or the funeral director may bill me. I am informed that several funeral directors are prepared to render complete services for $540 or less.

If you desire to claim the body for the person named above and to make private arrangements for burial please complete the enclosed Request for release and assignment; Alternate Instructions form and return it to me promptly. Four copies of the Request form are enclosed. Please complete and sign them all, send two to me, deliver one to the funeral director you choose and keep one for yourself. An addressed envelope is enclosed for my copies.

If you do not choose to claim the body you may select one of the other alternatives described in the Release form. Please be sure to select only one of the three alternatives. Any bodies remaining unclaimed after June 10, 1979 will be buried in a cemetery in the Los Angeles area.

I personally grieve with you. Please help me to complete my task in an orderly and dignified manner.

Very truly yours,
[signature] Robert H. Fabian
Robert H. Fabian, Receiver

Page 2

To: Robert H. Fabian
Receiver of the Peoples Temple of the Disciples of Christ
220 Bush Street
San Francisco, California 94104

[Box] ALTERNATIVE NO. 1: Please release the casket containing the body of [space] (name of deceased), my [space] (e.g. sister, brother, cousin) to [space], a licensed funeral director whose address is [space] and whose telephone number is [space].

I will instruct the funeral director as to the disposition of the body. I certify under penalty of injury that I do not have sufficient assets or resources to pay for the burial of my deceased relative.

[Box] ALTERNATIVE NO. 2: You are authorized to cremate said body and dispose of the ashes as follows: [Box] Deliver them to me. [Box] Dispose of them in a legal and dignified manner. [Box] Place them in a licensed columbarium and notify me of the location.

[Box] ALTERNATIVE NO. 3: You are authorized to bury said body in a proper grave in the cemetery of your choice because I do not choose to claim it.

I certify that as next of kin I have the right to claim said body or to give instructions as to its disposition.

I grant to you as the Court approved Receiver (a) a lien and first claim to offset against any cause of action I may have against Peoples Temple for recovery of amounts paid by the Receiver for burial of this body, and (b) I assigned to you as such Receiver any claim which I may have against the Social Security Administration or the Veterans Administration for the cost of burial of said body. The Decedent’s social security number is [space].

Dated this [space] day of [space] 1979.

Telephone
Day [space]
Evening [space]

[space] Print Name
[space] Signature
[space] Street Address
[space] City, State, Zip

To the Funeral Directors:

Please telephone Mr. Nicolas Delancie, Mr. Richard Hudak or Ms. Constance Majoy at (415) 982-6015 to make an appointment to receive the body from Building No. 433 at Fort MacArthur, San Pedro, Ca. Bodies will be released between 12:30 and 2 p.m. on days selected by the Receiver. Your agent must produce a signed copy of this authorization.