Q577 Summary

Summary prepared by Fielding M. McGehee III. If you use this material, please credit The Jonestown Institute. Thank you.

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FBI Catalogue: Tapes not summarized

FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Tracs 60/ Grace Stoen greeting people 7/29/76*

Date cues on tape: July 29, 1976 (specifically dated)

People named:
Jonestown residents, full name unknown:
Jim
John

Jonestown residents:
Melanie Briedenbach
Wesley Briedenbach

Summary:

This short tape consists of a message from an unidentified woman in “the Promised Land” of Jonestown, who sends greetings back to the United States.

(* The tape box notation is likely in error. Grace Stoen had left Peoples Temple earlier that month — and was certainly not in Guyana that summer — and while she was in brief contact with Melanie Briedenbach after her departure, she would likely have not recorded such a message. In addition, the voice doesn’t sound like that of Ms. Stoen.)

FBI Summary:

Date of transcription: 3/6/79

In connection with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s investigation into the assassination of U.S. Congressman LEO J. RYAN at Port Kaituma, Guyana, South America, on November 18, 1978, a tape recording was obtained. This tape recording was located in Jonestown, Guyana, South America, and was turned over to U.S. Officials in Guyana and subsequently transported to the United States.

On March 2, 1979, Special Agent (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B47 #18. This tape was found to contain the following:

This tape was reviewed, and nothing was contained thereon which was considered to be of evidentiary nature or beneficial to the investigation of Congressman RYAN.

Differences with FBI Summary:

None

Tape originally posted July 2001