The FBI’s investigation into the events of November 18, 1978 focused upon the assassination of Leo Ryan and any actions of members of Peoples Temple which may have shown evidence of a conspiracy related to that assassination. Code-named RYMUR – short for Ryan Murder – the investigation yielded 2750 serials totalling more than 10,000 pages, eventually separated into 42 large sections.
This page includes the contents of Section 22, including Serials 1571-1640. The dates are in December 1978 and January 1979.
The table below lists each document by serial number, the number of pages within each serial, the date the serial was generated, the federal agency originating the serial, and a brief description. Each entry then includes the PDF and the text of the serial. Additional notes appear at the bottom of the page. A listing of abbreviations used in the RYMUR documents – including FBI field offices and State Department embassies – is here.
In citing these documents, each serial should open with the official designation of “RYMUR 89-4286.” As an example, Serial 1580 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-1580.”
|
Serial
|
# of Pages
|
Date
|
Office of Origin
|
Description
|
PDF
|
Text
|
| 1571 | 1 | [Unknown] | [Serial deleted under national security] | Text | ||
| 1572 | 3 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | [Text deleted under national security] | Text | |
| 1573 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-SF | SF requests updated death list | Text | |
| 1574 | 1 | 1/5 | FBIHQ | FBIHQ furnishes list of identified bodies | Text | |
| 1575 | 5 | 1/5 | FBI-Charlotte | FBI checks into unrelated religious commune in Tennessee | Text | |
| 1576 | 34 | 1/5 | FBI-BQ | FBI photographs JT survivors upon return to US | Text | |
| 1577 | 13 | 1/5 | FBI-BQ | Interviews with survivors from Georgetown | Text | |
| 1578-0 | 1 | 1/5 | FBI-BQ | Cover page for FBI interviews | Text | |
| 1578-1 | 18 | 1/2 | FBI-BQ | Interview with Edith Bogue | Text | |
| 1578-2 | 1 | 1/3 | FBI-BQ | Delivery of subpoena | Text | |
| 1578-3 | 5 | 1/4 | FBI-BQ | Interview with Eugene Smith | Text | |
| 1579 | 10 | 1/4 | FBI-DE | Interview with Odell Rhodes | Text | |
| 1580 | 1 | 1/5 | FBI-SF | Identification of bodies | Text | |
| 1581 | 1 | 1/4 | AmEmb Kingston | [RYMUR administrative memorandum] | Text | |
| 1582 | 3 | 1/8 | FBIHQ | DOJ summary: grand jury; JT survivors; ID of PK shooters; Temple finances | Text | |
| 1583 | 2 | 1/8 | FBI-DE | Corrections to Serial 1579 | Text | |
| 1584 | 1 | 1/8 | FBIHQ | [duplicate of 1591] | Text | |
| 1585 | 9 | 1/8 | FBIHQ | US seeks to recover PT assets in Panama | Text | |
| 1586 | 3 | 1/8 | FBIHQ | Interview with V. Gosney and J. Speier | Text | |
| 1587-1590 | 7 | 12/19-1/9 | FBI Fingerprint | Local police departments ask if subjects of fugitive warrants were in JT | Text | |
| 1591 | 1 | 1/7 | FBI-SF | U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feather of Swiss banking authorities | Text | |
| 1592 | 2 | 1/9 | FBI-BQ | Airline requests sky marshals to accompany JT survivors to US | Text | |
| 1593 | 3 | 1/9 | AmEmb Georgetown | FBI interviews PT members still in Guyana | Text | |
| 1594 | 2 | 1/9 | FBIHQ | [Retransmittal of Serial 1593] | Text | |
| 1595 | 2 | 1/9 | FBIHQ | [Retransmittal of Serial 1614] | Text | |
| 1596 | 1 | 1/9 | AmEmb Bern | Swiss blocking release of safety deposit box | Text | |
| 1597 | 1 | 1/10 | FBIHQ | Swiss blocking release of safety deposit box | Text | |
| 1598 | 4 | 1/8 | FBI-SF | Peoples Temple assets located in Panama | Text | |
| 1599 | 5 | 1/10 | FBIHQ | [Retransmittal of Serial 1598] | Text | |
| 1600 | 2 | 1/10 | FBIHQ | [Retransmittal of Serial 1615] | Text | |
| 1601 | 2 | 1/10 | FBI-BU | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
| 1602 | 12 | 1/8 | FBI-BQ | Interview with Aurora Rodriguez; containers of evidence arrive in US | Text | |
| 1603 | 3 | 1/10 | Legat Mexico | US seeks to freeze Temple assets | Text | |
| 1604 | 4 | 12/27 | FBI-SF | Additional questions in light of PT contact with GOG officials, GDF in JT | Text | |
| 1605 | 2 | 12/28 | FBI-SF | Chris Lewis murder evidence | Text | |
| 1606 | 4 | 12/29 | FBI-SF | PT document on retired FBI agent | Text | |
| 1607 | 2 | 1/4 | FBI-BA | Bullet fragments from Jackie Speier | Text | |
| 1608 | 2 | 1/4 | FBI-BA | FBI to analyze blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan | Text | |
| 1609 | 1 | 1/8 | [RYMUR administrative memorandum] | Text | ||
| 1610 | 1 | 1/8 | [RYMUR administrative memorandum] | Text | ||
| 1611 | 7 | 1/8 | FBI-CO | Interview with Helen Swinney | Text | |
| 1612 | 1 | 1/9 | FBI-NY | Transmittal sheet for NBC video | Text | |
| 1613 | 1 | 1/9 | [RYMUR administrative memorandum] | Text | ||
| 1614 | 2 | 1/8 | AmEmb Georgetown | Michael Touchette granted permission to visit father | Text | |
| 1615 | 3 | 1/10 | AmEmb Bridgetown | Michael Touchette and Carl Barnett join crew of Albatross | Text | |
| 1616-0 | 2 | 1/10 | FBI-IP | Cover sheet for FD-302s | Text | |
| 1616-1 | 1 | 12/6 | FBI-IP | Interview with Indianapolis contact | Text | |
| 1616-2 | 3 | 12/11 | FBI-IP | Interview with Indianapolis member | Text | |
| 1616-3 | 29 | 12/11 | FBI-IP | Interview with Tom Podgorski | Text | |
| 1617 | 3 | 1/10 | State Dept. | Sky marshals to escort PT members to US | Text | |
| 1618 | 11 | 1/11 | FBIHQ | US seeks to freeze Swiss assets | Text | |
| 1619 | 2 | 1/10 | AmEmb Port of Spain | Travel of Michael Touchette | Text | |
| 1620 | 2 | 1/11 | FBIHQ | [Retransmittal of Serial 1619] | Text | |
| 1621 | 2 | 1/11 | FBIHQ | Swiss blocks PT funds for limited amount of time | Text | |
| 1622 | 2 | 1/11 | FBIHQ | Interview with pilot of airplane at Port Kaituma | Text | |
| 1623 | 4 | 1/11 | FBI-BQ | Interview with Hardat Sukhdeo, after trip to Guyana post 11/18 | Text | |
| 1624 | 2 | 1/11 | FBI-KC | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
| 1625 | 2 | 1/13 | FBI-SF | FBI probe of PT foreign assets | Text | |
| 1626 | 17 | 1/11 | State Dept. | [Retransmittal of Serial 1618] | Text | |
| 1627 | 3 | 1/10 | AmEmb Georgetown | Temple members returning to States | Text | |
| 1628 | 2 | 1/10 | AmEmb Georgetown | Michael Touchette leaves for Barbados with Carl Barnett | Text | |
| 1629 | 2 | 1/12 | FBIHQ | Report of status of 6 JT survivors in Guyana | Text | |
| 1630 | 3 | 1/14 | FBI-MM | Interview with Stanley Clayton | Text | |
| 1631 | 1 | 12/27 | DOJ Criminal Div. | DOJ Criminal Div. responds to House committee request for assistance | Text | |
| 1632 | 12 | 12/11 | House Comm. of Intl Relations | House committee requests assistance of FBI, access to witness interviews | Text | |
| 1633 | 3 | 12/28 | FBIHQ | FBI policy on aiding congressional committee during active investigation | Text | |
| 1634 | 1 | 12/29 | FBIHQ | Letter to DOJ Criminal Div. on assisting House committee | Text | |
| 1635 | 1 | 1/10 | FBIHQ | RYMUR working on ID and “legal posture” | Text | |
| 1636 | 5 | 12/19 | State Dept. | Embassy can release evidentiary materials to FBI | Text | |
| 1637 | 18 | 12/27 | DOJ Civil Div. | Search for Temple assets; petition to dissolve PT; 11/18 letters of instruction | Text | |
| 1638 | 2 | 12/15 | DOJ Deputy AG | Discussion of progress of grand jury proceedings | Text | |
| 1638x-1638×4 | 2 | [RYMUR administrative memoranda] | Text | |||
| 1638×5 | 3 | 12/15 | DOJ Criminal Div. | Discussion of progress of grand jury proceedings | Text | |
| 1639 | 4 | 12/18 | FBIHQ | FBI reply to LAT article about interviews of survivors | Text | |
| 1639X-1639×17 | 19 | [RYMUR administrative memoranda] | Text | |||
| 1639×18 | 4 | 12/18 | FBI Lab | Report of firearm examination | Text | |
| 1639×19 | 24 | 12/18 | FBI Lab | Report of blood sample evaluation | Text | |
| 1639×20 | 4 | 12/19 | FBI-DL | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT, provides tape of PT radio broadcasts | Text | |
| 1640-1640×4 | 6 | [RYMUR administrative memoranda] | Text |
The pdf of the complete section is here. It should be noted that this document is unique to this site, based upon the FBI’s official release of documents in 2014 and augmented with additional documents. The additional documents include: those released by the State Department; those released through the litigation of McGehee et al v. Justice; and those released by the FBI in 2001 but not included in the later release.
The information released in these serials may change as the FBI releases additional information pursuant to ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act.