RYMUR Section 22 – Serials 1571-1640

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] PDF Text
1572 3 1/4 FBIHQ [Text deleted under national security] PDF Text
1573 1 1/2 FBI-SF SF requests updated death list PDF Text
1574 1 1/5 FBIHQ FBIHQ furnishes list of identified bodies PDF Text
1575 5 1/5 FBI-Charlotte FBI checks into unrelated religious commune in Tennessee PDF Text
1576 34 1/5 FBI-BQ FBI photographs JT survivors upon return to US PDF Text
1577 13 1/5 FBI-BQ Interviews with survivors from Georgetown PDF Text
1578-0 1 1/5  FBI-BQ Cover page for FBI interviews PDF Text
1578-1 18 1/2  FBI-BQ Interview with Edith Bogue PDF Text
1578-2 1 1/3  FBI-BQ Delivery of subpoena PDF Text
1578-3 5 1/4 FBI-BQ Interview with Eugene Smith PDF Text
1579 10 1/4 FBI-DE Interview with Odell Rhodes PDF Text
1580 1 1/5  FBI-SF Identification of bodies PDF Text
1581 1 1/4 AmEmb Kingston [RYMUR administrative memorandum] PDF Text
1582 3 1/8  FBIHQ DOJ summary: grand jury; JT survivors; ID of PK shooters; Temple finances PDF Text
1583 2 1/8 FBI-DE Corrections to Serial 1579 PDF Text
1584 1 1/8 FBIHQ [duplicate of 1591] PDF Text
1585 9 1/8 FBIHQ US seeks to recover PT assets in Panama PDF Text
1586 3 1/8 FBIHQ Interview with V. Gosney and J. Speier PDF Text
1587-1590 7 12/19-1/9  FBI Fingerprint Local police departments ask if subjects of fugitive warrants were in JT PDF Text
1591 1 1/7  FBI-SF U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feather of Swiss banking authorities PDF Text
1592 2 1/9  FBI-BQ Airline requests sky marshals to accompany JT survivors to US PDF Text
1593 3 1/9 AmEmb Georgetown FBI interviews PT members still in Guyana PDF Text
1594 2 1/9 FBIHQ [Retransmittal of Serial 1593] PDF Text
1595 2 1/9 FBIHQ [Retransmittal of Serial 1614] PDF Text
1596 1 1/9 AmEmb Bern Swiss blocking release of safety deposit box PDF Text
1597 1 1/10 FBIHQ Swiss blocking release of safety deposit box PDF Text
1598 4 1/8 FBI-SF Peoples Temple assets located in Panama PDF Text
1599 5 1/10 FBIHQ [Retransmittal of Serial 1598] PDF Text
1600 2 1/10 FBIHQ [Retransmittal of Serial 1615] PDF Text
1601 2 1/10  FBI-BU HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1602 12 1/8 FBI-BQ Interview with Aurora Rodriguez; containers of evidence arrive in US PDF Text
1603 3 1/10 Legat Mexico US seeks to freeze Temple assets PDF Text
1604 4 12/27  FBI-SF Additional questions in light of PT contact with GOG officials, GDF in JT PDF Text
1605 2 12/28  FBI-SF Chris Lewis murder evidence PDF Text
1606 4 12/29   FBI-SF PT document on retired FBI agent PDF Text
1607 2 1/4 FBI-BA Bullet fragments from Jackie Speier PDF Text
1608 2 1/4  FBI-BA FBI to analyze blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan PDF Text
1609 1 1/8 [RYMUR administrative memorandum] PDF Text
1610 1 1/8 [RYMUR administrative memorandum] PDF Text
1611 7 1/8 FBI-CO Interview with Helen Swinney PDF Text
1612 1 1/9 FBI-NY Transmittal sheet for NBC video PDF Text
1613 1 1/9 [RYMUR administrative memorandum] PDF Text
1614 2 1/8 AmEmb Georgetown Michael Touchette granted permission to visit father PDF Text
1615 3 1/10 AmEmb Bridgetown Michael Touchette and Karl Barnett join crew of Albatross PDF Text
1616-0 2 1/10  FBI-IP Cover sheet for FD-302s PDF Text
1616-1 1 12/6  FBI-IP Interview with Indianapolis contact PDF Text
1616-2 3 12/11 FBI-IP Interview with Indianapolis member PDF Text
1616-3 29 12/11  FBI-IP Interview with Tom Podgorski PDF Text
1617 3 1/10 State Dept. Sky marshals to escort PT members to US PDF Text
1618 11 1/11 FBIHQ US seeks to freeze Swiss assets PDF Text
1619 2 1/10 AmEmb Port of Spain Travel of Michael Touchette PDF Text
1620 2 1/11 FBIHQ [Retransmittal of Serial 1619] PDF Text
1621 2 1/11 FBIHQ Swiss blocks PT funds for limited amount of time PDF Text
1622 2 1/11 FBIHQ Interview with pilot of airplane at Port Kaituma PDF Text
1623 4 1/11 FBI-BQ Interview with Hardat Sukhdeo, after trip to Guyana post 11/18 PDF Text
1624 2 1/11 FBI-KC HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1625 2 1/13 FBI-SF FBI probe of PT foreign assets PDF Text
1626 17 1/11 State Dept. [Retransmittal of Serial 1618] PDF Text
1627 3 1/10 AmEmb Georgetown Temple members returning to States PDF Text
1628 2 1/10 AmEmb Georgetown Michael Touchette leaves for Barbados with Karl Barnett PDF Text
1629 2 1/12 FBIHQ Report of status of 6 JT survivors in Guyana PDF Text
1630 3 1/14  FBI-MM Interview with Stanley Clayton PDF Text
1631 1 12/27 DOJ Criminal Div. DOJ Criminal Div. responds to House committee request for assistance PDF Text
1632 12 12/11 House Comm. of Intl Relations House committee requests assistance of FBI, access to witness interviews PDF Text
1633 3 12/28 FBIHQ FBI policy on aiding congressional committee during active investigation PDF Text
1634 1 12/29 FBIHQ Letter to DOJ Criminal Div. on assisting House committee PDF Text
1635 1 1/10 FBIHQ RYMUR working on ID and “legal posture” PDF Text
1636 5 12/19 State Dept. Embassy can release evidentiary materials to FBI PDF Text
1637 18 12/27 DOJ Civil Div. Search for Temple assets; petition to dissolve PT; 11/18 letters of instruction PDF Text
1638 2 12/15 DOJ Deputy AG Discussion of progress of grand jury proceedings PDF Text
1638x-1638×4 2 [RYMUR administrative memoranda] PDF Text
1638×5 3 12/15 DOJ Criminal Div. Discussion of progress of grand jury proceedings PDF Text
1639 4 12/18  FBIHQ FBI reply to LAT article about interviews of survivors PDF Text
1639X-1639×17 19 [RYMUR administrative memoranda] PDF Text
1639×18 4 12/18 FBI Lab Report of firearm examination PDF Text
1639×19 24 12/18 FBI Lab Report of blood sample evaluation PDF Text
1639×20 4 12/19 FBI-DL HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT, provides tape of PT radio broadcasts PDF Text
1640-1640×4 6 [RYMUR administrative memoranda] PDF 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.