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 Identified Individuals Speaking
FBI preliminary tape identification note: One Tracs 60/ “Linda Mertle” w/ 3×5 cards
Date cues on tape: Likely December 1976 or early 1977, shortly after Linda Mertle’s departure from the Temple
People named:
Deanna Mertle, who became Jeannie Mills (by reference)
Linda Mertle (speaks)
Bible verses cited: None
Summary:
Linda Mertle – who left Peoples Temple in late 1976, a year after her parents Deanna and Elmer Mertle defected and became Jeannie and Al Mills – calls Jim Jones to demand that members of Peoples Temple leave her mother alone. Tempers are hot on both sides, and nothing is resolved in the conversation, which lasts under a minute.
FBI Summary:
Date of transcription: 3/8/79
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 8, 1979, SA [Special Agent] (name deleted) reviewed the tape numbered 1B62-30. This tape was found to contain the following:
LINDA MYRTLE (phonetic) telling unidentified male who answered not to contact her mother anymore.
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:
Other than the fact that the “unidentified male who answered” is Jim Jones, the summary is accurate and meets the FBI’s purposes.
Tape originally posted May 2013