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 1, including serials 00x-100. Aside from the first five serials – 00 through 00×4, which are letters dated October 1978 – the serials are all dated during the first week following the Jonestown tragedy in November 1978.
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 50 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-50.”
|
Serial
|
# of Pages
|
Date
|
Office of Origin
|
Description
|
PDF
|
Text
|
| X | 1 | 10/14 | FBIHQ | Letter to FBI re: PT before 11/18/78 | Text | |
| X1 | 1 | 10/14 | FBIHQ | Letter to FBI re: PT before 11/18/78 | Text | |
| X2 | 2 | 10/21 | FBIHQ | Letter to FBI re: PT before 11/18/78 | Text | |
| X3 | 4 | 10/21 | FBIHQ | Letters to FBI re: PT before 11/18/78 | Text | |
| X4 | 2 | 10/17 | FBIHQ | Letters to FBI re: PT before 11/18/78 | Text | |
| 1 | 1 | 11/18 | FBIHQ | First word of deaths, 11/18/78 | Text | |
| 2 | 5 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Retransmittal of Serial 119] | Text | |
| 3 | 3 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Description of Kaituma airstrip/Matthews Ridge | Text | |
| 4 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | US Ambassador speaks with Burnham, offers equipment | Text | |
| 5 | 1 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Clearance for US military aircraft | Text | |
| 6 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Report of death of Sharon Amos and children | Text | |
| 7 | 1 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Larry Layton detained | Text | |
| 8 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Security of Concerned Relatives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 9 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | List of incoming wounded from Kaituma | Text | |
| 10 | 4 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Initial description of attack on Ryan party | Text | |
| 11 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Security of Concerned Relatives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 12 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Death of Patty Parks, Greg Robinson confirmed/troops going into Jonestown | Text | |
| 13 | 2 | 11/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Police confirm deaths at Kaituma | Text | |
| 14 | 2 | 11/19 | State Dept. | US military aircraft en route | Text | |
| 15 | 3 | 11/19 | State Dept. | US military personnel listed | Text | |
| 16 | 4 | 11/19 | State Dept. | General status report, 19 November | Text | |
| 17 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Caracas | State liaison en route | Text | |
| 18 | 2 | 11/20 | State Dept. | Report that Jones may try to flee Guyana | Text | |
| 19 | 4 | 11/20 | State Dept. | Aircraft requests and pledges to GOG | Text | |
| 20 | 4 | 11/20 | State Dept. | Status report 4 | Text | |
| 21 | 2 | 11/20 | State Dept. | GOG establishes cabinet level crisis committee | Text | |
| 22 | 5 | 11/20 | State Dept. | First reports of Jonestown dead, estimate of 400 bodies/status of Kaituma victims | Text | |
| 23 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Caracas | State liaison en route | Text | |
| 24 | 1 | 11/20 | State Dept. | HAM operator reports two more Jonestown farms, possible survivors | Text | |
| 25 | 1 | 11/20 | State Dept. | State letter authorizing working group on Guyana | Text | |
| 26 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Jim Jones, Marceline, 11 “bodyguards” identified | Text | |
| 27 | 7 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Interview with Mark Lane (80 shots, automatic weapon fire) | Text | |
| 28 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | C-130 rerouted to Puerto Rico | Text | |
| 29 | 1 | 11/20 | State Dept. | Vance seeks info on Sharon Amos | Text | |
| 30 | 3 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Security and departure of Concerned Relatives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 31 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | First casualty report of 200-300 bodies in Jonestown | Text | |
| 32 | 3 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Status of casualties in congressional party to Kaituma | Text | |
| 33 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | [duplicate of Serial 28] | Text | |
| 34 | 2 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Description of Kaituma airstrip | Text | |
| 35 | 3 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | GOG creates task force | Text | |
| 36 | 1 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | US Embassy begins next-of-kin collection | Text | |
| 37 | 12 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | Early death list of 172 names | Text | |
| 38 | 2 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | GOG requests removal of bodies to US | Text | |
| 39 | 3 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | US approaches GOG about internment of bodies in Jonestown | Text | |
| 40 | 1 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | State Dept liaison arrives in Georgetown | Text | |
| 41 | 1 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | Embassy says State must assume responsibility to notify NOK | Text | |
| 42 | 3 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | US government pursues local interment | Text | |
| 43 | 3 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Requests for equipment for Jonestown | Text | |
| 44 | 2 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Next of kin queries | Text | |
| 45 | 2 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Requests for equipment for Jonestown | Text | |
| 46 | 3 | 11/21 | State Dept. | US government pursues local interment | Text | |
| 47 | 4 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Embassy situation report | Text | |
| 48 | 2 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Authorization of expenses for Guyana operation | Text | |
| 49 | 2 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Request for personnel from US military | Text | |
| 50 | 3 | 11/21 | State Dept. | 363 bodies counted, Embassy believes survivors in jungle | Text | |
| 51 | 2 | 11/21 | State Dept. | State agrees to notify Next of Kin | Text | |
| 52 | 5 | 11/21 | AmEmb Port of Spain | Albatross survivors in Port of Spain | Text | |
| 53 | 3 | 11/22 | AmEmb Caracas | Possibility raised of survivors fleeing to Venezuela | Text | |
| 54 | 3 | 11/22 | AmEmb Georgetown | GOG raises concerns of FBI in country | Text | |
| 55 | 5 | 11/22 | AmEmb Georgetown | Jonestown secured, 405 dead, weapons recovered | Text | |
| 56 | 2 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | Report on Sharon Amos, Liane Harris | Text | |
| 57 | 2 | 11/20 | AmEmb Georgetown | [virtual duplicate of 56] | Text | |
| 58 | 8 | 11/21 | AmEmb Georgetown | Security of survivors in Georgetown, many deletions of survivors | Text | |
| 59 | 3 | 11/21 | State Dept. | Alert for lookouts on Jonestown survivors, start to investigate violations of US law | Text | |
| 60 | 6 | 11/22 | State Dept. | Status report: Fewer than 20 survivors; Larry Layton in custody in Georgetown | Text | |
| 61 | 2 | 11/22 | AmEmb Georgetown | GOG expresses concern about FBI in Guyana | Text | |
| 62 | 5 | 11/22 | State Dept. | GOG asks for removal of bodies to US | Text | |
| 63 | 2 | 11/22 | State Dept. | State suggests military aircraft may be needed to transport survivors | Text | |
| 64 | 2 | 11/22 | State Dept. | Stephan Jones reportedly turns over names of 40 survivors | Text | |
| 65 | 6 | 11/22 | State Dept. | State Dept discusses news reports of FBI relations with GOG | Text | |
| 66 | 1 | 11/22 | State Dept. | Jonestown dead to be transported to Dover | Text | |
| 67 | 1 | 11/22 | State Dept. | State seeks help from Venezuela on any Temple survivors who go there | Text | |
| 68 | 3 | 11/22 | State Dept. | FBI makes official announcement of investigation of Ryan’s death | Text | |
| 69 | 2 | 11/22 | AmEmb Georgetown | Request for disposition on bodies of Sharon Amos et al. | Text | |
| 70 | 4 | 11/22 | State Dept. | FBI argues strongly for its presence in Guyana | Text | |
| 71 | 1 | 11/22 | AmEmb Georgetown | Passport info on Sharon Amos (turns out to be false) | Text | |
| 72 | 3 | 11/23 | AmEmb Georgetown | Guyana police to allow survivors to start to return home | Text | |
| 73 | 6 | 11/23 | AmEmb Georgetown | Guyana issues list of survivors | Text | |
| 74 | 2 | 11/23 | AmEmb Georgetown | Findings of Mootoo’s “partial autopsy” on Jones | Text | |
| 75 | 7 | 11/23 | State Dept. | State releases additional names of people in Guyana | Text | |
| 76 | 45 | 11/23 | State Dept. | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 77 | 10 | 11/23 | State Dept. | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 78 | 5 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Bodies begin to arrive in Dover, survivors anxious to leave Guyana | Text | |
| 79 | 5 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Discussion of disposal of personal assets of Jonestown dead | Text | |
| 80 | 3 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Embassy authorized to engage local counsel to protect American interests in Guyana | Text | |
| 81 | 3 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Discussion of financial assistance to Jonestown survivors while in Georgetown | Text | |
| 82 | 4 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Q&A on use of military, costs to US government in Jonestown operation | Text | |
| 83 | 7 | 11/23 | State Dept. | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 84 | 5 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Arrangements made for return of Jonestown survivors to US | Text | |
| 85 | 6 | 11/23 | State Dept. | List of Peoples Temple members in Guyana | Text | |
| 86 | 3 | 11/23 | State Dept. | Guyana Ambassador Mann expresses sorrow over deaths | Text | |
| 87 | 3 | 11/23 | State Dept. | FBI not prepared to pay for repatriation of Temple members in Trinidad | Text | |
| 88 | 3 | 11/24 | State Dept. | HEW asks for data on Jonestown survivors, indications of dates of return | Text | |
| 89 | 6 | 11/23 | FBI-SF | Stoen gives early word from Georgetown re: rumors | Text | |
| 90 | 8 | 11/19 | FBI-SF | Initial reports from Temple members, critics | Text | |
| 91 | 3 | 11/20 | FBIHQ | FBI says past investigation of PT reveals no murder | Text | |
| 92 | 3 | 11/19 | FBI-SF | Interviews with former members at Human Freedom Center | Text | |
| 93 | 5 | 11/22 | FBI-SF | Expert to send psychological profile of PT member | Text | |
| 94 | 1 | 11/22 | FBI-SF | Attempt to interview former member | Text | |
| 95 | 2 | 11/22 | FBI-SF | FBI follows up leads from “dissident” former members, including David Wise | Text | |
| 96 | 5 | 11/21 | FBI-SC | PT articles of incorporation; result of investigation into children’s home | Text | |
| 97 | 2 | 11/21 | FBI-SF | Don Sly called head of assassination team | Text | |
| 98 | 2 | 11/21 | FBI-SF | Request to interview former members of PT | Text | |
| 99 | 9 | 11/21 | FBI-SF | Interviews with former critical members in Georgetown with Congressional party [virtual duplicate of 293] | Text | |
| 100 | 8 | 11/21 | FBI-SC | [virtual dupe of 122], several deletions, likely of same person | 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.
Originally posted on June 11th, 2017.
Last modified on June 24th, 2022.