[Editor’s note: This FD-302 interview with Monica Bagby, who was wounded at the Port Kaituma airstrip, appears two different places, as part 10 of Serial 1557 and as part 12 of Serial 1681, the FBI’s 387-page report of January 12, 1979. The deleted information which is known to the editor is indicated by red type.
[This section of Serial 1681 covers page 92-103 of the FBI Report of January 12, 1979.]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 12/28/78
Monica Bagby was contacted at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA), Queens, New York (NY). She was advised of the identity of Social Agent (SA) [name deleted] of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Special Agent [name deleted] the United States Secret Service, who was also present. Monica Bagby advised as follows:
Monica Bagby stated her mother, [Essie Clark] was a member of the People’s Temple (PT) for 4-5 years and told Monica to go to Guyana. Her mother, Monica advised, never went to Guyana. Bagby stated she, herself, had attended only a few meetings of the PT in San Francisco.
Bagby advised she arrived in Jonestown July 13, 1978. When she first arrived in Georgetown, she stayed there at the PT Headquarters for approximately two weeks. Bagby stated the headquarters in Georgetown was very confining. She was not permitted to go outside without permission.
Bagby advised the following individuals were located at the headquarters in Georgetown:
Sandy Cobb Jones – House Supervisor and Radio Operator, believed dead
Tim Carter – Radio Operator,
Sharon Amos – Radio Operator, Bagby believed her to be most important person at headquarters. Bagby believed Amos killed herself and her children.
Debbie Touchette – Radio Operator
Paula Adams – Public Relations
Bagby advised after approximately two weeks in Georgetown, she and 29 other individuals were taken by boat to Jonestown.
[Page 2]
BQ 89-495
At Jonestown, they were taken to the pavilion, where they were met by Reverend (Rev.) Jones, who welcomed them. Bagby stated Jones told them they would not go back to the United States (US) and would be dealt with if they wanted to go back. Bagby advised Rev. Jones seemed strange to her and afraid of people getting too close to him.
Bagby stated she lived in Dorm 4, which was composed mainly of seniors, older women, with the exception of her and another girl.
Bagby stated when she first arrived, the people in Jonestown seemed to be happy. However, Bagby later felt that this was done to give the newcomers a good impression.
Bagby advised in Jonestown, she worked in the fields harvesting bananas. She worked seven days a week from 7 AM to 6 PM. After work, she would eat supper, shower and be at the rally which started at 7:30 PM. These rallies or meetings lasted until midnight or later every night.
Bagby stated at these meetings, people would inform on each other. For example, she advised, someone would state that another member wanted to leave Jonestown. Then, everyone would yell at the individual who wanted to leave.
Bagby stated she never saw anyone hit at these meetings, but some individuals had told her that they had been beaten during these meetings.
Bagby advised that Peter Watherspoon (phonetic) [Wotherspoon], believed dead, told her he had sex with a child and was beaten by a group at a meeting.
[Page 3]
BQ 89-495
Bagby advised if you did not work hard enough, you could also be brought up on the floor at the rally. A penalty for not working hard enough was being placed on Public Service (PS). This, according to Bagby, consisted of working for very long periods of time with little sleep. This duty on PS could last one day or several days.
Bagby further advised people who wanted to leave Jonestown were drugged. She advised these people were put in the Special Care Unit (SCU) and drugs were put in their food.
Bagby advised Beatrice Grubbs reported her husband for criticizing the food. Bagby stated he was given the choice of going on PS or going to the Extended Care Unit (ECU). She stated he chose the ECU.
Bagby stated she heard about a “black box” in Jonestown, but was told it was gotten rid of after Debbie Blakely [Blakey] left.
Bagby advised she saw rifles and shotguns in cases at the cottages at Jonestown occupied by the Cobb family and Joe Wilson. Bagby stated Rev. Jones said he had enough weapons to arm every security guard. Bagby said she never heard shotguns or knew of a practice range located in or around Jonestown. Bagby further related that Rev. Jones said he always carried a gun on him.
Bagby further advised at the rallies, Rev. Jones said everyone should prepare for revolutionary suicide and prepare for death. Bagby advised Jones talked about revolutionary suicide the day before Congressman Ryan arrived at Jonestown. Bagby stated Jones said Ryan should be dead before the Congressman arrived.
[Page 4]
BQ 89-495
Bagby stated she had been told at approximately 7-8 months before Congressman Ryan arrived at Jonestown, a mass suicide had been practiced and Kool-Aid was used in this practice.
Bagby stated she decided to leave Jonestown because she was afraid. Bagby advised Rev. Jones’ statements about suicide before Congressman Ryan arrived caused her to fear a great suicide would take place.
As a result, Bagby advised she and Vern Gosney wrote a note saying they wanted to leave Jonestown and Gosney gave the note to reporter the night Ryan arrived. Bagby advised the reporter gave the note to Mr. Dwyer, the American Ambassador. Gosney spoke to the Ambassador and told him they wanted to leave. Bagby advised the next day, Congressman Ryan asked him to speak into a tape recorder saying they wanted to leave Jonestown. Bagby stated Ryan told them to stay in his sight and not leave the pavilion. Bagby advised they were joined by the Parks and Bogues, who said they wanted to leave.
Bagby stated Rev. Jones asked them in the pavilion why they wanted to leave Jonestown. She advised Jones told them America is not what you think it is.
Bagby advised 13 people who were leaving, the reporters and Congressman Ryan were taken to the airfield on a dump truck driven by Eddy [Eddie] Crenshaw.
Bagby advised she entered a six passenger plane along with [names deleted, including that of Dale Parks], Vern Gosney and the pilot. Bagby advised Larry Layton was already on the plane and had a handgun.
[Page 5]
BQ 89-495
Bagby advised Layton shot her twice in the back, shot Gosney and tried to shoot Dale Parks, but the gun did not fire. Dale Parks struggled with Layton and took the gun away from him. Bagby advised after the shooting started, she and the pilot got out of the plane and hid in the bush. Bagby stated Gosney was later flown to Washington, D.C.
Bagby advised the shooting by Layton started at the same time Congressman Ryan was shot. Bagby stated Ryan had been standing on the airfield with three reporters and Patricia Parks when he was shot. Bagby advised a trailer had moved close to Ryan’s plane before the shooting started. Bagby advised on this trailer, she saw Ronnie Dennis, who she believed is dead and did not shoot, and Tom Kice. Bagby stated that she later heard Joe Wilson, Bob Kice, Tom Kice, and Albert Touchette were shooters. Bagby advised she was later told with the exception of Joe Wilson, the others had been hidden on the trailer.
Bagby advised she did not see Congressman Ryan shot.
Bagby further advised that before the shooting began, Crenshaw pulled the dump truck to the end of the airfield and pretended to be fixing the engine while he kept looking back towards the planes.
Bagby advised all the people leaving Jonestown with Ryan felt very uneasy about Larry Layton and did not trust him because he was very close to Rev. Jones. Bagby advised Congressman Ryan’s secretary [congressional aide Jackie Speier] said Layton had signed an affidavit to leave Jonestown.
[Page 6]
BQ 89-495
Bagby advised she would be afraid of any member of the PT who survived. Bagby advised Tina Bogue told her Stephen [Stephan] Jones had said all defectors of the PT should be killed. Bagby stated she would consider Stephen Jones as a possible new leader of the PT. Bagby stated Tim Carter told her the PT members in San Francisco are dangerous people.
Bagby stated she does not believe everyone in Jonestown willingly drink poison in the mass suicide. Bagby said she believed they must have been forced to do it by the armed guards.
Bagby advised “White Nights” were alerts which required everyone to go to the pavilion. Bagby said these alerts were called day or night.
Bagby stated the following individuals were Rev. Jones’ personal bodyguards:
Calvin Douglas
Tim Day Jones
Jimmy Jones
Johnny Cobb Jones
Bagby stated she had heard the terms Inner Core and Planning Commission, but did not know who was on them for what they were. She advised the term “Angels” was unknown to her.
Bagby further advised that Jones had said if anyone went to the American Embassy in Georgetown, they would be brought back to Jonestown.
Bagby stated she recalled Rev. Jones mentioning Lieutenant Governor Dimalley [Mervyn Dymally] of California, but could not recall in what regard. She further advised Rev. Jones had said he warned Mayor [George] Moscone of San Francisco that something was going to happen to him.
[Page 7]
BQ 89-495
Bagby advised Russians had stayed a few days in Jonestown. Bagby stated Jones had said everyone in Jonestown was going to Russia.
Bagby advised bows and arrows arrived in Jonestown and were sent in duffel bags and in luggage.
Bagby further advised that drugs were sent to Jonestown from the PT in San Francisco. These drugs are brought in by people carrying them in their luggage. Bagby stated she had no knowledge of drugs being sent out of Jonestown. Bagby said toy dolls were made in Jonestown and sold in Georgetown. Bagby said she did not think they contained drugs.
Concerning Doctor Lawrence [Laurence] Schacht, Bagby advised she heard he did not have a medical degree, but was permitted to work as a doctor.
Bagby advised the following individuals were close associates of Rev. Jones:
Sarah Tropp – Coordinator, dead
Theresa Kasaras [Maria Katsaris] – Secretary, dead
Karen Layton – Secretary, had a baby with Rev. Jones
Carolyn Layton – Secretary
[Editor’s note: Carolyn Layton had Jones’ baby, not Karen Layton]
Bagby further advised Carolyn and Karen Layton, Theresa Kasaras and John Stoen lived in West House with Jones.
Bagby identified the below listed individuals as follows:
Tim Jones Adopted son of Jones, Security Force
[Page 8]
BQ 89-495
| Jimmy Jones, Jr. | Adopted son of Jones, Security Force |
| Eddy Crenshaw | Drove dump truck during assassination of Ryan |
| Herbert Newell | Worked on boat |
| Johnny Cobb Jones | Security |
| Mark Cordell | Worked in kitchen |
| Jim MacElvane [McElvane] | Security Force, came from US two days before Ryan arrived |
| Billy Oliver | Security |
| Lee Ingram | Coordinator, Coach of Basketball Team |
| Tim Carter | Public Relations, traveled back and forth to US, close to Jim Jones |
| Tim [Mike] Prokes | Close to Jones |
| Calvin Douglas | Captain of Security |
| Cleveland Newell | Security |
| Bonnie Simon | Daytime Security |
| Tom Grubbs | Principal of School, Bagby saw him teaching archery a few days before Ryan arrived |
[Page 9]
BQ 89-495
| Marie Rankin also known as (AKA) Duckett | Supervisor of PS, Security Force, armed guard in mass practice suicide, believed dead |
| Rennie Kice | Medical Bond, where medical supplies kept |
| Lora [Laura] Johnston | Supervisor of PS, and disciplinarian |
| Vera Young | Believed in San Francisco |
| Jean Brown | Visited Jonestown, in San Francisco |
| June Crym | Believed in San Francisco |
| Sandra Ingram a.k.a. Bradshaw | Believed in San Francisco |
| Judy Flowers | Believed in San Francisco |
| Harriet Randolph | Called Sarah, believed dead |
| Jim Randolph | In San Francisco, very dedicated to PT. Bagby stated he is up to no good |
| Leona Collier | Visited Jonestown and brought Mark Lane, now in San Francisco |
| Dale Parks | Nurse |
[Page 10]
BQ 89-495
| Burrell Wilson | Basketball Team |
| Paula Adams | Public Relations in Georgetown |
| Tish LeRoy | In Jonestown, dead |
| Albert Touchette | Security Force and Basketball Team, dead |
| Joyce Touchette | Head of kitchen, kept passports, dead |
| Michelle Touchette | Laundry room, dead |
| Mike Touchette | In Georgetown, drove a cat which cleared brush |
| Stanley Clayton | Worked in kitchen, survived suicide |
| Mary Lee Bogue | Dead, said she would kill anyone who wanted to leave |
| Tom Bogue | Worked in fields |
| Tina Bogue | Worked in fields |
| Odell Rhodes | PS and teacher |
| Jim Cobb | Left PT, came back with Ryan as concerned relative, alive |
| Mike Carter | Radio Room, contact from Jonestown to San Francisco PT |
[Page 11]
BQ 89-495
| Chuck Beikman | Always seems nice, went in and out of Jonestown |
| Charles Garry | Attorney for PT, visited Jonestown twice while Bagby was there |
The following information regarding Bagby was gained through interview and observation:
| Name | Monica Sharon Bagby |
| Race | Negro |
| Sex | Female |
| Date and place of birth | May 2, 1960, Los Angeles, California |
| Height | 5 feet 9 1/2 inches |
| Weight | 164 |
| Build | Medium |
| Hair | Brown |
| Eyes | Brown |
| Occupation | 1978 – Doggie Diner in San Francisco, Cashier |
| Education | Opportunity High School, San Francisco, 12th grade |
| Marital status | Single |
| Social Security Number | 562-17-6320 |
| Destination point | [name deleted], friend, [address deleted] Apartment L, Los Angeles, California |
[Page 12]
BQ 89-495
| Mother | [Essie Clark, address deleted], San Francisco, California |
| Father | Dead |
| [Other relatives deleted] |
Bagby stated she did not intend to contact her mother, [Essie Clark] because she felt her mother was mad at her for leaving Jonestown and not committing suicide.