[Editor’s note: This FD-302 interview with Teena Bogue Turner appears two different places, here as part 25 of Serial 1681, the FBI’s 387-page report of January 12, 1979, and as part 2 of Serial 1644. While each version of the interview had a unique deletion – designated by blue type – in neither interview was the subject identified. The deleted information which is known to the editor is indicated by red type.]
[This section of Serial 1681 covers page 303-312 of the FBI Report of January 12, 1979.]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 1/3/79
On December 21, 1978, at approximately 8:00 PM, [name deleted] [Teena Bogue Turner] was interviewed at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA), concerning the assassination of Congressman Leo J. Ryan by [name deleted], Special Agent (SA) of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Also present during the interview was Secret Service Agent [name deleted].
[Teena Bogue Turner] was appraised of the nature of the interview and the identities of the
Agents.
[Teena Bogue Turner] stated that she was willing to be interviewed without the presence of an Attorney.
[Turner] advised that she first became aware of the People’s Temple in [Released in Serial 1681-25: 1969]. She stated that [several words deleted] met Reverend Jones while [name deleted] was taking a civics course in night school. [Turner] indicated that she became involved in the People’s Temple through [name deleted] influence. [Turner] stated that when she was about 18 years of age, she signed an approximately 25 – 30 blank pieces of paper. Other papers, which she signed, had compromising statements printed on them, such as that she would be willing to help conspire to blow up government monuments. [Turner] further explained forms of torture that were executed by Reverend Jones to discipline his followers. One of the most used forms of torture was “spankings” with a board. Individuals were “spanked” with a board approximately 75 to 100 times. [Turner] herself was disciplined in this manner two times, once for being drunk and once for refusing to do something. The older people of the compound were known as seniors. The seniors disciplined other seniors by hitting those to be disciplined with their canes. Other forms of torture were boxing and putting those to be disciplined in a box with a tape playing which constantly repeated the same message, “I’ll be a changed person when I get out”.
[Turner] indicated that only the staff would have knowledge of the Planning Commission or bribery. [Turner] stated that, to her knowledge, two officials from the Russian Embassy came to the compound and said they would all be moving to Russia.
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[Turner] stated that there were approximately 75 guns, pistols and rifles in the compound. [Turner] said they were shipped in crates from San Francisco. [Turner] said that Jones loved to bury things. [Turner] indicated that some guns were probably buried or dropped down the well.
[Turner] said that firearms were taught by the security heads. In San Francisco and Los Angeles, the female members of the People’s Temple carried guns but not in Jonestown. [Turner] said that Joe Wilson, Tom Kice, Steven [Stephan] Jones and Calvin Douglas were some of the firearms instructors.
As for any public official, state, federal or international being targeted for murder, [Turner] advised that Jones did make comments but said nothing specific.
[Turner] was involved in two suicide rehearsals, but does not know of any relocation plans in the event of a mass suicide.
[Turner] stated that the Attorneys Gerry [Charles Garry] and [Mark] Lane talked Jones into letting Congressman Ryan come to Jonestown. Gerry and Lane were aware of the potential danger of Ryan’s life. While Gerry and Lane were in Jonestown, they were regarded by Poncho [Gary Dartez Johnson].
[Turner] advised that the radio operators use many different codes and that the Guyanese Government attempted to close down the radio.
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[Turner] indicated that any member of the People’s Temple in San Francisco would be capable of killing since they did not commit suicide. [Turner] stated that Paula Adams did favors for public officials.
[Turner]advised that [her husband], [Released in Serial 1644-2: Bruce Edward Turner], helped build a primitive nuclear device. Don Fitch, Joe Wilson, Mike Touchette and Steven Jones, also worked on the nuclear device. [Turner] indicated that it could be buried.
[Turner] stated that the term Alpha concerned Jones, who believed he was the Alpha and the Omega, like a God.
[Turner] stated that Dr. Lawrence [Laurence] Schacht was the cruelest, most vulgar person in Jonestown. Schacht was always “freaked out” on drugs and was only interested in Jones.
[Turner] stated that living conditions were very crowded in Jonestown and that no one except security could get close to West House or Jones.
[Turner] advised that the cyanide arrived on the Wednesday before the assassination. The cyanide was not on any inventory sheet and when [Turner] questioned its arrival, she received no real answer.
[Turner] said that Jones said if anything happened in Jonestown, they should kill defectors. [Turner] said it’s very hard to unravel this whole thing. [Turner] said that Jones played with their minds but she does not understand why.
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[Turner] said that she and her family accompanied Ryan to the airstrip and after the shooting, she hid in the bush for two days and two nights when she was picked up by the Guyanese and taken to the “Rum House”.
[Turner] stated that she would not commit suicide and believes that the cheese sandwiches that were served for lunch that day were drugged. And then the people drank the punch.
[Turner] said that she rode out to the airstrip on a dump truck and that there was a gun in the cabin. [Turner] said that there was another truck at the airstrip. The Guyanese police were on this truck and that they did nothing to stop the shooting.
[Turner] provided the following information on the individuals listed below:
| Laura Johnson [Johnston] | Definite potential for violence. She went back to the PT in San Francisco. |
| Tim Jones | White male, 6’1″, security head of the night team, an adopted son of Jones |
| Jimmy Jones, Jr. | Black male, 6’3″, about 20 years old, lanky, top security head over day and night |
| Eddy [Eddie] Crenshaw | Deceased |
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| Herbert Newell | Black male, 5’9″, about 21 years old |
| Johnny Cobb | Black male, about 17 years old, head of day security, always fair, liked to play with the girls |
| Johnny Jones | Deceased |
| Mark Cordell | White male, about 19 or 20 years old, curly blonde hair |
| Jim MacElvane [McElvane] | Deceased |
| Billy Oliver | Deceased |
| Steve Jones | White male, 6’4″, about 19 years old, involved in strategy and security |
| Lee Ingram | Black male, 5’6″ or 5’7″, about 38 years old, basketball coach |
| Chris O’Neal | White male, about 20 years old, slim, epileptic |
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| Paul McCann | 27 years old, 6’4″, slender, nonviolent |
| Bea Morton | Black, evil, someone to worry about |
| Terry Buford | 5’7″, female, very close to Jones |
| Jean Brown | White female, 150 pounds, five feet three and a half inches, about 34 years old, sandy hair |
| Laura Johnson [Johnston] | About 28 – 30 years old, 5’4″, 115 pounds, cruel person, heavily into drugs |
| Vera Young | Black female, about 30 years old, 5’4″, 115 pounds, very self-righteous |
| June Crym | 5’1″, 125 pounds, brown hair, dangerous |
| Mike Prokes | Very dangerous, 5’5″, 130 pounds, about 33 years old |
| Tim Carter | 5’5″, 150 pounds, balding, about 30 years old, should be watched |
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| Sandra Ingram also known as Bradshaw | Very dangerous, 5’1″, 125 pounds, white female, blonde hair, about 30 years old, terrorist type |
| Judy Flowers | Dangerous, related to Leona Collier, early 30s, 5’6″, 175 pounds |
| Jim Randolph | 40 years old, 5’3″, 110 pounds, “cowboy” type, worked in social services, inventory of guns, potentially dangerous |
| Leona Collier | Black female, 5’2″, 165 pounds, 50 years old, the head preacher in San Francisco People’s Temple, “super dangerous” |
| Dale Parks | 5’6″, 155 pounds, white male, about 25 years old |
| Burrell Wilson | Black male, 5’6″, 20 years old, 160 pounds, on the basketball team |
| Claire Janaro | White female, brown hair, 5’4″, about 200 pounds, about 42 years old, nonviolent, very upset regarding the death of her children |
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BQ 89-495
| Richard Janaro | White male, 5’9″, 170 pounds, gray hair, 55 years old |
| Bonnie Beck | White female, 5’4″, 170 pounds, 35-56 [36] years old, very dangerous |
| Don Beck | White male, 5’9″, about 200 pounds, about 33-34 years old, could be dangerous |
| Paula Adams | 5’3″, 120 pounds, blonde hair, about 27-28 years old, use political officials to get information |
| Larry Leighton [Layton] | 5’2″, 125 pounds, about 32 years old, very dangerous, killed Ryan |
| Chuck Beikman | Charged with the murders of the Amos children, white male, 200 pounds, 46 years old, blonde hair |
| Charles Touchette | White male, 5’8″, 175 pounds, 57 years old |
| Mike Touchette | 5’8″, 140 pounds, white male, about 24 years old, basketball team |
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| Stanley Clayton | Black male, 5’8″, 155 pounds, about 24 years old |
| Odell Rhodes | 5’9″, 165 pounds, 38-40 years old, not to be trusted |
| Vera Ingram aka Buddolf [Biddulph] | Left the Temple four years ago |
| Jim Cobb | Black male, about 28 years old, 6’4″, 220 pounds, [Turner’s] idol |
| Mike Carter | White male, 5’7″, 140 pounds, about 21 years old, close with those in “La Mar [Lamaha] Gardens” (phonetic) (ph), radio operator, public relations, dangerous |
[Turner] then advised that the type of drugs used in Jonestown was sedative drugs usually Thorazine (ph). [Turner] advised that she was not aware of any drugs being produced in Jonestown. [Turner] stated that the People’s Temple owned two boats, the “Albatross” and the “Marceline”. The “Marceline” was a fishing boat and was gone all the time. [Turner] advised that J. P. Saunders was involved with the manufacturing and selling of, bear, mouse and Marcie dolls.
The following background information was obtained through interview and observation:
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| Name | [Teena Bogue Turner] |
| Date of Birth (DOB) | [deleted] |
| Place of Birth (POB) | [deleted] |
| Race | White |
| Sex | Female |
| Height | [deleted] |
| Weight | [deleted] |
| Hair | Brown |
| Eyes | Brown |
| Scars | [deleted] |
| Residence | [deleted], San Francisco |
| Occupation | [deleted] for People’s Temple |
| Education | [deleted] one year college, [deleted] (ph) |
| Marital Status | Widow |
| Destination Point | [deleted] (ph), San Francisco |