Department of Justice
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Communication Message Form
Date: 11/26/78
Classification: Unclas
Precedence: Priority
FM DIRECTOR FBI
TO Y16 U.S. SECRET SERVICE
Y15/ FBI SAN FRANCISCO PRIORITY
Y15/ FBI ST. LOUIS PRIORITY
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR.
Reference Bureau telephone call to San Francisco November 26, 1978.
For information St. Louis, Lawrence [Laurence] John Layton, white male, born January 11, 1946, at Greenbelt, Maryland, and Charles Edward Beikman, born August 13, 1935, US passport number E196101, were arrested by the police of Guyana. Layton is charged in shooting involving the death of Congressman Leo J. Ryan. Beikman is charged with the murders of Sharon Amos and her three children at Georgetown, Guyana. Amos was a Peoples Temple member. She and her children were
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found with their throats slashed shortly after the discovery of the mass suicide victims at Jonestown, Guyana.
Bureau indices, NCIC, and Identification Division files are negative on the above, as are indices in Indianapolis, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, and San Diego. California law enforcement teletype system also negative re above names.
Information from police of Guyana indicate Beikman is ex-military.
St. Louis should check military records re Beikman and Layton. Should records be located, provide detailed review in a disseminateable teletype.
San Francisco should conduct background investigation of Layton and Beikman to service the request of the police of Guyana for this information as a foreign police cooperation matter and in view of the interest in Layton regarding his alleged involvement in the death of Congressman Ryan.
BT
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Note: Above instructs St. Louis and San Francisco to conduct investigation to further identify and develop background on Larry Layton charged with the murder of Congressman Ryan and Charles Beikman charged with the murders of Sharon Amos (Peoples Temple member) and children in Georgetown, Guyana. Request made through Legat, Caracas by police of Guyana for this information.