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 16, including serials 1251-1315. Most are dated mid-December 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 1300 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-1300.”
Serial
|
# of Pages
|
Date
|
Office of Origin
|
Description
|
PDF
|
Text
|
1251 | 1 | 12/18 | FBI-BQMRA | Transmittal sheet for FBI documents | Text | |
1252 | 1 | 12/18 | FBIHQ | Military recovers items taken from JT by military personnel | Text | |
1253 | 3 | 12/18 | AmEmb Panama | Peoples Temple bank account questions | Text | |
1254 | 1 | 12/18 | FBI-BQMRA | [RYMUR administrative memo] | Text | |
post-1254 | 1 | 12/18 | FBIHQ | [Transmittal sheet] | Text | |
1255 | 2 | 12/16 | AmEmb Georgetown | Embassy seeks guidance on disposal of Temple assets [Dupe of 1241] | Text | |
1256 | 2 | 12/18 | FBIHQ | FBI investigates report of cash recovered in JT | Text | |
1257 | 1 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | Organizational chart discovered in JT | Text | |
1257-post | 1 | 12/19 | FBI-MM | Report of photos made | Text | |
1258 | 2 | 12/19 | FBI-NO | FBI traces Lane and Buford to New Orleans | Text | |
1259 | 3 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | Grand jury procedures | Text | |
1260 | 3 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | [RYMUR administrative memo] | Text | |
1261 | 1 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | Rumor of basketball team as assassins | Text | |
1262 | 2 | 12/18 | AmEmb Panama | Peoples Temple bank account questions [Dupe of 1253] | Text | |
1263 | 3 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | Rumor of basketball team as assassins [Dupe of 1261] | Text | |
1264 | 4 | 12/18 | Legat Bern | Info on PT foreign bank accounts | Text | |
1265 | 2 | 12/18 | FBIHQ | Info on PT foreign bank accounts [Dupe of 1264] | Text | |
1266 | 1 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | Dates of Dr. Schacht attendance of med school in Mexico | Text | |
1267 | 1 | 12/19 | FBI-LA | Phil Tracy advised he is on hit list | Text | |
1268 | 2 | 12/19 | FBI-LA | Uncle of two JT residents seeks identification of kin | Text | |
1269 | 2 | 12/18 | FBI-IP | Interview with Indianapolis reporter, Carolyn Pickering | Text | |
1270 | 9 | 12/19 | FBI-LA | Interview with former JT resident who left in September 78 | Text | |
1271 | 3 | 12/20 | FBIHQ | County prisoner writes Justice with promise of info on Ryan | Text | |
1271 (add 1) | 4 | 12/20 | GOG | Guyanese autopsy of Leo Ryan | Text | |
1271 (add 2) | 2 | 12/20 | State | Paula Adams denies sexual allegations | Text | |
1272 | 1 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | Transmittal sheet for Serial 1271 | Text | |
1273 | 3 | 12/17 | FBI-SF | Organizational chart discovered in JT [Dupe of 1257] | Text | |
1274 | 3 | 12/18 | AmEmb Georgetown | Resumption of hearing into murder of Sharon Amos | Text | |
1275 | 2 | 12/18 | FBI-LA | Temple bequest to USSR; Resumption of hearing into murder of Sharon Amos [Dupe of 1246 and 1274] | Text | |
1276 | 1 | 12/13 | FBI-SF | Autopsy protocol of Violett Dillard | Text | |
1277 | 1 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | FBI to contact HAM radio operator | Text | |
1278 | 4 | 12/14 | FBI-SC | Article published in HAM radio mag about JT | Text | |
1279 | 2 | 12/14 | FBI-LA | Relative believes PT member may be alive in California | Text | |
1280 | 2 | 12/13 | FBI-SF | US District Court seeks FBI interviews | Text | |
1281 | 1 | 12/14 | FBI-Tokyo | HAM tapes to be reviewed | Text | |
1282 | 2 | 12/14 | FBI-SC | Man sought by FBI makes contact | Text | |
1283 | 1 | 12/22 | FBI-LA | Transmittal sheet for FBI documents | Text | |
1284 | 1 | 12/28 | FBI-BA | Relatives urged to contact Calif. DMV to forward identification aids | Text | |
1285 | 1 | 12/7 | FBI-BA | Fingerprints of two JT dead forwarded to Dover | Text | |
1286 | 3 | 12/12 | FBI-BQMRA | List of photographs of JT survivors | Text | |
1287 | 2 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | List of photographs of JT survivors | Text | |
1288 | 1 | 12/13 | FBIHQ | Freitas requests RYMUR reports, presence at FBI interviews | Text | |
1289 | 3 | 12/12 | FBI-SF | FBI considers response to Freitas request | Text | |
1290 | 1 | 11/23 | FBIHQ | Letter writer urges investigation of other cults | Text | |
1291 | 1 | 12/14 | FBIHQ | FBI responds to letter from private citizen | Text | |
1292 | 3 | 12/13 | SECSTATE | DEA to investigate how PT got lethal drugs to JT | Text | |
1293 | 2 | 12/15 | FBI-New Rochelle | Unknown person (seller of cyanide?) denies knowledge of JT, Ryan | Text | |
1294 | 1 | 12/15 | FBIHQ | Documents, fingerprints in Guyana to be shipped to US | Text | |
1295 | 1 | 12/15 | FBI-ME | Transmittal for tape of Lane/Buford interview in Memphis | Text | |
1296 | 2 | 12/15 | USAF | AFIP has authority to conduct seven autopsies | Text | |
1297 | 44 | 12/16 | SECSTATE | Text of State’s reply to Chairman Zablocki | Text | |
1298 | 2 | 12/14 | FBI-SF | FBI requests interview of Richard McCoy | Text | |
1299 | 4 | 12/14 | FBI-SF | FBI requests interview of Richard McCoy [dupe of 1298] | Text | |
1300 | 19 | 12/18 | FBI-ME | Interviews of Temple members, other witnesses | Text | |
1301 | 1 | 12/13 | State | State Dept reports on pre-Nov 18 documentation in its files | Text | |
1302 | 51 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | Death list, with some biographical data | Text | |
1303-0 | 2 | 12/19 | FBI-BQMRA | Listing of contents of serial | Text | |
1303-1 | 12 | 12/15 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown basketball player, likely Cleveland Newell or Michael Simon | Text | |
1303-2 | 7 | 12/11 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Jonestown survivor, likely Tim Tupper Jones | Text | |
1303-3 | 3 | 12/8 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown person | Text | |
1303-4 | 3 | 12/15 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown woman from San Francisco | Text | |
1303-5 | 3 | 12/11 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of daughter of Julius and Sandra Evans | Text | |
1303-6 | 6 | 12/12 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Temple member, likely Richard Janaro | Text | |
1303-7 | 14 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of member of basketball team | Text | |
1303-8 | 2 | 12/6 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of associate of William Kunstler | Text | |
1303-9 | 1 | 12/15 | FBI-NY | Interview of unknown Temple member | Text | |
1303-10 | 1 | 12/15 | FBI-NY | Interview of unknown Temple member | Text | |
1303-11 | 1 | 12/15 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Pan American airlines official or pilot | Text | |
1303-12 | 1 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown Temple member | Text | |
1303-13 | 9 | 12/12 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Helen Swinney | Text | |
1303-14 | 6 | 12/11 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown Temple survivor | Text | |
1303-15 | 2 | 12/15 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Laura Johnston | Text | |
1303-16 | 2 | 12/15 | FBI-BQMRA | Authorization for autopsy on Jim Jones | Text | |
1303-17 | 4 | 12/14 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Suzanne Jones Cartmell | Text | |
1303-18 | 13 | 12/18 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown Temple survivor, most likely Michael Simon | Text | |
1304 | 47 | 12/18 | FBI-IP | Interviews provided by Indiana contacts, Temple members | Text | |
1305 | 157 | several | FBI-BQMRA | Report on Congressional Assassination Statute | ||
1305-0 | 2 | 12/19 | FBI-BQMRA | List of contents of report on possible criminal violations | Text | |
1305-1 | 13 | none | FBI | Summary of Congressional Assassination Statute | Text | |
1305-2 | 19 | 12/11 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Michael Simon | Text | |
1305-3 | 23 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Tom Beikman | Text | |
1305-4 | 22 | 12/7 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Leslie Wilson | Text | |
1305-5 | 7 | 12/18 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of unknown Temple survivor | Text | |
1305-6 | 15 | 12/10 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Claire Janaro | Text | |
1305-7 | 22 | 12/18 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Clifford Gieg | Text | |
1305-8 | 7 | 12/13 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Walter Williams | Text | |
1305-9 | 9 | 12/8 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Linda Mitchell | Text | |
1305-10 | 14 | 12/5 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Richard Clark | Text | |
1305-11 | 11 | 12/6 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview of Diane Louie | Text | |
1306 | 1 | 12/6 | FBI-SF | Transmittal for Jim Jones handwritten note | Text | |
1307 | 1 | 12/6 | FBIHQ | FOIA request filed by Jim Jones | Text | |
1308 | 1 | 12/15 | FBIHQ | FOIA request filed by Jim Jones | Text | |
1309 | 5 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | Lab reports on JJ handwriting | Text | |
1310 | 1 | 12/19 | FBI-Houston | Schacht family declines FBI interviews | Text | |
1311 | 2 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | Justice locates several Temple accounts | Text | |
1312 | 5 | 12/19 | FBI-WFO | US Labor Party claims numerous contacts with PT | Text | |
1313 | 3 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | Dates of Dr. Schacht attendance of med school in Mexico [Dupe of 1266] | Text | |
1314 | 1 | 12/19 | FBI-BQMRA | Survivors to be subpoenaed upon arrival in NYC | Text | |
1315 | 3 | 12/19 | FBI-BA | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | 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.