RYMUR Section 16 – Serials 1251-1315

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