RYMUR Section 21 – Serials 1516-1570

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 21, including serials 1516-1570. Most are dated from late December 1978 or early January 1979.

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 1543 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-1543.”

Serial
# of Pages
Date
Office of Origin
Description
PDF
Text
1516 8 12/19 FBIHQ JT tapes contain evidence of conspiracy against Ryan PDF Text
1517 2 12/19 AmEmb Georgetown [Referral; dupe of 1520] PDF Text
1518 2 12/19 AmEmb Georgetown [Referral; dupe of 1381] PDF Text
1519 2 12/18 FBI-SF [Dupe of 1261] PDF Text
1520 2 12/19 AmEmb Georgetown Stephan Jones charged in Amos murders PDF Text
1521 3 12/18 AmEmb Georgetown Stephan Jones confesses to Amos murder [dupe of 1274] PDF Text
1522 6 12/20 State PT bank accounts PDF Text
1523 5 12/27 FBI-BQMRA Guyanese political refugee flees August 78 PDF Text
1524 1 12/27 FBI-BQMRA [RYMUR administrative memo] PDF Text
1525 4 12/28 FBI-BQMRA Guyanese political refugee refers to Russians, PT and Burnham PDF Text
1526 2 12/30 AmEmb Georgetown [Referral; dupe of 1493] PDF Text
1527 2 1/2 AmEmb Georgetown [Referral; dupe of 1530] PDF Text
1528 2 1/2 State [Referral; dupe of 1505] PDF Text
1529 1 1/2 FBI-Detroit Odell Rhodes pledges cooperation with FBI PDF Text
1530 2 1/2 AmEmb Georgetown More Temple survivors return to US PDF Text
1531 1 1/3 AmEmb Georgetown [Referral; dupe of 1504] PDF Text
1532 1 1/3 AmEmb Georgetown Remaining death certificates not ready to send PDF Text
1533 2 1/3 FBI-Albany HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1534 2 1/3 FBI-Milwaukee Missing person may have ended up in PT PDF Text
1535 3 1/4 AmEmb Georgetown Guyana papers carry news of PT cash for Soviet Embassy PDF Text
1536 5 1/4 FBI-HQ FBI seeks to dispose of handwritten notes found on bodies PDF Text
1537 2 1/5 Legat Bern U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities PDF Text
1538 2 1/5 Legat Bern U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities PDF Text
1539 2 1/5 Legat Bern U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities PDF Text
1540 4 12/10 FBIHQ Summary, 12/10: Warrants dismissed; grand jury testimony; death tape PDF Text
1541 1 12/11 FBIHQ Transmittal of passports and applications PDF Text
1541x 1 12/11 Unknown [withheld] PDF Text
1542 2 12/12 FBI-BQMRA HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1543 3 12/13 AmEmb Georgetown Preliminary hearing into Amos murders PDF Text
1543x 35 12/13 FBIHQ Transmittal of transcript of death tape PDF Text
1544 1 12/19 FBIHQ FBI to obtain blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan PDF Text
1545 1 12/26 FBIHQ Thank you note to California DMV PDF Text
1546 2 12/29 FBI-Louisville HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1547 4 12/29 FBI-Louisville HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1548 2 12/29 FBIHQ FBI to analyze “Kool-Aid” samples from JT PDF Text
1549 2 12/30 FBI-SF House committee and FBI negotiate cooperation PDF Text
1550 32 1/2 FBI-NY US Labor Party would like to talk about cults PDF Text
1551 2 1/2 FBI-BQMRA/td>

FBI photograph PT survivors upon return to US PDF Text
1552-0 1 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Introductory page, interviews with PK witnesses PDF Text
1552-1 20 12/28 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Jim Bogue PDF Text
1552-2 30 12/29 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Harold Cordell PDF Text
1553 52 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Photographs of dozen named returning JT survivors PDF Text
1554 2 1/2 USSS Assessment of assassination threat PDF Text
1555 1 1/2 AmEmb Georgetown [RYMUR administrative memo] PDF Text
1556 9 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Names of 8 fingerprinted survivors; death tape transcript PDF Text
1557-0 3 1/3 FBI-BQMRA Introductory listing, interviews with PK witnesses PDF Text
1557-1 4 1/2 FBI-BQMRA HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT PDF Text
1557-2 1 1/3 FBI-BQMRA Tim Carter turns over passport PDF Text
1557-3 1 1/3 FBI-BQMRA Michael Carter turns over passport PDF Text
1557-4 1 1/2 FBI-BQMRA FBI agents send crates of evidence to WDC PDF Text
1557-5 19 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Dale Parks PDF Text
1557-6 11 12/21 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Tom Bogue PDF Text
1557-7 1 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Subpoena served on returning Temple survivor PDF Text
1557-8 1 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Report of conversation with Temple survivor PDF Text
1557-9 2 1/2 FBI-BQMRA Interview with unknown returning survivor PDF Text
1557-10 12 12/28 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Monica Bagby PDF Text
1557-11 37 none FBI-BQMRA Fingerprint records PDF Text
1558 1 1/3 FBI-SF Lionel Luckhoo to represent PT in Guyana PDF Text
1559 3 1/3 FBIHQ Some PT members to stay in Guyana, others have gone to US undetected PDF Text
1560 5 1/3 FBIHQ US Embassy summary of Guyana inquest testimony [retransmittal of 1504] PDF Text
1561 4 1/3 FBI-Buffalo Interviews with HAM radio operator PDF Text
1562-0 1 1/4 FBI-BQMRA Introduction to interviews with several PK witnesses PDF Text
1562-1 13 12/28 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Brenda Parks PDF Text
1562-2 9 1/3 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Tracy Parks PDF Text
1562-3 17 12/29 FBI-BQMRA Interview with Juanita Bogue PDF Text
1562-4 2 1/3 FBI-BQMRA Interview with unknown Temple survivor PDF Text
1563 6 12/28 FBI-IP Interview with Indianapolis witness PDF Text
1564 1 1/4 FBI-SF Travel of unnamed Temple survivor PDF Text
1565 5 1/4 FBIHQ FBI negotiates on request for investigative files with House committee PDF Text
1566 2 1/4 FBIHQ FBI to obtain blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan PDF Text
1567 1 1/4 Legat Ottawa FBI seeks bank account info PDF Text
1567-post 1 1/4 FBIHQ Transmittal sheet for rolls of film, cassette tape PDF Text
1568 3 1/4 FBIHQ Transmittal sheet for analysis of tape, with transcript PDF Text
1568-post 1 1/4 FBIHQ Transmittal sheet for rolls of film, cassette tape PDF Text
1569 1 1/4 FBIHQ Transmittal sheet for death tape, JT development plan PDF Text
1570 7 1/4 FBI-BQMRA FBI photographs JT survivors upon return to US 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.