Serial 1392

FBI Airtel

Date 12/21/78

TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (89-4286)
FROM: SAC, BROOKLYN QUEENS (89-495) (P)
SUBJECT: RYMUR

ReNYtelcall to San Francisco, 12/21/78.

Enclosed for San Francisco are the original and two copies and for the Bureau two copies of requested FD-302 of interview of Robert Homer Stroud.

Armed and dangerous; suicidal tendencies.

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[Photocopy of manila envelope]

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FD-302

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Date of transcription 12/8/78

An individual who identified himself as Robert Homer Stroud was contacted as he departed his Pan-American flight at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York, and was advised of the identities of the interviewing Agents and Secret Service Agent [name deleted].

Stroud stated that he became acquainted with the People’s Temple in 1968, while he and his family were residing in San Francisco, California. His mother and father, at that time, had become members of the People’s Temple (PT), whose leader was Reverend Jim Jones. In 1970, he and his family left the PT, and moved to Banning, Southern California.

At the age of 18, Stroud returned to San Francisco and renewed his membership in the PT. In 1977, based on the information provided to him by the Temple in San Francisco, Stroud decided to leave California and join Reverend Jim Jones in Jonestown, Guyana. In August, 1977, he flew to Miami, and then to Guyana, airfare provided by the PT. Reverend Jim Jones met the new group of arrivees at Georgetown, where they then took a boat into the interior to Jonestown.

Stroud remained in Jonestown until September, and then went to Georgetown where in December, he married Daisy Lee, a premed student at San Francisco State College, daughter of [name deleted], San Francisco, California, [several words deleted]. While in Jonestown, Daisy Lee taught in the medical unit and never related to Stroud anything of an unusual nature at the medical station.

Stroud and his wife stayed in Georgetown for a period of four weeks. While there, Stroud’s job was to purchase parts and dry goods for the PT. Stroud paid for these goods occasionally by checks, drawn from the Bank of Guyana, and later in cash only. Paula Williams [Paula Adams] and Mike Touchette were the only individuals who could sign checks used to purchase goods. These goods were sent inland by two ships; the Cudjoe, a 20 foot, 30 ton capacity boat which usually carried meats and was captained by Tim Sweeney [Swinney] and the El Jara, captained by

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Don Sly and Clifford Gieg.

Stroud returned to Jonestown in June, where he began to teach a science class to the children of the Temple.

In July, Stroud sustained serious injuries to his right leg and left ankle after being run over by a truck in a freak accident. He was given emergency medical aid by Dr. Lawrence [Laurence] Eugene Schacht, and then sent to Georgetown, to recover in the Public Hospital, Mercy Hospital and Persuado Hospital. Stroud was confined to a wheelchair, and stayed in Georgetown until early November. Stroud returned to Jonestown, where he stayed until November 15, and then returned to Georgetown for medical treatment. Stroud stated that when he left Jonestown on November 15, Reverend Jim Jones looked sick.

Stroud stated that Congressman Ryan visited 41 Dennis Street, Georgetown, Guyana, on Thursday evening. Stroud stated that at the beginning of that week, it was rumored that Congressman Ryan might be arriving in Guyana, and that he had heard that Reverend Jim Jones specifically requested that the PT in Jonestown as well as in Georgetown be cleaned up. This rumor was further substantiated by increased radio traffic between Georgetown and Jonestown. While Congressman Ryan was it 41 Dennis Street, Stroud witnessed him speaking to Sharon Amas [Amos], in the Public Relations Office.

Stroud stated that during his brief stay in Jonestown in early November, as well as in Georgetown in mid-November, there was no sign of hostility or imminent danger to members of the Temple or to Congressman Ryan and his party.

Stroud stated that on Saturday, November 18, 1977 [1978], Sharon Amos committed suicide at 41 Dennis Street, and that as a result of this act and what he had heard had happened at Jonestown, the residents of 41 Dennis Street were placed under house arrest until he departed Guyana.

Stroud stated that he knew very little pertaining to the financial business of the PT. The largest amount of money seen by Stroud was said to be $15,000, carried by Eugene Smith

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to purchase wood in Georgetown in order to expand the Jonestown complex by 50 cottages.

Stroud stated that he knew very little about checks being taken from members of the PT, but he did remember one instance when one Marion Campbell related to him that she had signed her check in Jonestown and that it was subsequently taken from her and never seen again. Passports were also relinquished by all members of the PT and never returned.

Stroud stated that he had no knowledge of mail being censored, but if it was, the following individuals worked in the mailroom and had access to all written communications:

Mary Lou Clancy [Clancey]
Ritta Tapper [Rita Tupper]
Ronda [Rhonda] Fortson
Margorita [Margarita] Davis (Romano)
Johnny Franklin

Stroud stated that PSU [Public Service Unit] and ECU (Extended Care Unit) did exist in Jonestown. In PSU, individuals cut grass, and carried trees as a means of punishment, which could possibly last up to three weeks in duration.

Stroud stated that in September, 1977, there was an incident in Jonestown known as the “7 Day Siege.” At this time, shots were heard out in the surrounding bush, and Reverend Jim Jones attributed these shots as a CIA assault, and declared an alert known as a white night. Stroud stated that the PT members had no weapons except one registered shotgun, but that every member did carry a cutlass during this siege period.

Stroud stated that Reverend Jim Jones used suicide as a threat. During one white night, Stroud remembered Reverend Jim Jones stated that if any of his followers defected, they would be harassed if they succeed in getting to the United

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States, and that if they did attempt to leave Jonestown by means of the jungle, they would not make it out alive. Reverend Jim Jones also stated that he had spoken to Angela Davis and Dennis Banks via radio, but Stroud could not remember what Reverend Jim Jones told the members what Angela Davis and Dennis Banks had said during this communication.

On another white night, Stroud quoted Reverend Jim Jones as stating: How many would rather take their own lives, and have it taken from them? Although Stroud never witnessed any drills of suicide or poisoning, he did admit to hearing rumors of such drills.

Stroud stated that the heavy equipment used in Jonestown was purchased by Mike Touchette from the Massey Ferguson Company in Georgetown, Guyana. The only individuals authorized and trained to drive the Massey Ferguson tractor were as follows:

Mike Touchette
Steve [Stephan] Jones
Emit [Emmett] Griffith

Authorized and trained truck drivers were as follows:

Kim Brewster
Carl Barnett

Stroud stated that he believed that Reverend Jim Jones maintained control over the members of the PT in Jonestown by keeping them in a constant state of battle or war psychosis.

Stroud stated that Reverend Jim Jones feared Grace and Tim Stone [Stoen], for Jones was afraid that Grace and Tim would attempt to kidnap John Victor Stone, who Reverend Jim Jones admitted to fathering.

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Stroud stated that drugs are not used in Jonestown except for medicinal use. These drugs were purchased from the Guyana Pharmaceutical Company and that Evelyn LeRoy was responsible for picking up these supplies. Stroud stated that he never saw any poisonous drugs in Jonestown, and doubted that these sort of drugs could be purchased in appreciable quantity from the Guyana Pharmaceutical Company; but since customs was so lax in Georgetown, they possibly could have been smuggled into the country.

Stroud stated that the following individuals were known to him to be radio operators in Jonestown:

Maria Kasaras [Katsaris]
Terry Jones (Lou [Lew] Jones’ wife)
Sharon Amos
Terry Bufford [Terri Buford]
Harriet Troop [Tropp]
Karen Layton

Stroud provided the following as a partial list of the code used while operating the radio in Georgetown:

Code Meaning
Hill Jim Jones
White Night Crisis
Maria (Could not remember)
Sharon Ann
Our Friend Jim Jones
Mark Jim Jones
Ann Sharon Amos
Mary Ann Karen Layton
Sara Harriet Troop
Went to Barbershop (Could not remember)
Had Tang for Breakfast (Could not remember)

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In addition, Stroud stated that he as well as Bob (LNU) [Last Name Unknown] burned all written radio transmissions at the end of each day as standard operating procedure.

Stroud stated that he knew very little about Dr. Lawrence [Laurence] Eugene Schacht except that he was the only doctor at the PT in Jonestown. Stroud stated that Dr. Schacht’s medical diploma was not displayed in his office, but he believes that Dr. Schacht acquired his medical training in Mexico, his schooling be paid for by the PT.

Stroud stated that to the best of his knowledge, Sharon Amos was in charge of Public Relations for the PT in Jonestown, and that she was friendly with Doug Ellis [Ellice] and Dick McCoy. As to other officials, Stroud stated that David (LNU), Representative from the Ministry of Agriculture, painted propaganda material for the Temple, and that Judge Borllers [Sir Harold Bollers], Highest judge in Guyana, had visited Jonestown at least three times, but Stroud never saw him in Georgetown.

The following description was obtained through observation and interview:

Name Robert Homer Stroud
Race White
Sex Male
Date of Birth December 13, 1957
Place of Birth Indio, California
Height 5’11”
Weight 130 lbs.
Build Medium
Hair Light brown
Eyes Hazel
Scars and Marks Left hip, scar, right foot, scar
Residence Fillmore Street, San Francisco, California (two years prior to leaving)
Occupation Housekeeper at hospital Post Street Convalescent Hospital, San Francisco

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Education High school
Marital Status Married
[information on relatives deleted]
Arrests none
Destination Point Holmdel, Idaho [several words deleted] eventually to San Francisco

Robert Stroud provided the following names and descriptions of fellow PT members:

Joe Wilson – Black male, 5’1″, Security Force, carried shotgun, medical building 23

Albert Touchette, Planning Commission, curly blond, 20’s, 6’, 160 lbs.

Tom Kice – Tall, 6’3″, white male, receding grey hair, carried gun, SAT – 30’s-40’s

Bob Kice – Son, 6’3″, red hair, 180 lbs., 30’s, rover in daytime

Tim Jones – roved at night – SAT – BB

Jimmy Jones, Jr., – night rover – SAT – BB

Eddy [Eddie] Crenshaw – drove a truck – possible guard

Johnny Cobb – rover, SAT, (Security Alert Team), 6’2″, 170 lbs., thin black mustache, black male, age 18

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Johnnie [Johnny] Jones – Administrator, Coordinator, Inner Circle, 5’8″, black male, thin, mustache, wears Benjamin Franklin glasses, age 27

Lou [Lew] Jones – Korean, 5’7″, 140 lbs., Rover, 21-22 years, Coordinator of SAT. Often gave orders to other SAT members.

Jim MacElvane [McElvane] – 6’6″, 250 lbs., Head of Special Security for Jim Jones. Black male, wore sunglasses. Mole on the left side of face, lip area. In San Francisco, arrived Jonestown Wednesday night, early 40’s.

Gary Johnson – “Poncho”, 6 ‘, 180 lbs., black male, sung in bank SAT, 19 years

Emmit [Emmett] Griffith – 5’11”, 160 lbs., black male, drove tractor, 20 years

Billy Oliver – SAT, 6’3″, 190 lbs., black male, known to carry shotgun.

Bruce Oliver – Brother of above, 6’1″, 180 lbs., SAT, known to carry shotgun, 20 years. Thin mustache.

Ed Crenshaw – 6’3″, 180 lbs., black male, drove Bedford pickup truck.

Steve [Stephan] Jones – 6’4″, 200 lbs., black hair, brown eyes, drove Caterpillar, known to accompany Jim Jones whenever anything went wrong.

Tim Tupper Jones – 6’3″, curly blonde hair, 180 lbs., SAT, known to carry shotgun, Inner Circle.

Chris Newell – 5’8″, 180 lbs., black male, student played basketball, brother of Herbert and Cleveland Newell, 16 years.

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Doug Sanders – 6’2″, 180 lbs., electrical crew, by US or San Francisco, he was Security Guard, known to carry rifle.

Stanley Gieg – drove yellow dump truck, 5’7″, blonde hair, blue eyes, 18 years, brother of Clifford Gieg.

Don Sly – worked in ECU, 6’3″, white male, 175 lbs., wore glasses, black to grey hair, 40’s.

Lee Ingram – Coach of Basketball team, 6 ‘, 170 lbs., black male, 33 years, good friend of Johnny Jones, Assistant Administrator. Gave people jobs, made sure they were at work.

Chris [Oneal] O’Neill – 6 ‘, 175 lbs., white male, brown hair, blue eyes, worked in brick factory.

Danny Moten – SAT, 6 ‘, black male, 175 lbs., night rover, known to carry a rifle, 22 years.

Calvin Douglas – in Georgetown, 6’3″, Basketball team, SAT, carries rifle, 18 years, med., black male.

Cleveland Newell – Basketball, 6’1″, med; rover, no weapon, 23 years, black male.

Wesley (LNU) possible Briedenbach [Breidenbach] (dead) – Radio room technician, no SAT, no security, had information on Jonestown – knew code, 6’1″, 170 lbs., blonde, med., 18 years.

Yvonne Hayden – member of SAT (days) – 5’5″, black female; scar on chest, 20 years, med.

Bonnie Simon – Day SAT; 5’9″, big, white female, blond, curly, 28 years.

Pauline Groot – Very intelligent, chemist; taught; white female, 5’6″, 120 lbs., 23 years.

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Don Fields – Pharmacist; bald, glasses, white male, 5’6″, 130 lbs., a chemist; had keys to cabinet in med. building, drug kept in medical bond – had access.

Tom Grubbs – Schoolteacher; white male, 5’9″, 160 lbs., 28 years, principal of school before, had a crossbow; often questioned Jones authority.

Marie Rankin aka Duckett – in charge of PSU – greatly feared; 5’9″, big, black female, 34 years.

Robert Rankin – 6’2″, 180 lbs., black male, worked on PSU then to fence building; no weapons.

Terry Bufford [Terri Buford] – white female, 5’5″, slim; Inner Circle, defected to States; 29 years.

Rennie Kice – in charge of medical storage room; 140 lbs., 5’5″, black female, 34 years (dead)

Lora [Laura] Johnston – white female, 5’6″, brown hair, med; also did pickups of supply – drove van for supplies, 30 years.

Ava Jones, nee Brown – once married to Johnny, black female. Brown Jones – 5’8″, med. build, a coordinator. Would determine living arrangements and possible living together of lovers

Sandy Cobb – black female, worked on radio, in Jonestown; 5’5″, medium, 22 years.

Mike Prooks [Prokes] – Public Relations member, white male, 5’8″, 135-140 lbs., 35 years, Inner Circle, escaped from Jonestown. Technician in Jonestown Radio Room.

Tim Carter – White male, 5’8″, 145-150 lbs., bald spot, forehead. Public Relations work. Escaped with Mike Prooks and Mike Carter, both lost their own wives and families.

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Sandra Ingram aka Bradshaw – Lee Ingram’s wife, to Jonestown twice, 5’7″, blue eyes, medium build, located in San Francisco.

Judy Flowers – 5’6″, 160 lbs., black female, in charge of medical “bond” (storage), early 30’s.

Carolyn Layton – Jim Jones, private Sec., Inner Circle, 5’8”, thin, taught French and current events, mid-30’s.

Leona Collier – Based in San Francisco, Private Sec. to Jim Jones, 5’6″, 160 lbs., black female, Inner Circle, mid-30’s

Jack and Ravina [Rheaviana] Beam – Jack, 56, farm manager, Inner Circle, livestock, bald. Ravina, 5’6″, brown hair, blue eyes, 130 lbs., mid-50’s.

Dale Parks, respiratory tech., 5’10”, black hair, 150 lbs., mid-30’s, lost mother at Airport, Patricia Parks.

Burrell Wilson – 6 ‘, basketball team, 150 lbs., 17 or 18 years.

Judy and Norman Ijames – Norman a pilot, black male, 5’8″, thin, flew cargo planes out of Venezuela.

Carol Stahl – schoolteacher, 5’6″, 130 lbs., blonde hair, blue eyes, one time sec. to Jim Jones, 45 years.

Clara [Claire] Janaro – lives in San Francisco. Arrived today of incident was lodged in hotel at time of incident. No knowledge of incident, returned to California.

Richard Janaro – husband of above, on Albatross. In Trinidad at time of incident.

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Maria Kasaras [Katsaris] – 5’7″, thin, long black hair, Inner Circle, radio room, private secretary.

Paula Adams – handled the money; 5’7″, blonde, 30’s, in Georgetown mostly, Secretary to Jim Jones, Inner Circle.

Karen Layton – Secretary to Jim Jones, white female, worked radio, red hair, 5’5″, 110 lbs., Inner Circle, 30’s.

Rita Tupper – 5 ‘, 120 lbs., white female in charge of letters, Inner Circle, 50’s.

Tish Leroy – 5’6″, white female, 140 lbs., greying hair, the one who would transcribe notes for meetings, farm committee, 50’s, in charge of supplies.

Chuck Bikeman [Beikman] – 5’9″, 150 lbs., blonde hair, blue eyes, accused of murdering Sharon Amos, 40’s, not Inner Circle, not very intelligent.

Sharon Amos – 4’11”, black hair, in charge of Public Relations, white female, worked radio in Georgetown.

Joyce Touchette, a coordinator on housing, 5’7″, 130 lbs., brown hair, 50’s.

Charlie Touchette, both were privileged, 135 lbs., 56 years, farm manager, 5’8″, grey hair

Michelle Touchette – laundry, 5’6″, 110 lbs., black hair, 20 years.

Mike Touchette, Caterpillar driver, 5’9″, blonde, 160 lbs., trainer for Basketball Team in Georgetown, early 20’s.

Teena Bogue – 5’7″, 130 lbs., in Georgetown, 22 years, short brown hair.

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Odell Rhodes – 6’1″, 30 years, black male, 150 lbs., escaped by hiding under kitchen floor. Witness poisoning of children. Mid-30’s, still in Georgetown.

Eugene Chaikon [Chaikin] – 5’6″, 130 lbs., greying hair, Legal advisor, Inner Circle.

Bibby Marguarte [Margarite “Bippy” Romano] – deceased, Cchild of Margarita, six years, arrived with approximately four kids. Originally from Philadelphia, 5’7″, black hair, Italian, 27-28 years. Preston Wade took care of baby Bibby.

Liz Rozzaro [Ruggerio] – nurse, Italian, 5’8″, 145-150 lbs., 27 years.

Pam Bradshaw – sister of Sandy, 5’7″, 150 lbs., Mechanic, 23 years.

Wayne Pietila – Defected. Brother of Tommy Kice.