[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1423 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[One of the subjects of this serial whose name is deleted is Temple survivor MaryAnne Casanova. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by blue type.]
UNCLASSIFIED FBB 813
[Listing of agencies receiving informational copies on pdf]
0 261211Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8557
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 04437
DEPT PLEASE PASS FBI HEW USSS ALL WASHDC
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CASC, GY, PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS
SUBJ: STATUS REPORT
REF: GEORGETOWN 4095
1. The following is a rundown on the surviving members of the People’s Temple in Georgetown, their legal status, and their departure plans:
A. Arrested: Lawrence [Laurence] (Larry) Layton, Charles Beikman, Stephan Jones.
B. Free to leave the country:
1) Paula Adams – will stay in Georgetown until conclusion of trial. She plans to purchase her own airline ticket.
2) [name deleted] [MaryAnne Casanova] – travel plans indefinite, but has prepaid tickets.
3) [name deleted] – travel plans indefinite. He was scheduled to leave Georgetown on December 21, 1978, but changed his mind. Embassy has his ticket, purchased with repatriation funds.
4) [name deleted] young man temporarily in the care of [name deleted] (see above). He has a prepaid ticket.
5) [name deleted] – will leave as soon as Pan Am airlines can arrange for FAA marshals to company. Unless relatives send pre-
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PAGE 02 GEORGETOWN 04437 261427Z
paid tickets, he will require repatriation funds.
6) [name deleted] – travel plans indefinite. He plans to purchase his own ticket and to pay bills accumulated while he was on subsistence.
7) Diane [Dianne] Scheid – [daughter of MaryAnne Casanova] (see above), just released from hospital. She has a prepaid ticket.
8) Eugene Smith – will leave as soon as Pan Am airlines can arrange for FAA marshals to accompany. He has stated that he and [name deleted] (see above) understand difficulty of scheduling marshals over the holidays, and that staying until the new year is not a hardship. Unless relatives send prepaid tickets, he will require repatriation funds.
9) [name deleted] – travel plans indefinite. She has said she will pay for her own ticket.
10) [name deleted] – will remain in Georgetown until conclusion of trials. She plans to purchase her own airline ticket.
11) [name deleted] – whereabouts unknown.
C. Required by Guyana Police Department to remain in the country:
1) [name deleted] – at Lamaha Gardens
2) [name deleted] – at the Park Hotel. He has a prepaid ticket.
3) [name deleted] – at the Park Hotel. He has a prepaid ticket.
4) [name deleted] – at Lamaha Gardens.
5) [name deleted] – at Lamaha Gardens.
6) [name deleted] – at Lamaha Gardens.
7) Michael Prokes – at the Park Hotel. He has a prepaid ticket.
8) Joan Pursley – at Lamaha Gardens. She has a prepaid ticket.
9) Aurora Rodriguez – at Lamaha Gardens. She has a prepaid ticket.
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10) Michael Touchette – at Lamaha Gardens.
2. The following left via Pan Am PPA 228 on December 21, 1978:
Monica Bagby – required repatriation
[Deletion of a dozen names]
3. The Government of Guyana is, as of last weekend, bearing the room and board costs of those required to stay at the Park Hotel. Those at Lamaha (including [Casanova], Scheid, [name deleted], and Smith) are paying for themselves. [name deleted] indicated she had marital plans, and has now informed the embassy of her whereabouts.
4. Local Pan-American office maintains that US sky marshals still required on flights carrying PT survivors. Dept. may wish to check this point with Pan Am New York.
Burke [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]
UNCLASSIFIED