CAR 89-4
EO/mdh
1
The following discussion was held with Special Agents (SAs) Robert J. Oglesby, Jr., [2 names deleted] at the Guyana Police Department Headquarters:
On December 11, 1978, Assistant Police Commissioner, Cecil A. “Skip” Roberts, Guyana Police Department, advised that to date this investigation has uncovered no information indicating a pre-planned conspiracy to assassinate Congressman Ryan or any of his party. The investigation had developed no information concerning any list of proposed assassinations or murder in the United States, and they have discovered no list of potential victims.
His investigation has uncovered the fact that the People’s Temple (PT) maintained various bank accounts at the Guyana Cooperative Mortgage Finance Bank and Barclays Bank International Ltd, both of Georgetown, Guyana.
Assistant Commissioner Roberts advised that he was not able to turn over copies of individual statements from surviving PT members since they were presently being reviewed by the Government’s prosecutor. He did furnish the following:
1) Four-page investigative report dated December 4, 1978, concerning the murders committed at Lamaha Gardens.
2) Nine-page pathology report concerning the following individuals: Linda Sharon Amos, Liane Harris, Martin Amos, Christa Amos, Leo Ryan, Gregory Robinson, Patricia Parks, Bob Brown, and Don Harris.
Assistant Commissioner Roberts advised that his prior request for a pathologist from the United States should be rescinded since Dr. L. Mootoo has performed the necessary pathological examinations.
He advised that his department has recovered approximately 2.5 million dollars (Guyanese dollars) from various locations in the Jonestown area. These funds consist of United States and Guyanese currency. In addition, numerous checks have been turned over to the American Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana.
[Pages 2 – 17 consist of autopsy reports on the nine individuals listed at Paragraph 2 above. The reports also appear on the Autopsies in Guyana page.]
[Page 18 – 21 is the four-page report referenced in Paragraph 1 above. This is the best available copy. The legible sections are transcribed below.]
“War on Waste”
Criminal Investigation Department.
Eve Leary.
December 4, 1978.
Assistant Commissioner “Crime”,
Alleged murders committed on Linda, Sharon Amos aged 42 years, Liane Harris aged 22 years, Christa Amos aged 11 years and Martin Amos aged nine years at 41 Dennis Street, Campbellville, Georgetown on 18 November, 1978.
I have to report the results of my investigations carried out on the above-mentioned subject.
At 9:10 PM, on Saturday 18 November, 1978, noting on information [illegible word] a party of policemen under Detective Assistant Superintendent Lam out to 41 Dennis Street, Lamah Gardens, which is the Headquarters of the People’s Temple of the Disciples of Christ (Guyana) and which has its Headquarters in San Francisco, United States of America.
This building is a two storyed concrete structure situated on the southern side of Dennis Street in the entire yard is fenced in with a 4 foot concrete wall. The building in question is valued on the north by [illegible words] which runs parallel to this road; to the east there is an open plot of land, to the south there are two houses about (60) sixty yards away, and to the west there is another open club of land followed by two houses.
The entry to this Headquarters is located situated on the northern fence. There are two steps to the building; one on the eastern side which takes you to the porch and into the hall of the top flat while the other runs from the kitchen door on the west (top left) downwards to the north. On the bottom flat can be found a garden which faces the road. Adjoining the garage to the east is an office which is also used as a radio room and entry to this office cum radio room is by way of the southern door. There are three other rooms situated on the said bottom flat in which the [illegible word] dwell.
Adjacent to the hall on the top flat is the dining room and kitchen to the west. The living quarters on the upper flat is separated from the hall and kitchen by way of a wall and within this wall is a door which leads out into a passageway down to the last on southern room. To the east of this passageway [illegible word] two rooms used by the [illegible word] one of which is used as a [illegible words]. To the west of this passageway running from north to south are (i) a cupboard, (ii) a room and (iii) a bathroom.
[illegible word] southern room is self-contained with bathroom, toilet, and washbasin and has one large bed situated immediately behind the door giving entry [illegible word]. Opposite to this bed to the west is the bathroom which has a door which opens inwardly in a westerly direction.
The distance between the bed and the bathroom is about 5 feet. There are also in this bedroom [illegible words] the eastern wall.
[illegible words] the police found the bodies of Linda Sharon Amos, Liane Harris, Christa and Martin Amos, lying on the floor of the bathroom in a pool of blood. The bodies were examined by Detective Assistant [illegible words] who found all the persons mentioned above [remaining three lines of paragraph illegible].
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[illegible words] occupied a room on the ground floor along with [illegible words] Maryanne Cassanova [Casanova] and her daughter Diane Casanova. [illegible sentence] On the second evening statements were taken from [illegible words] no one did not supply any valuable information as to [illegible words] their deaths. It would be appropriate to mention here that [illegible words] Stephanie Jones aged 9 years told the police that she was [illegible word] in the bathroom assuring Amos along with her three children and that then Sharon killed Martin and Christa Amos with a knife. She also said that Sharon was about to cut her, Stephanie’s throat when the bathroom door was flung open and she was pulled out by Calvin Douglas, leaving Sharon and her daughter, Liane, alive in the bathroom. She was thrown on the bed by Douglas and later taken to the Medical Center for treatment. She had a laceration on her throat about four (4) inches.
Calvin Douglas said in his statement that he had heard children [illegible word] when he flung the bathroom door open he saw shown in the act of cutting Stephanie’s throat and he immediately pulled her away from Sharon and at the [illegible word] he picked up a knife which was on the bathroom floor and after throwing Stephanie on the bed, he ran down the passageway towards the kitchen where he [illegible word] the knife which had bloodstains in the kitchen sink. He also said that on his return to the bathroom he saw the dead bodies of Sharon and Liane. It could be [illegible word, may be “questioned”] that Douglas had said that on entering the bathroom he had seen the dead body of Christa lying on the bathroom floor with a gaping wound on her throat.
On the said evening [a] statement was also taken from Charles Edward Beikman [illegible word] “Chuck”, aged 43 years (accused). He denied any knowledge of the crime but stated that Sharon had passed him in the passageway with her two children, Christa and Martin heading for the southern or bank-room. Immediately he turned [illegible word] and went to the bathroom door of the southern room which was closed. He said he [illegible words] was in the bathroom informing her that he was not [illegible words] and he heard Sharon reply “Okay”. He then left and proceeded to the hall and shortly after he heard someone say that Sharon had killed himself and three children.
It could be mentioned at this point in time information provided [illegible words, could be “by the residents”] of the house gave the impression that Sharon had killed herself and three children and that she also tried to kill Stephanie Jones. A visit from her ex-husband Sherwin Harris (Liane’s father) on the said day (afternoon) had [illegible word] her apprehensive. Harrison arrived in the country the previous day with the group that accompanied the late Congressman Leo Ryan, member of a group calling themselves “Concerned relatives” investigating allegations of their children being held against their will at Jonestown, North West District by Jim Jones, leader of the People’s Temple of the Disciples of Christ (Guyana). On the said day 18 November, 1978, at about 8 PM, Harrison dined with his daughter Liane and Sharon’s two children Martin and Christa Amos and departed for the Pegasus hotel shortly after in a taxi. [illegible words] be made that [illegible words] persuaded Liane to return with him to the United States and Liane had told him that she was happy to remain in Guyana.
Shortly after Harris’ departure, the [illegible word] at Operations Room, [illegible words] received a report about gunshot fire at 41 Dennis Street. As result of this report, [several lines illegible] sitting in the hall and it appeared to him everything was all right so he ran downstairs and left with the other policeman for the station.
At 8:55 PM, that evening Detective [name illegible] who was [illegible words] to the alleged gunfire was at [illegible words] policeman returned. Shortly afterwards on instructions of the Assistant Commissioner “Crime” who are personally received a telephone call from
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[page almost completely illegible]
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Carl Barnett stated in his further statement that when he heard that Sharon and her kids were dead he would upstairs and [illegible words] blood on his right hand and he escorted him downstairs by way of the back steps of the accused washed off.
Joan Pursley supplied information that she had seen the blood [illegible word] knife in the kitchen sink that evening after the bodies were found.
Evidence was also [illegible words] Aurora Rodriguez who heard children [illegible word] in the bathroom. Stephanie Jones had told Dianne Casanova who had escorted her to the medical center that [illegible word] tried to. I do not feel that [illegible words].
The accused Charles Beikman who was at C.I.D. Headquarters, [illegible words] November, 1970, was arrested by detective assistant [name illegible] at 5 PM, who told him that the police are in receipt of information that he was concerned with the alleged murders of Christa and Martin Amos also Sharon Amos and Lianne [Liane] Harris, and the attempted murder of Stephanie Jones. On about [illegible date] November, 1978, he was [illegible word] in the presence of Stephan Jones and elected to make a statement which was taken down in writing by Stephan Jones at his request. The statement is a confession.
The accused was charged with the murders of Sharon Linda Amos, Liane Harris, Christa and Martin Amos, and alleged attempt murder on Stephanie Jones. He appeared before the superintendent [illegible word] Magistrate’s Court on 25 November, 1978, and the [illegible word] Monday fourth December, 1978, and following days for trial.