Serial 2205

Airtel

6/7/79

To: SAC, San Francisco
From: Director, FBI
RYMUR

Enclosed and marked as “Evidence” is the original reel to reel tape of the “Last Hour of Jonestown.”

The enclosed tape was obtained by the United States Department of State, Washington DC, and was on 6/5/79, picked up by a representative of FBIHQ for delivery to the San Francisco Division. This tape should be handled as evidence re captioned matter.

Also enclosed is a communication of the Government of Georgetown [Guyana] (GOG) revealing the record of custody since the tape was first discovered at Jonestown. GOG would appreciate a copy of this tape being prepared for their file purposes.

San Francisco should prepare a copy of this tape and furnish same to Bureau for dissemination to GOG through State Department channels.

Note: This tape was picked up by Reviewer Analyst [name deleted], Personal Crimes Unit, Criminal Investigative Division, on 6/5/79 from State Department official [name deleted]. When FBIHQ is in receipt of a duplicate copy of this tape, the duplicate will be furnished to Mr. [name deleted] for transmittal to appropriate Guyanese officials.

[Page 2]

Limited Official Use
Incoming Telegram
Department of State

P R 311757Z MAY 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9768

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 2411
FOR [TERENCE FORTUNE] L/ARA

CARACAS FOR LEGATT

E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CGEN, OREP (RYAN, LEO)
SUBJ: FBI REQUEST FOR EVIDENCE (TAPE)

REF: STATE 122160

1. Embassy has received cable from FBI headquarters requesting that the orginial [original] reel-to-reel tape of the “Last Hour of Jonestown” be made available to the Bureau for analysis and reproduction. Embassy is pouching tape this date (May 31) via courier pouch (registry # 3586371) to the Department, attention L/ARA [Terence Fortune], for conveyance to the FBI. Record of custody since tape first discovered at Jonestown is enclosed.

2. It would be appreciate[d] if the FBI could furnish this Embassy with a copy of the tape for file purposes.

Burke [John Burke, American ambassador to Guyana]

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE

[Page 3]

Chain of Evidence

Nov. 24, 1978: Tape discovered by [name deleted] at Jonestown and transported to Georgetown.

10:30 PM November 24, 1978 – December 4, 1978: Ambassador’s safe.

December 4, 1978 – December 15, 1978: [name deleted], FBI.

December 15, 1978 – December 23, 1978: Ambassador’s safe.

December 23, 1978 – January 8, 1979: Deputy Chief of Mission’s safe.

January 8, 1979 – February 6, 1979: Ambassador’s safe.

3:00 PM-5:15 PM Feb. 6, 1979: DCM’s custody (played for Crimmins/Carpenter)

February 6 – May 25, 1979: Ambassador’s safe.

4:00 PM May 25, 1979: Placed in sealed registered envelope addressed to [Terence Fortune], Esquire, L/ARA-Rm. 5527A, Department of State, Washington, DC 20520, and consigned to the US Department of State Classified Pouch, Register No. 3586371.