August 16, 1979
Mrs. Candalerio Barajas
[Address deleted]
Dear Mrs. Barajas:
Enclosed please find a copy of a full autopsy report on the remains of your deceased son, Mr. William Richard Castillo. This report was prepared at the request of the Department of Justice by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. The report is forwarded to you upon request of your Congressman, Honorable Edward R. Roybal, who has forwarded a letter to the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the request for a copy of this document on your behalf.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation if we may be of further service in this matter.
Sincerely yours,
William H .Webster
Director
[Page 2]
[Mrs. Candalerio Barajas]
Note:
Mr. Castillo was one of several hundred victims of cyanide poisoning in the Jonestown, Guyana massacre. His remains were one of seven chosen at random by the FBI for autopsy upon request of the Department of Justice. The autopsies were conducted by the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. Prior consent for the autopsies was obtained from next of kin of chosen victims. Several relatives of the victims on whom these autopsies were performed requested copies of the reports on the results of the examinations. With prior Departmental approval, these copies were forwarded.
By letter to Supervisor [name deleted], Terrorism Section, CID, dated 8/3/79, Congressman Roybal, 25th District, California, requested on behalf of addressee that she be furnished a copy of the autopsy report on her son. Mr. Roybal’s assistant had previously phoned SA [name deleted] about the matter as he had handled previous autopsy matters while assigned to the Rymur Special at FBIHQ. The above services, the Congressman’s request and a letter to him is being forwarded to complete his file. Passage of the autopsy report on Mr. Castillo was discussed with Mr. Mike Abbell, International Affairs Office, DOJ and State Department, who interposed no objection to the above.
For Section Chief Mignosa, forwarded through you for review in view of Mr. [name deleted] assignment to your Section and necessary preparation of this letter by your staff.