In the days following November 18th, around thirty survivors—comprised of all the Jonestown defectors and the majority of Temple members who were in Jonestown on its final day—were airlifted to Georgetown and placed in police custody. From there, survivors, codenamed the Eve Leary Headquarters group, were transferred to the Park Hotel, where they spent anywhere from a week to over a month before being repatriated to the United States.
This timeline was compiled as part of an article examining the events that took place at the Park Hotel or with survivors. This timeline includes information such as: the arrival dates of survivors at the Park Hotel; their clearance and or departure dates; and any other prominent events or dates involving survivors who were at the hotel.
To see the list of survivors who were known to have stayed at the Park Hotel, click here.
Timeline of Events for Survivors at the Park Hotel (November 1978 – January 1979):
| Date: | Event(s): | Source: |
| Wednesday, November 22nd:
|
A number of survivors depart Port Kaituma and are temporarily held in the Georgetown Eve Leary Police Headquarters.
Survivors include: Jim Bogue; Tim and Mike Carter[1]; Dale, Brenda, and Tracy Parks; Grover Davis; Chris O’Neal; Mike Prokes; and Hyacinth Thrash. |
American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 220545Z NOV 78 • GEORGETOWN 3853 • SUBJECT: PEOPLE’S TEMPLE SURVIVORS UPDATE |
| Thursday, November 23rd:
|
25 survivors are moved from the Eve Leary Police Headquarters to the Park Hotel.
The survivors who moved likely include: Edith, Jim, and Juanita Bogue; Richard Clark; Stanley Clayton; Harold Cordell; Grover Davis; Julius, Sandra, Sharla, Shirelle, and Sonya Evans; Johnny Franklin; Diane Louie; Chris O’ Neal; Brenda, Dale, Edith, Gerald, and Tracy Parks; Robert Paul; Odell Rhodes (?); Hyacinth Thrash; Leslie and Jakari Wilson.[2] |
American Embassy to State Dept Cable O R 231900Z NOV 78 • GEORGETOWN 3895 • SUBJECT: RELEASE OF SOME SURVIVORS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE – Jim Willse, Survivor vainly cautioned Ryan about fake defector, San Francisco Examiner, p. 48 |
| Between November 24th, and the 26th:
|
Teena Bogue is released from the Georgetown hospital and is taken to the Park Hotel to join her family. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 260330Z NOV 78 • GEORGETOWN 3941 • SUBJECT: SURVIVING MEMBERS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE |
| Saturday, November 25th:
|
Tim and Mike Carter and Mike Prokes are released from the Eve Leary Police Headquarters and taken to the Park Hotel, where they are heavily interviewed by the press. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 260330Z NOV 78 • GEORGETOWN 3941 • SUBJECT: SURVIVING MEMBERS OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE |
| Between Saturday, November 25th and the 28th: | Psychiatrist Dr. Hardat Sukhdeo arrives in Georgetown to begin interviewing survivors at the Park Hotel. | FBI Serial 1213
The New York Times – Joseph Treaster, “Doctor Sees Danger in Cult Survivors’ Deep Despair,” p. A16 |
| Monday, November 27th:
|
Tim and Mike Carter and Mike Prokes are temporarily taken back to the police headquarters for further questioning by Guyanese police. | The Modesto Bee – J. Robert Bazemore, “Cult survivors begin looking to fresh start,” p. A8
AP – Reported in The Berkeley Gazette, Jonestown Survivors begin trip back home, p. 4 The San Francisco Examiner – John Jacobs, “3 temple survivors back in custody,” p. 9 |
| Wednesday, November 29th:
|
Elderly survivors Grover Davis and Hyacinth Thrash depart Guyana. | FBI Serial 610 |
| Saturday, December 2nd:
|
Edith Parks and the Evans family leave Guyana.
Monica Bagby is released from the Georgetown hospital and is taken to the Park Hotel. |
American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 012230Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4071 • SUBJECT: GUYANESE POLICE RELEASE MORE SURVIVORS
American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 041800Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4095 • SUBJECT: CONFIRMATION OF PEOPLE’S TEMPLE SURVIVORS |
| Sunday, December 3rd:
|
Richard Clark, Johnny Franklin, Diane Louie, Robert Paul, Leslie Wagner-Wilson, and most likely Jakari Wilson, receive clearance to depart Guyana. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 021915Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4076 • SUBJ: MORE SURVIVORS RELEASED BY GUYANESE POLICE
AP – Reported in Abilene Reporter-News, Many Questions About Jonestown May Go Unanswered AP – Reported in Abilene Reporter-News, Survivors Begin Migration Home; List of 31 Returning Survivors, p. A12 |
| Wednesday, December 13th:
|
The Guyana Inquest into the Jonestown deaths commences in Matthews Ridge. Numerous survivors staying at the Park Hotel are later called to testify.
The preliminary hearing of Larry Layton commences in Georgetown. Dale Parks is called to testify. |
American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 141415Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4281 • SUBJ: CORONER’S INQUEST INTO JONESTOWN MASS DEATH
American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 131615Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4258 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON UPI – reported in The [Columbia, SC] State, Charles De Florimonte, “Hearing To Decide On Layton Trial Begins In Guyana,” p. A20 AP – Reported in Pensacola News Journal, “Suspect Accepts Responsibility in Ryan’s Death,” p. A1, cont. on p. A3 American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 141230Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4273 • SUBJ: PRELIMINARY HEARING FOR LARRY LAYTON |
| Thursday, December 14th:
|
Odell Rhodes testifies at the Guyana Inquest.
Monica Bagby and Dale Parks testify at the preliminary hearing of Larry Layton. |
Guyana Inquest
UPI – reported in The [Dayton, O.] Journal Herald, “Cultist accused of killing Ryan was drugged, defector testifies,” p. 21 American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 181130Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4318 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON |
| Friday, December 15th:
|
Stanley Clayton and Odell Rhodes testify at the Guyana Inquest.
Harold Cordell and Gerald Parks testify at Larry Layton’s preliminary hearing. |
Guyana Inquest
AP – Reported in Saskatoon Star-Phoenix, “Survivors says Jones wanted Ryan to die,” p. 42 American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 181717Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4329 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON |
| Saturday, December 16th:
|
Tim and Mike Carter and Mike Prokes individually testify at the Guyana Inquest. | Guyana Inquest |
| Tuesday, December 19th:
|
Juanita Bogue testifies at the Layton preliminary hearing. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 221100Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4408 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON |
| Thursday, December 21st:
|
Odell Rhodes testifies at the Layton preliminary hearing.
A number of survivors are permitted to leave Guyana. Survivors released include: Monica Bagby; Edith, Jim, Juanita, Teena, and Tom Bogue; Harold Cordell; Chris O’ Neal; Brenda, Dale, Gerald, and Tracy Parks. Stanley Clayton receives clearance to leave but decides to stay in Guyana. |
American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 221729Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4433 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON
American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 201250Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4395 • SUBJ: W/W: REPATRIATION PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 191945Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4356 • SUBJ: W/W: REPATRIATION FUNDS FOR PEOPLE’S TEMPLE SURVIVORS The San Francisco Examiner – Peter H. King, “Guyana says temple defectors free to leave,” p. 7 |
| Friday, December 22nd:
|
Verdict is reached in the Guyana Inquest that the Jonestown deaths were murders by Jim Jones. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 222025Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4435 • SUBJECT: JURY VERDICT AT CORONER’S INQUEST INTO JONESTOWN MASS DEATHS |
| Sunday, December 24th:
|
Mike Prokes departs Guyana without alerting government or Pan Am officials. | FBI Serial 1437
American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 271630Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4458 • SUBJ: PEOPLES TEMPLE SURVIVORS |
| Between Thursday, December 28th, and the 29th:
|
Odell Rhodes departs Guyana. | FBI Serial 1491
The San Francisco Examiner– “‘It looks insane’ to a top Jones aide,” p. 3 |
| Friday, December 29th:
|
Tim and Mike Carter depart Guyana. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 281350Z DEC 78 • GEORGETOWN 4472 • SUBJ: REPATRIATION
American Embassy to State Dept Cable R 021449Z JAN 79 • GEORGETOWN 0005 • SUBJ: PEOPLE’S TEMPLE MEMBERS’ DEPARTURE FROM GUYANA |
| Tuesday, January 2nd, 1979:
|
Larry Layton’s preliminary hearing concludes; Layton is ordered to a jury trial. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable 0 031545Z JAN 79 • GEORGETOWN 0019 • SUBJ: W/W ARRESTS: LARRY LAYTON; PRELIMINARY INQUIRY CONCLUDES WITH DECISION TO COMMIT LAYTON TO JAIL
AP – Reported in The Berkeley Gazette, “Layton to be tried for murder,” p. 1 |
| Sunday, January 14th, 1979:
|
Stanley Clayton reportedly departed Guyana. Clayton would likely be the last survivor from the Eve Leary/Park Hotel group to depart Guyana. | American Embassy to State Dept Cable O 151925Z JAN 79 • GEORGETOWN 0203 •SUBJ: W/W STANLEY CLAYTON, JOAN PURSLEY, & ROBIN TSCHETTER |
Notes
[1] The Carter brothers and Mike Prokes were detained separately from the other survivors at Eve Leary.
[2] Later additions include Monica Bagby, Teena Bogue, the Carter brothers, and Mike Prokes, which brings the total to 30 survivors at the Park Hotel.