[Editor’s note: This timeline is part of a special report by the November 18 Project. The table of contents for the report is here.]
|
Date |
Event |
Source |
| 11/24/78 | A 7-inch reel-to-reel tape is discovered in the pavilion area of Jonestown by Richard Martin, Vice Consul of the United States assigned at Caracas, Venezuela, but on temporary duty at Georgetown, Guyana. United States Ambassador John Burke receives the tape upon his return to the Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana. | Serial 2016,Serial 1894-19,State Department Cable |
| 12/4/78 | Vice Consul Richard Martin advises FBI Special Agents Robert J. Oglesby, Jr. and [name deleted] that on November 24, 1978, he gave what would come to be known as the “Last Hour” or “Death Tape” recording to Ambassador Burke at the Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana. On December 4, 1978, Burke gave custody of the reels and tape to Special Agent [name deleted] who then marked both reels and tape for identification purposes. | Serial 1894-19 |
| 12/5/78 | FBI and US embassy officials listen to the “Death Tape” and discuss its evidentiary importance. The Government of Guyana requests the tape, and the embassy discusses the chain of custody. Steps are taken to copy the tape. Ambassador Burke gives custody of the “Death Tape” to an FBI investigator who then marks it (Last Hour) for identification purposes (12/4/78). FBI Special Agent Robert Oglesby telephonically advises FBI headquarters that the 7-inch reel containing a recording of the last hour in Jonestown appears to be authentic. The Government of Guyana gives permission for the tape to be brought to FBI headquarters for duplication and immediate return to Guyana. | Serial 906,Serial 1894-15,State Department Cable |
| 12/6/78 | It is decided that the Government of Guyana will be supplied with a copy of the “Death Tape.” The Justice Department is anxious to review the tape before its existence becomes public. The embassy is asked to send a copy to Washington D.C. without delay. FBI obtains a copy of the “Death tape” from the US embassy to be taken to Washington D.C. FBI headquarters. | State Department Cable |
| 12/7/78 | A cassette duplicate of the “Death Tape” is hand-delivered to Washington FBI headquarters. The recording is assigned laboratory specimen number Q42 and a direct copy is made. The Technical Evaluation Unit begins preparing a verbatim transcription. | Serial 1165,Serial 929,Serial 1370×2,Serial 2287 |
| 12/8-9/78 | A Federal Grand Jury begins hearing testimony from witnesses. The New York Times and the Washington Post publish articles about the “Death Tape” describing its contents and printing quotes from the tape that are essentially accurate; the NYT reported incorrectly that gunshots can be heard on the tape. Washington Post describes tape as “The best evidence yet of just how the forced mass suicide was carried out.” The existence of the “Death Tape” is confirmed by the FBI, Guyanese officials, and the State Department. Guyanese Assistant Police Commissioner Cecil “Skip” Roberts is quoted saying that the tape was found by a member of the United States consulate shortly after the massacre, but the tape was not turned over to the Government of Guyana until 3 weeks later. GOG thinks the tape should be released to the public. GOG complains that their copy of the tape is “scratchy.” Ambassador Burke announces he does not want the original “Death Tape” recording to leave the US Embassy in Georgetown Guyana. The Department of Justice requests a transcript of the tape, the request is delayed by the FBI while a transcript is prepared. The transcript is eventually delivered to the DOJ on 12/15/78. | Serial 968,
Serial 985, Serial 1165,Serial 1540,Serial 1622,Serial 2375,SDC 1701, SDC 1702, SDC 1955, SDC 0006, SDC1622, |
| 12/16/78 | The FBI returns the “Death Tape” to Ambassador Burke at the Embassy in Georgetown, Guyana. Burke stresses that he will not allow the original 7-inch reel to reel tape to leave Guyana. Attorney General Griffin Bell confirms that the FBI had the tape and states that it will not be disclosed to the public. | Serial 2016,Serial 1894-15, Mark Lane’s Strongest Poison |
| 3/13/79 | Mike Prokes escaped the tragedy in Jonestown on November 18th, 1978 when he and Tim and Mike Carter left Jonestown on a mission to deliver money and documents to the Soviet Embassy in Georgetown. On March 13, 1979, Prokes called a press conference in a motel room in Modesto California. In the presence of 8 reporters, he made a statement that in part focused on his belief that the “Death Tape” would never be released to the public because its contents would embarrass the US government. Mike claimed that a US embassy official named Charles English and Guyanese Police Commissioner Skip Roberts listened to the tape and described what they heard to Prokes in December of 1978. According to Prokes, both Roberts and English described the solidarity of the community’s decision to die because the people of Jonestown felt they were under attack by both the United States and Guyanese governments. He concluded his statement, expressing his desire to lay down his life with his brothers and sisters. Prokes went into the motel bathroom and shot himself.
|
The Death of Michael Prokes |
| 3/14/79 | The National Inquirer has a tape they think might be a copy of the “Death Tape” and would like the Michigan State Police Voice Identification Unit in East Lansing, Michigan to confirm its authenticity. NBC’s Today Show broadcasts segments of the “Death Tape” beginning on March 14, the day after Mike Prokes committed suicide and continued playing the tape off and on for 3 days. The FBI does not confirm or deny that the tape was authentic and claimed they did not give NBC the tape.
|
Serial 2033,Serial 2238 |
| 3/15/79 | International Home Video Club, Inc., announces their intention to market cassette recordings of the “final hours of Jonestown” during the week of March. They plan to charge $9.95 per copy. The FBI claimed the tape was acquired through unauthorized means. According to Mark Lane’s book, Strongest Poison, the IHVC copy was made from the Guyana Government copy, which was of poor quality.
|
Serial 2002,ABC News Clip,State Department Cable |
| 4/6/79 | The House International Relations Committee requests a copy of the “Death Tape.” | Serial 2090,Serial 2287,Serial 2291 |
| 4/26/79 | Families of Jonestown victims request that the “Death Tape” be released to the public. The FBI reiterates that they did not release the tape to NBC, and the recording is evidence likely to be used at trial. | Serial 2237 |
| 5/8/79 | The FBI requests custody of the original 7-inch reel-to-reel “Death Tape” so it can be examined and enhanced at FBI headquarters in Washington D.C. | Serial 2169, State Department Cable |
| 5/17/79 | Marceline Jones’ surviving family requests a copy of the “Death Tape.” The FBI responds that they did not release the tape to NBC and indicates that both the Government of Guyana and the State Department also have copies of the recording. | Serial 2238 |
| 6/5/79 | The original 7-inch reel-to-reel “Death Tape” is picked up from the US Embassy in Georgetown and taken to San Francisco FBI headquarters. | Serial 2205,State Department Cable |
| 6/13/79 | The FBI in San Francisco requests the FBI Technical Services Division enhance and clean up the voices in the crowd heard on the “Death Tape.” The FBI pledges to send an enhanced copy to the Guyana Government following proper State Department channels. FBI Technical Services Division Washington D.C. receives the tapes on 6/15/79. | Serial 2213 |
| 6/15/79 | The “Death Tape” original 7-inch reel and enhanced copies are sent back to the FBI San Francisco field office. This is the last known physical location of the original 7-inch reel “Death Tape.” | Serial 2303 |
| 6/20/80 | The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence is investigating allegations that the Central Intelligence Agency was involved with Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, and the tragic events in Jonestown, Guyana, on November 18, 1978. They request the FBI’s enhanced copy of the “Death Tape” and want to review the transcript. | Serial 2468x |
| 7/30/80 | The FBI Enhanced “Death Tape” is played for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, and they are given a transcript. | Serial 2472,Serial 2474 |
Originally posted on October 14th, 2025.
Last modified on October 22nd, 2025.