[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 74 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE03897_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
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GEORGE 03897 232031Z
ACTION SCS-06
INFO OCT-01 ARA-11 ISO-00 CA-01 L-03 H-01 FBIE-00
CIAE-00 INR-10 NSAE-00 DODE-00 PA-01 SY-05 SS-15
SSO-00 INRE-00 JUSE-00 /054 W
——————043205 232052Z /64
O 232015Z NOV 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC NIACT IMMEDIATE 8176
LIMITED OFFICIAL USE GEORGETOWN 3897
E.O. 11652: N/A
TAGS: CASC, OREP, GY
SUBJECT: FINDINGS IN PARTIAL AUTOPSY ON BODY OF BISHOP JIM JONES
The official pathologist of the GOG [Government of Guyana], Dr. Leslie C. Mootoo, has furnished the following information: quote: Dr. Mootoo reported that he performed a partial autopsy on a body identified to him as being that of Bishop Jim Jones at Jonestown on Tuesday, November 21, 1978. He said there was a small bullet entry wound above the right ear, with a large, 4 centimeter exit wound behind the left ear. The wounds appeared to be self-inflicted, using a small pistol which was found lying on the victim’s chest. Dr. Mootoo said he also tested for poison and there was not evidence that he had taken any. A complete autopsy was not done as the cause of death was obvious. Unquote.
Burke [John Burke, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana]
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