[Editor’s note: This is a State Department cable that was included in the FBI’s 2009 RYMUR release of documents under the Freedom of Information Act. It was not included in the State Department’s own release, but we have included identifying information for it using the agency’s designations.]
FBA 149
[Listing of agencies receiving informational copies on pdf]
R 081906Z NOV 79
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 987
RUEHFB/DIR FBI WASHDC PRIORITY
BT
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 5010
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS: CARR (LAYTON, LAWRENCE [Laurence])
SUBJ: SECOND PRELIMINARY INQUIRY INTO MURDER OF CONGRESSMAN RYAN
1. The November 8 session of the second preliminary inquiry into the murder of Congressman Leo Ryan and five others at the Port Kaituma airstrip was taken up with testimony from three witnesses. Dr. Cyril Leslie Mootoo, government pathologist and bacteriologist, reported on his postmortem examination of the five Port Kaituma murder victims. Eustance Kendall, a US-trained firearms and ballistics expert with the Guyanese police, positively identified the bullets extracted from Monica Bagby as having come from the revolver allegedly in USC [US citizen] Lawrence Layton’s possession. Mortimer Kansinally, a brad constable in the Port Kaituma-Jonestown area, testified he had heard Layton confess to shooting someone. During Kansinally’s testimony Layton kept shaking his head in denial.
2. The inquiry was adjourned until November 19, 1979.
3. For FBI (for relay to San Francisco office, attn.. [name deleted]) prosecutor, Mr. Vishnu Persaud, is very anxious to hear of FBI’s progress in convincing Dale Parks to return to Guyana to give evidence. Prosecution requested delay until November 19 and hope this will give FBI sufficient time. Please advise.