[Editor’s note: One of the subjects of this serial whose name is deleted is Lou Gurvich, a private investigator and father of Jonestown victim Jann Gurvich. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type.]
0 272158Z NOV 78
FM NEW ORLEANS (89-184)
TO DIRECTOR FBI (89-4286) IMMEDIATE
LOS ANGELES (89-436) IMMEDIATE
SAN FRANCISCO (89-250) IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR
Re Bureau teletype Nov. 22, 1978. New Orleans telcal of SA [name deleted] to LA, SA [name deleted], Nov. 27, 1978.
News accounts in New Orleans has generated information regarding survivors of Selika Bordenavd [Bordenave], Negro female, DOB July 10, 1918, at Pass Christian, Mississippi. Contact was established with [name deleted], sister of Bordenavd, who resides at [address deleted] New Orleans, LA. Bordenavd also has her mother, Louise Prudeaux also residing at [address deleted]. It is noted that Mrs.
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Prudeaux is 83 years of age and extremely poor health. No interview was conducted.
[name deleted] (supra), advised that Selika Prudeaux Bordenavd, has been residing in California for approximate last 20 years. Bordenavd has a daughter, Selika Bates, residence [address deleted], La Puente, California, telephone [deleted].
Mrs. [name deleted] advised that Bordenavd has resided in Guyana for approximate last year. Her correspondence with Bordenavd always indicated that Bordenavd was very happy doing missionary work in that country. [name deleted] could provide no information regarding any violence, any information regarding any guns or firearms training. She did state that occasionally her sister would solicit money to be sent to support their operations in Guyana.
For the additional information of Los Angeles, Selika Bates (supra) has been interviewed telephonically by local news people in New Orleans. During these interviews Mrs. Bates indicated that she was very unhappy with the FBI. Indications were that she had contacted the Bureau in Los Angeles on several occasions in the past regarding alleged mistreatment and other acts of violence being
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conducted in connection with the Peoples Temple commune in Guyana. One newspaper account in New Orleans states that Mrs. Bates criticized the FBI and U.S. Government for not doing something and she is upset about having to expend her own funds to identify and retrieve her mother’s body.
Investigation at New Orleans continues with regard to second ham radio operator who was in contact with persons in Guyana during the summer of 1978.
Additionally, efforts are being made to interview [identifying information related to Lou Gurvich deleted] through his brother who is well known to the New Orleans office. [Gurvich’s] daughter was also a victim and [Gurvich] received national news coverage in connection with his travel to Guyana.
FD-302s will follow.
Armed and dangerous. Suicidal tendencies.
BT