The FBI’s investigation into the events of November 18, 1978 focused upon the assassination of Leo Ryan and any actions of members of Peoples Temple which may have shown evidence of a conspiracy related to that assassination. Code-named RYMUR – short for Ryan Murder – the investigation yielded 2750 serials totalling more than 10,000 pages, eventually separated into 42 large sections.
This page includes the contents of Section 21, including serials 1516-1570. Most are dated from late December 1978 or early January 1979.
The table below lists each document by serial number, the number of pages within each serial, the date the serial was generated, the federal agency originating the serial, and a brief description. Each entry then includes the PDF and the text of the serial. Additional notes appear at the bottom of the page.
A listing of abbreviations used in the RYMUR documents – including FBI field offices and State Department embassies – is here.
In citing these documents, each serial should open with the official designation of “RYMUR 89-4286.” As an example, Serial 1543 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-1543.”
Serial
|
# of Pages
|
Date
|
Office of Origin
|
Description
|
PDF
|
Text
|
1516 | 8 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | JT tapes contain evidence of conspiracy against Ryan | Text | |
1517 | 2 | 12/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Referral; dupe of 1520] | Text | |
1518 | 2 | 12/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Referral; dupe of 1381] | Text | |
1519 | 2 | 12/18 | FBI-SF | [Dupe of 1261] | Text | |
1520 | 2 | 12/19 | AmEmb Georgetown | Stephan Jones charged in Amos murders | Text | |
1521 | 3 | 12/18 | AmEmb Georgetown | Stephan Jones confesses to Amos murder [dupe of 1274] | Text | |
1522 | 6 | 12/20 | State | PT bank accounts | Text | |
1523 | 5 | 12/27 | FBI-BQMRA | Guyanese political refugee flees August 78 | Text | |
1524 | 1 | 12/27 | FBI-BQMRA | [RYMUR administrative memo] | Text | |
1525 | 4 | 12/28 | FBI-BQMRA | Guyanese political refugee refers to Russians, PT and Burnham | Text | |
1526 | 2 | 12/30 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Referral; dupe of 1493] | Text | |
1527 | 2 | 1/2 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Referral; dupe of 1530] | Text | |
1528 | 2 | 1/2 | State | [Referral; dupe of 1505] | Text | |
1529 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-Detroit | Odell Rhodes pledges cooperation with FBI | Text | |
1530 | 2 | 1/2 | AmEmb Georgetown | More Temple survivors return to US | Text | |
1531 | 1 | 1/3 | AmEmb Georgetown | [Referral; dupe of 1504] | Text | |
1532 | 1 | 1/3 | AmEmb Georgetown | Remaining death certificates not ready to send | Text | |
1533 | 2 | 1/3 | FBI-Albany | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
1534 | 2 | 1/3 | FBI-Milwaukee | Missing person may have ended up in PT | Text | |
1535 | 3 | 1/4 | AmEmb Georgetown | Guyana papers carry news of PT cash for Soviet Embassy | Text | |
1536 | 5 | 1/4 | FBI-HQ | FBI seeks to dispose of handwritten notes found on bodies | Text | |
1537 | 2 | 1/5 | Legat Bern | U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities | Text | |
1538 | 2 | 1/5 | Legat Bern | U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities | Text | |
1539 | 2 | 1/5 | Legat Bern | U.S. seeks cooperation, smooth feathers of Swiss banking authorities | Text | |
1540 | 4 | 12/10 | FBIHQ | Summary, 12/10: Warrants dismissed; grand jury testimony; death tape | Text | |
1541 | 1 | 12/11 | FBIHQ | Transmittal of passports and applications | Text | |
1541x | 1 | 12/11 | Unknown | [withheld] | Text | |
1542 | 2 | 12/12 | FBI-BQMRA | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
1543 | 3 | 12/13 | AmEmb Georgetown | Preliminary hearing into Amos murders | Text | |
1543x | 35 | 12/13 | FBIHQ | Transmittal of transcript of death tape | Text | |
1544 | 1 | 12/19 | FBIHQ | FBI to obtain blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan | Text | |
1545 | 1 | 12/26 | FBIHQ | Thank you note to California DMV | Text | |
1546 | 2 | 12/29 | FBI-Louisville | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
1547 | 4 | 12/29 | FBI-Louisville | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
1548 | 2 | 12/29 | FBIHQ | FBI to analyze “Kool-Aid” samples from JT | Text | |
1549 | 2 | 12/30 | FBI-SF | House committee and FBI negotiate cooperation | Text | |
1550 | 32 | 1/2 | FBI-NY | US Labor Party would like to talk about cults | Text | |
1551 | 2 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA/td> | FBI photograph PT survivors upon return to US | Text | |
1552-0 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Introductory page, interviews with PK witnesses | Text | |
1552-1 | 20 | 12/28 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Jim Bogue | Text | |
1552-2 | 30 | 12/29 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Harold Cordell | Text | |
1553 | 52 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Photographs of dozen named returning JT survivors | Text | |
1554 | 2 | 1/2 | USSS | Assessment of assassination threat | Text | |
1555 | 1 | 1/2 | AmEmb Georgetown | [RYMUR administrative memo] | Text | |
1556 | 9 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Names of 8 fingerprinted survivors; death tape transcript | Text | |
1557-0 | 3 | 1/3 | FBI-BQMRA | Introductory listing, interviews with PK witnesses | Text | |
1557-1 | 4 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | HAM radio operator reports contacts with JT | Text | |
1557-2 | 1 | 1/3 | FBI-BQMRA | Tim Carter turns over passport | Text | |
1557-3 | 1 | 1/3 | FBI-BQMRA | Michael Carter turns over passport | Text | |
1557-4 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | FBI agents send crates of evidence to WDC | Text | |
1557-5 | 19 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Dale Parks | Text | |
1557-6 | 11 | 12/21 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Tom Bogue | Text | |
1557-7 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Subpoena served on returning Temple survivor | Text | |
1557-8 | 1 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Report of conversation with Temple survivor | Text | |
1557-9 | 2 | 1/2 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with unknown returning survivor | Text | |
1557-10 | 12 | 12/28 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Monica Bagby | Text | |
1557-11 | 37 | none | FBI-BQMRA | Fingerprint records | Text | |
1558 | 1 | 1/3 | FBI-SF | Lionel Luckhoo to represent PT in Guyana | Text | |
1559 | 3 | 1/3 | FBIHQ | Some PT members to stay in Guyana, others have gone to US undetected | Text | |
1560 | 5 | 1/3 | FBIHQ | US Embassy summary of Guyana inquest testimony [retransmittal of 1504] | Text | |
1561 | 4 | 1/3 | FBI-Buffalo | Interviews with HAM radio operator | Text | |
1562-0 | 1 | 1/4 | FBI-BQMRA | Introduction to interviews with several PK witnesses | Text | |
1562-1 | 13 | 12/28 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Brenda Parks | Text | |
1562-2 | 9 | 1/3 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Tracy Parks | Text | |
1562-3 | 17 | 12/29 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with Juanita Bogue | Text | |
1562-4 | 2 | 1/3 | FBI-BQMRA | Interview with unknown Temple survivor | Text | |
1563 | 6 | 12/28 | FBI-IP | Interview with Indianapolis witness | Text | |
1564 | 1 | 1/4 | FBI-SF | Travel of unnamed Temple survivor | Text | |
1565 | 5 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | FBI negotiates on request for investigative files with House committee | Text | |
1566 | 2 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | FBI to obtain blood types of two JT victims for comparison to Ryan | Text | |
1567 | 1 | 1/4 | Legat Ottawa | FBI seeks bank account info | Text | |
1567-post | 1 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | Transmittal sheet for rolls of film, cassette tape | Text | |
1568 | 3 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | Transmittal sheet for analysis of tape, with transcript | Text | |
1568-post | 1 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | Transmittal sheet for rolls of film, cassette tape | Text | |
1569 | 1 | 1/4 | FBIHQ | Transmittal sheet for death tape, JT development plan | Text | |
1570 | 7 | 1/4 | FBI-BQMRA | FBI photographs JT survivors upon return to US | Text |
The pdf of the complete section is here. It should be noted that this document is unique to this site, based upon the FBI’s official release of documents in 2014 and augmented with additional documents. The additional documents include: those released by the State Department; those released through the litigation of McGehee et al v. Justice; and those released by the FBI in 2001 but not included in the later release.
The information released in these serials may change as the FBI releases additional information pursuant to ongoing litigation under the Freedom of Information Act.