RYMUR Section 37 – Serials 2481-2580

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 37, including serials 2481-2580. Almost all are dated in the second half of 1980.

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 2485 would be cited as “RYMUR 89-4286-2485.”

Serial # of pages Date Office of Origin Description PDF Text
  18     Section 37 administrative memoranda PDF Text
2481 35 8/14 FBIHQ Transcript of death tape PDF Text
2482 2 8/10 FBI-SF US anticipates subpoenas of PK wounded PDF Text
2485 5 8/26 AmEmb Georgetown Extradition of Larry Layton PDF Text
2486 2 8/26 FBIHQ [dupe of 2485] PDF Text
2487 2 9/5 FBIHQ FBI responds to House Intelligence Committee request for info PDF Text
2488 2 9/18 FBI-SF US seeks interviews with PK media witnesses PDF Text
2489 2 9/24 FBI-WFO FBI provides info on whereabouts of PK witnesses PDF Text
2490 2 9/17 AmEmb Georgetown Deportation of Larry Layton PDF Text
2491 2 9/17 FBIHQ [Dupe of 2490] PDF Text
2493 2 9/26 FBI-SF Discussion of Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2494 3 9/29 FBIHQ Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2495 2 9/24 AmEmb Georgetown Deportation of Larry Layton PDF Text
2496 2 9/24 FBIHQ [dupe of 2495] PDF Text
2497 3 9/30 SECSTATE Deportation of Larry Layton PDF Text
2498 2 9/30 FBIHQ [dupe of 2497] PDF Text
2499 1 9/30 FBI-SF Arrangements for Layton transfer to US PDF Text
2500 2 9/30 FBIHQ [unreadable, likely dupe of 2499] PDF Text
2501 2 10/3 FBI-SF Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2502 2 9/22 FBIHQ Layton to be dismissed from Guyana custody PDF Text
2503 1 9/29 DOJ Criminal Division DOJ considers how to charge Layton PDF Text
2504 2 10/1 AmEmb Georgetown Discussion of passport for Larry Layton PDF Text
2505 2 10/1 FBIHQ [dupe of 2504] PDF Text
2506 6 10/8 FBIHQ Details on Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2507 3 10/9 SecState Issurance of card of identity for Larry Layton PDF Text
2508 1 10/10 AmEmb Georgetown Layton not on board flight PDF Text
2509 8 10/10 FBI-SF Indictment vs. Layton [dupe of 2512] PDF Text
2510 2 10/10 FBIHQ Deportation of Layton delayed PDF Text
2511 2 10/10 FBI-SF Indictment released PDF Text
2512 8 10/10 FBI-SF Indictment vs. Layton PDF Text
2513 1 10/14 FBIHQ Status report on Layton, post indictment PDF Text
2514 2 10/14 FBI-SF US officials travel to Guyana PDF Text
2515 4 10/14 FBIHQ US officials travel to Guyana [dupe of 2414] PDF Text
2516 1 10/10 AmEmb Port of Spain PanAm reports someone wants to board plane to see Larry Layton PDF Text
2517 2 10/10 FBIHQ [dupe of 2516] PDF Text
2518 2 10/8 SecState Layton will travel to US with his attorney PDF Text
2519 1 10/10 AmEmb Port of Spain Layton may be detained in Guyana until lawyer paid PDF Text
2520 1 10/10 AmEmb Georgetown Expulsion of Larry Layton PDF Text
2521 2 10/14 FBI-SF Status check on Layton PDF Text
2522 3 10/15 FBIHQ Status check on Layton PDF Text
2523 4 10/15 FBIHQ US officials travel to Guyana delayed (dupe of 2541) PDF Text
2524 3 10/7 AmEmb Georgetown Expulsion of Larry Layton PDF Text
2525 3 9/25 FBIHQ Memo on info sharing between FBI and DOJ PDF Text
2526 1 10/8 AmEmb Georgetown Expulsion of Larry Layton PDF Text
2527 2 10/8 AmEmb Port of Spain Expulsion of Larry Layton PDF Text
2529 2 10/14 FBI-SF Fugitive warrant for Layton PDF Text
2530 4 10/24 FBIHQ [duplicate of two serials] PDF Text
2531 2 10/24 FBI-SF US Attorney to fly to Guyana to meet with counterpart PDF Text
2533 4 10/24 FBIHQ US Attorney to fly to Guyana to meet with counterpart (dupe of 2531) PDF Text
2534 3 10/27 FBIHQ Memo on info sharing between FBI and DOJ PDF Text
2535 2 10/28 FBIHQ Agencies discuss Transporting of Layton PDF Text
2536 2 10/29 FBI-SF US officials travel to Guyana PDF Text
2538 2 10/23 AmEmb Georgetown Delay in Layton case PDF Text
2539 2 10/23 FBIHQ [dupe of 2538] PDF Text
2540 4 10/29 FBIHQ US officials travel to Guyana (dupe of 2536) PDF Text
2541 2 10/15 FBI-SF US officials travel to Guyana delayed PDF Text
2542 2 -0- FBIHQ [Cover sheet; nothing attached] PDF Text
2544 2 11/12 FBI-SF Layton transfer to marshals to accompany to US PDF Text
2545 3 11/14 AmEmb Georgetown Layton departure postponed PDF Text
2546 3 11/14 FBIHQ Layton transfer for US prosecution delayed PDF Text
2547 2 11/06 FBI-SF Guyana Restraining order against Layton dismissed PDF Text
2548 4 11/06 FBIHQ Guyana Restraining order against Layton dismissed (dupe of 2547) PDF Text
2549 1 11/14 AmEmb Port of Spain Question on Layton status from Trinidad PDF Text
2550 3 10/18 AmEmb Georgetown Question on expulsion of Larry Layton and claims against him PDF Text
2551 2 11/3 AmEmb Georgetown Judge to rule that Layton owes legal fees PDF Text
2552 2 11/3 FBIHQ [dupe of 2551] PDF Text
2553 3 11/10 FBI-SF Expulsion of Larry Layton PDF Text
2554 1 11/14 AmEmb Georgetown Larry Layton travel PDF Text
2555 2 11/14 SecState Larry Layton travel PDF Text
2556 2 11/14 AmEmb Georgetown U.S. Marshals in Guyana may present problem PDF Text
2557 2 11/14 FBIHQ [dupe of 2556] PDF Text
(after) 2559 1 11/19 DOJ Criminal Division Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2560 2 11/18 FBI-BQMRA Layton transfer for US prosecution PDF Text
2561 2 Illegible FBIHQ [dupe of 2563] PDF Text
(after) 2561 1 11/25 DOJ Criminal Division Layton pleads not guilty PDF Text
2562 1 11/24 FBI-SF Layton pleads not guilty PDF Text
2563 1 illegible AmEmb Georgetown Departure of Larry Layton PDF Text
2564 1 11/21 FBI-BQMRA Layton arrested PDF Text
2565 2 11/22 FBI-BQMRA Layton before US magistrate PDF Text
2566 1 11/18 AmEmb Georgetown Departure of Larry Layton PDF Text
2567 2 12/1 AmEmb Georgetown Expulsion of Larry Layton done without fanfare PDF Text
2568 9 11/19 FBI-SF Summary of SF FBI reports on PT, JJ PDF Text
2569 2 10/21 AmEmb Georgetown Court hearing on Layton legal fees PDF Text
2569x 2 10/21 FBI-SF Warrant for Layton PDF Text
2570 2 11/10 AmEmb Georgetown Layton to be expelled from Guyana PDF Text
2571 1 11/12 AmEmb Georgetown Layton travel plans PDF Text
2572 2 11/14 AmEmb Georgetown Layton travel plans PDF Text
2573 2 11/20 FBIHQ [dupe of 2588] PDF Text
2574 1 illegible AmEmb Georgetown Layton travel plans PDF Text
2575 1 illegible AmEmb Georgetown Layton travel plans PDF Text
2576 3 11/12 AmEmb Georgetown Layton travel plans set PDF Text
2576x 1 11/19 FBIHQ Attempts to make still photos from NBC footage PDF Text
2577 2 12/1 FBI-SF Listing of full scope of RYMUR documents PDF Text
2578 2 12/4 FBI-SF Request to contact Sukdheo PDF Text
2579 2 12/1 FBIHQ [dupe of 2567] PDF Text
2580 5 12/20 FBIHQ US officials travel to Guyana (dupe of 2581) PDF 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.