DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
COMMUNICATION MESSAGE FORM
DATE: DECEMBER 1, 1978
CLASSIFICATION: UNCLAS
PRECEDENCE: IMMEDIATE
FM DIRECTOR FBI
TO FBI BALTIMORE IMMEDIATE
FBI HOUSTON IMMEDIATE
FBI LOS ANGELES IMMEDIATE
FBI SAN FRANCISCO IMMEDIATE
BT
UNCLAS
RYMUR
At the request of the Department of Justice, autopsies are to be conducted at Dover, Delaware, on the remains of the Rev. Jim Jones, Dr. Larry Schacht, and Maria Katsaris, and random sampling of four other bodies whose identities have been selected as follows: Leon Perry, Negro male, born August 8, 1917, residing 1201 Road M, or Post Office Box 466, Redwood Valley, California; Jerry Wilson, Negro male, born February 14, 1961, 261 Divisadro [Divisadero], San Francisco, California; Charles William Marshall, Negro male, born February 16, 1957, 453 Ralston
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Street, San Francisco, California; Sylvester Clarence Fair, Negro male, born March 9, 1908, 408 South Poinsettia Avenue, Compton, California.
Prior to conducting autopsies, written permission must be obtained from the next of kin. The Department of Justice has requested the FBI to obtain this permission. The following is a text receiving offices should prepare separately on plain paper for presentation to the next of kin of all persons for their signatures:
Date
City, State
I/we request and authorize the physicians in attendance at the Dover Air Force Base, Dover, Delaware, to perform a complete autopsy on the remains of (insert name of deceased). I/we understand that a complete autopsy may include an examination of the head, eyes, spinal cord, chest, abdomen, and extremities. I/we authorize removal and retention or use for diagnostic, scientific, or therapeutic purposes of such organs, tissues, and parts as such physicians deem proper.
I/we represent that I am/we are the (insert relationship),
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legal next of kin of the deceased and entitled on law to control the disposition of the remains.
Signed
Witnessed (insert signature of FBI agent)
For information of San Francisco, it has been determined that Suzanne Jones, daughter of Rev. Jones, can be contacted at telephone number 415-994-1096. She is employed by HEW in San Francisco. San Francisco should have available the whereabouts of Steven Katsaris, father of Maria Katsaris, as he has agreed to contact San Francisco Division this date. San Francisco also contact next of kin of Perry, Wilson, and Marshall. Los Angeles contact next of kin of Fair and have a copy of form executed. Houston contact parents of Larry Schacht who reside in Houston, as you are aware. They have expressed desire to the State Department for an autopsy of their son’s remains.
Thereafter sutel results of this contact forwarding the original executed form to Baltimore Division. Upon receipt, Baltimore should provide these forms to Dr. William R. Cowen [Cowan], Deputy Director, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Dover Air
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Force Base. Dr. Cowen has been advised of the identity of the above persons, and his staff will perform the autopsies upon notice of consent of the next of kin.
BT
[Page 5]
NOTE: Above advises appropriate offices of Departmental request (see AAG Haymann’s memorandum to Director dated 11/30/78) for autopsies on the Rev. Jones, Maria Katsaris, and Dr. Larry Schacht, as well as four other identified deceased victims of the Jonestown suicide/murders, which were chosen at random by writer. Receiving offices are instructed to contact the next of kin and obtained their signatures on a form to be prepared in the Field Offices. The text of this form was obtained from the Casualty Unit, Walter Reed Army Hospital at the suggestion of Dr. William R. Cowen, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology. The text of the form was coordinated with the Legal Counsel Division. Once the forms are executed, receiving offices to submit same to Baltimore for forwarding to Dover Air Force Base. Upon notice that consent was obtained, the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology will conduct the autopsies requested by the Department of Justice.