[Editor’s note: This document was released both as a State Department cable as part of its 1981 FOIA release, and as Serial 1146 of the FBI’s RYMUR release.
[The text for this document was released in 2014 by the now-defunct Wikileaks website at https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/1978GEORGE04212_d.html. This URL may be available through the Wayback Machine.]
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 01
GEORGE 04212 111915Z
ACTION SY-05
INFO OCT-01 ARA-15 ISO-00 FBIE-00 SYE-00 USSS-00 /021 W
——————096216 111920Z /50
O 111822Z DEC 78
FM AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN
TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0000
UNCLAS GEORGETOWN 4212
FOR FBIHQ
E.O. 12065: NA
TAGS:
SUBJ: UNKNOWN SUBJECTS; CONGRESSMAN LEO J. RYAN (DECEASED) – VICTIM; CONGRESSIONAL ASSASSINATION STATUTE; FPC
REF: URTEL DATED DECEMBER 6, 1978, REQUESTING ADDITIONAL IDENTIFYING INFO ON RECOVERED WEAPONS NUMBER 10, 21, 22, 27, 28, 29, 31 AND 32 AS SET OUT IN PREVIOUS COMMUNICATION.
1) FBI Laboratory examiner advises as follows: item number 10 is not a firearm and was not examined. Item 21 is a .30-06 Springfield caliber Remington rifle, model 742, serial number 15824, blue finish, 22 inch barrel. Item 27 is a 12-gauge Remington, model 870 shotgun, serial number s946514m, blue finish, 30 inch barrel. Item 28 is a 12-gague J.C. Higgins (Montgomery Ward) auto-loading shotgun which bears no serial number (pre 1968 manufacture) and is not traceable. Item 29 is a 12-gauge Savage pump action shotgun which like item 28 bears no serial number. Item 31 is a 12- guage [gauge] Western Field (Montgomery Ward) pump action shotgun which like items 28 and 29 does not bear a serial number and is not traceable. Item 22 is a .22 caliber Western Field auto-loading rifle which does not bear a serial number and is not traceable. Item 32 is a 12-gauge Remington, model 870, shotgun, serial number t019755m with blue finish and 30 inch barrel.
UNCLASSIFIED
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PAGE 02 GEORGE 04212 111915Z
2) None of the recovered weapons had obliterated serial numbers.
3) The following firearms identifications have been effected to date: two bullets recovered from Monica Bagby were identified as having been fired from the .38 special Smith and Wesson revolver, serial number j298732 (see item one, Georgetown message 4017). One bullet from Congressman Ryan and one cartridge case recovered at Kaituma airstrip were identified as having been fired by the .308 Winchester caliber Remington rifle, model 700, serial number 674265 (see tiem [item] 18, Georgetown message 3927). Other bullet recovered from Ryan not identifiable with any recovered weapon. Five .22 caliber cartridge cases recovered at Kaituma airstrip were identified as having been fired in the .22 caliber Ruger rifle (see item 16, Georgetown message 3927).
Burke [John Burke, U.S. Ambassador to Guyana]
UNCLASSIFIED