[Editor’s note: The interviewee in this serial whose name is deleted is Sonya Evans, the eldest daughter of Julius and Sandra Evans, all of whom survived the death in Jonestown. Her name, as well as other deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type.]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 12/6/78
[Name deleted] [Sonya Evans] was interviewed at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA), Jamaica, Queens, New York (NY), after she and her family arrived on a Pam American (Pan Am) flight from Guyana. [Sonya Evans] was advised of the identities of Special Agents (SAs) [names deleted] of the Federal Bureau of investigation (FBI), and SA [name deleted] of [the] Secret Service, who was present during the interview. [Sonya Evans] was advised that the purpose of the interview and provided the following information:
[Sonya Evans] advised she was born [date and place of birth deleted]. She is the daughter of [two lines related to the family of Julius and Sandra Evans]. [Sonya Evans] advised that she formerly resided at [address deleted] and that she and her family were now returning to San Francisco.
[Sonya Evans] stated that she and her family arrived in Guyana approximately seven months ago. She further advised that they had been members of the People’s Temple (PT) for about four years.
In Jonestown, [Sonya Evans] advised, she attended school Monday through Saturday, from 8:15 AM to 4:00 PM, and was in the [grade level deleted]. [Sonya Evans] stated her studies included the Russian and Spanish languages and Russian was the more important language as it was taught in school everyday [every day]. She advised that Reverend Jim Jones planned to take everyone from Jonestown to Russia before the end of the year and everyone wanted to go.
[Sonya] advised her parents, [Julius and Sandra Evans], worked [3 lines deleted]
[Sonya] advised that she did not live with her parents in Jonestown, but lived in a cottage with 17 other girls of approximately her age. She saw her parents after work.
[Sonya] advised that the Reverend Jones seemed changed in Guyana. He talked about suicide and told everyone not to be
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afraid of death. The Reverend Jones talked about dying with dignity. Approximately three weeks before the mass suicide Jones said he had cancer and seemed sick. He did not go to meetings and told people he was a savior.
[Sonya] stated her parents wanted to return to the United States (US). They felt [half line deleted] did not have the right equipment. She said her parents were afraid to tell Reverend Jones they wanted to leave because they would then have been watched closely.
On the morning of the mass suicide, at 8:30 AM, [line deleted] under the guise of going to the piggery, walk through the bushes, past the front gate. They walked 22 miles to the railroad where they got on a train which took them to Matthews Ridge. At Matthews Ridge they went to the police station where they learned of the murder of Congressman Ryan and the mass suicide. They stayed in the police station overnight and then went to the Park Hotel in Georgetown. [Sonya] stated her father took a watch and some other things with him which he sold in Matthews Ridge for money. [Sonya] said her mother told her that morning that they were leaving and not returning to Jonestown. She told [Sonya] not to tell anyone.
[Sonya] advised that meetings were held in Jonestown, but she cannot remember what they were about. She stated she never heard anyone talk about particular people saying they should die or planning to kill anyone. She never saw the people in Jonestown pretend they were committing suicide or that they were going to die.
[Sonya] stated the only people who had guns were the security force and they had rifles and handguns. She did not know where any guns were kept. She advised she never heard the terms Inner Circle, hit men, hit teams or Angels used in Jonestown.
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[Sonya] advised that boats came into Jonestown with supplies, but she did not know from where.
[Sonya] advised she never heard anyone talk about drugs or the use of drugs.
[Sonya] stated both the security force and radio room people had special privileges.
To [Sonya]’s knowledge, the basketball team at Jonestown was organized approximately two months ago.
[Sonya] advised that approximately two to three months ago, two Russians, who appeared to be doctors, visited Jonestown. They were shown around Jonestown by the Reverend Jones, Johnny Jones, Sr., and Eva [Ava] Jones.
[Sonya] recalled that stuffed animals were made in Jonestown by approximately 20 women. These stuffed animals were sold in Georgetown.
A Temple House was located in Georgetown where members of the PT worked on the radio, procuring, and where members of the Temple would stay when they had medical problems.
Regarding Dr. Lawrence [Laurence] Eugene Schacht, [Sonya] advised he was disliked by some people. [Sonya] stated she did not know the names of any nurses who work for him and had no knowledge of any cyanide or poison at Jonestown.
[Sonya Evans] advised, that to her knowledge, the following individuals are presently in the Temple House in Georgetown under house arrest:
Jimmy Jones
Tim Jones
Stephen [Stephan] Jones
Calvin Douglas
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[Sonya Evans] provided the following information regarding the below listed members of the PT:
Larry Layton – Worked in Nurse’s Office
Jimmy Jones, Jr. – Basketball Team and Security
Steve Jones – Basketball Team and Security
White Tim Jones – Basketball Team and Security
Black Tim Jones – Security
Calvin Douglas – Basketball Team and Security
Mike Touchette – Basketball Team
Johnny Cobb Jones – Basketball Team and Security (also known as Johnny Jones, Jr.)
Lou [Lew] Jones – Security
Lee Ingram – Coach of Basketball Team, believed alive and in custody in Georgetown
Tim Tupper – Possibly identical to Tim Jones as his mother’s name is Rita Tupper
Joe Wilson – Security, believed dead
Tom Kice – Security
Bob Kice – Security
Bruce Oliver – Security
Ron Tally ¬– Security
Jim McElvane – Security, arrived day before suicide from San Francisco
Stanley Gieg – Not Security
Terry Buford – Radio Room
Paula Adams – Radio Room
Sandy Jones – Radio Room
James Cobb – Left church, Reverend Jones spoke about him
Chris O’Neal – Alive, last seen in Park Hotel, Georgetown, Edith Parks’ grandson
Claire Genaro [Janaro] – Alive in Georgetown
Chris Newel [Newell – Wood Crew
Herbert Newel – Unloaded boats
Doug Sanders – Electrical Crew
Patty Cartmell – Worked in store
Eddie Crenshaw – Drove tractor
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Evette Jones [Yvette Muldrow Jones] – Wife of Jimmy Jones, [half line deleted], died in mass suicide
Sharon Amos – Public Relations, stayed in Georgetown, killed herself and her children
Harriet Tropp – Public Relations
Deborah Blakely [Blakey] – Worked in fields
Wesley Bridenbach [Breidenbach] – Drove tractor
Chuck [Charlie] Touchette – Administrator
Joyce Touchette – Coordinator’s Office
Revenna [Rheaviana] Beam – Worked in store in Georgetown or personal property of Temple members sold upon arrival in Jonestown
Claudia Bouquet – Electrical Crew
Eugene Chaiken [Chaikin] – Farmer and Legal Work
Charles Garry – Attorney
Chris Luccientas [Lucientes] – Teacher, dated Ron Tally
Eva Pugh – Worked in kitchen
Leona Collier – Never went to Jonestown
Ted Holiday – Alive in US
Chris Lewis – Died in US five months ago
Grace and Tim Stoen – Left Temple and returned to US
Guy Young – Never went to Jonestown
The following descriptive data regarding [Sonya Evans] was gained through interview and observation:
[Information related to date of birth, place of birth, height, weight, etc. all deleted]