[Editor’s note: One of the subjects of this serial whose name is deleted is Temple member Michael Angelo Simon, who was in Georgetown on the date of the deaths. In addition to the context of the remarks, the FBI released the name on page 8 of the serial. The deleted information from the memorandum – designated by brackets – which is known to the editor has been indicated by red type. In addition, many of the FBI interviews summarized in the FD-302s of the RYMUR investigation deleted the verb following the name of the interview subject; most oftentimes, that word was “advised,” and the word has accordingly been supplied.]
FD-302
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Date of transcription 12/11/78
On December 6, 1978, Special Agents (SAs) [names deleted], Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), New York, NY, [name deleted], FBI, NY and [name deleted], Secret Service, NY, interviewed [name deleted] [Michael Angelo Simon] at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFKIA), NY. [Simon] was photographed, fingerprinted, [2 lines deleted] during the course of the interview.
[Simon advised] he first became acquainted with the People’s Temple (PT) in 1973. He stated that his mother began going to the PT with his brothers and sisters, his father was not a member of the PT. [Melanie Wanda Simon], his wife, whom he had known since junior high school, joined the PT in late 1974. [Simon advised] there was nothing suspicious about the church in the early years. [Simon advised he] went to Guyana in 1974. He was one of [the first people to go to Jonestown. He helped set up and build Jonestown. [Melanie Simon] his wife went to Jonestown in July, 1977, his mother went to Jonestown, in October, 1977, [name deleted] went to Jonestown in December, 1977, and he himself arrived in Jonestown in August, 1977.
[Simon advised] the first seven months he was in Jonestown he worked in the fields. He had to chop down [several words illegible] taught by an individual called “Jupiter” a native of Guyana. His wife, [Melanie Simon], worked in the [several words illegible] vegetables.
[name deleted] became a [occupation deleted] in Central Supply at PT in Jonestown. [2 lines deleted]
[Simon advised] the following individuals were associated with the medical facility at Jonestown. He gave a brief physical as well as character description of each individual. He also describes terms used at the medical facility:
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Dr. Laurence Schacht was Rev. Jim Jones’ personal doctor. Dr. Schacht was a loner, a good doctor, people found Schacht hard to get along with. Karen Layton was a friend of doctor’s.
Marcelene [Marceline] Jones – wife of Jim Jones, then 110 pounds, head administrator of medical facility
Phyllis Shenkin [Chaikin]
Leslie Wilson assistant doctor two hours a day, worked in the fields the rest of the day.
Becky Flowers– trained by the church to be a lab technician. Negro, female, age 23, medium build, 135 pounds, 5’6″
Anne [Annie] Moore – RN – Jones’ personal nurse. White, 5’11”, short hair, thin, 90 pounds. [Simon] thinks Moore “blew her brains out”.
Joyce Parks – nurse practitioner – handle prescription physicals, age 34-35. White. [Simon advised] she was in Venezuela at a hospital with a patient at the time of the suicide
Sharon Cobb
Dale Parks – therapist supervisor, page 27
Anita Aimes [Ijames] – nurse, Negro, age 30
Marvin Gennaro [Janaro] – assistant doctor, age 16 years, Negro
Sandy Cobbs [Cobb] – part-time lab technician, Negro, female, age 23, married to Tim Jones
Becky Flowers – full-time lab, female, Negro, age 50
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[name deleted] male, six feet, Negro, age 21, 145 pounds
Julius Evans – Negro, 5’10”, 160 pounds, age 34, respiratory therapist, [Simon advised] Evans to be alive.
Bobby Walker – age 26, 5’4″, 100 pounds, Negro, female, treatment nurse in Senior Center
Special Care Unit (SCU)
People with temperature of 100 degrees and above were placed in here for observation.
Extended Care Unit (ECU)
People who could not hack the strain as well as those who ran away and were caught were put here. The ECU could hold 10 people and the patients were given “thorosine” [Thorazine] in tablet form. [Simon advised] the following individuals have been patients in the ECU: Vincent Lopez, Barbara Walker and Patsy Johnson.
“Ujari” [Ujara] Sly aka Don Sly ran ECU, 6’2″, white, male, age 43, strong build, security people also assigned to ECU
L. Chetta [Al Tschetter] – head of x-ray unit, white, male, 53 age, 120 pounds, 5’6″
Wanda King – x-ray technician, age 30, Negro, female, 130 pounds, 5’8″
Larry Layton – x-ray technician, 5’6″
Diane Louie – x-ray technician, supervisor of nurse training-practitioner, Negro, female, 145 pounds, 5’9″, hair, age 25. [Simon advised] Louie is alive.
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Edith Parks – worked in special care, white, female, 60, small frame
Esther Dillon [Dillard] – Negro, female, 125 pounds. [Simon advised] Dillon is dead.
Barbara Smith – Negro, female, 5’7″, 125 pounds, age 35, treatment nurse
Clevie Sneads [Cleyvee Sneed] – head of Senior Care, Negro, female, 50s, 5’7″, 160 pounds
Medical barn – all medicines were locked in here. The following are a list of the individuals who have access to the “Barn”; Dr. Laurence Schacht, Terry Carter, Annie Moore, Renée “Kiec” [Kice] (phonetic).
[Simon advised] he did not have any knowledge of acquisition, licensing or shipment of any weapons by PT members to Guyana or anywhere else. He said that he had no knowledge of firearms training received by PT members. He advised that he had seen shotguns, and long rifles. He believed that they were hunting weapons. He stated the only practice he observed was archery. [Simon advised] Tom Grubbs was the archery teacher and that the bows and arrows were used for hunting.
[Simon advised] he was not aware of any threats to harm public officials. He stated that there was a general threat on all of “our” lives. Jim Jones told PT members that people who left were church defectors and that whomever they went to including the police that they would turn you into Jones. [Simon advised] the last few months Jones was really paranoid and that if you went into town one member of the family had to stay at the PT as a hostage situation.
[Simon advised] he was not aware of any caching of weapons or money by Jones. The only thing that he knew was that the Social Security checks were sent there. [Simon] gave the following addresses for locations of the PT.
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1. 1366 South Alvarado, Los Angeles, California
2. 1859 Geary Street [Blvd.], San Francisco, California
3. Redwood Valley, California
[Simon advised] he does not know of any People’s Temple in Venezuela.
[Simon advised] he was not aware of any contingency plans as a means of retaliation. He advised that Jones said that “He would die before anyone got his son”. [Simon] stated that the Guyanese officials would let Jones know when someone was coming and then Jones would not let them in. Jones talked as if he had all the officials under control. [Simon advised] only highly trusted people were sent out of Jonestown.
[Simon advised] he was not aware of any Federal, international, or other official, that was set up as a target for murder. He heard Jones say to People’s Temple members that “If you leave there are people outside to take care of you”.
[Simon advised] the following individuals were on the Planning Commission: Larry Layton, Jim McAlvane [McElvane], Maria Coresas [Katsaris] (phonetic), Karen Layton, Phyllis Houston, who came in three weeks ago with Jim McAlvane. [Simon advised] he had heard that there were attacks on Jim McAlvane. [Simon advised] the Planning Commission called the PC, planned the temple’s activities. [Simon advised] he was certain there was more to it and when meetings were held, only certain people attended. There were people posted outside so no one could go in. The other people were alienated and did not know what was going on. [Simon advised] some of Jones’ Inner Circle was comprised of Gene Chaicken [Chaikin],
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a legal advisor; Grace and Tim Stone [Stoen], Johnny Cobb. Jones may not have trusted Steve [Stephan] Jones because he would defend the people when they were in trouble. [Simon advised] punishment was in the form of a “learning coupe” [Learning Crew] public humiliation in front of other People’s Temple members with Jim Jones presiding. This was held in the Pavilion. [Simon advised] the following people were around Jones and may be a possible threat: Tim Carter, public relations person; Mike Probes [Prokes], worked radio; Mike Carter, radio operator; and Jim McAlvane.
[Simon advised] the security force ranged from senior citizens to teenagers. He did not know how big the security force was and never saw any armed. He said the following individuals guarded Jones’ house: Poncho Johnson, male, Negro, age 19; Larry Layton and Joe Wilson. [Simon advised] he heard the term “Angels” after he got to Jonestown. The term team to be associated with a threat “people taking care of people”. [Simon] did not know any “Angels”.
[Simon advised] the following names as members of the basketball team and if they were part of the security force:
Lee Ingram, Coach, 32, Negro, male
Steve Jones, Assistant Coach, 19, 6’4″, white, security
Johnny Cobb, 18, 6’2″, Negro, male, security
Preston Wade, 6’3″, Negro, 22
Mark Cordell
Tim Jones, security
Burrel [Burrell] Wilson
Calvin Douglas
Mike Touchette
Jimmy Jones, security
Walter Williams
[Simon advised] he had no information concerning bribery or influence peddling by members of the People’s Temple. He stated that there were a lot of public officials entertained by Jones. Some of these included the Minister of
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Agriculture, Education and Works of Guyana. He stated that in the States almost everyone visited the People’s Temple, including mayors, police officials, etc.
[Simon advised] he was not aware of any discussions regarding the assassination of Congressman Ryan and his party. He did state that Charles Garry and Mark Lane came to Guyana and changed Jones’s mind about Ryan’s visit. Jones did not want Ryan to come because he claimed Ryan printed all lies. [Simon] advised that he did not know if Jones ordered the party ambushed for he [Simon] was in Georgetown at that time. [Simon advised] there were no practice drills for ambush and he did not know who participated in the assassinations. [Simon advised] about a year ago a white night was called. A white night was formerly called a black night or alpha. A white night – someone would wake you up in the middle of the night for a meeting in the tent. [Simon advised] this happened about two months after he got there and later happened four or five times after.
[Simon advised] there were suicide drills. Jones called people into a tent and told the people that if they wanted to prove their loyalty to him they would drink the poison Kool-Aid. Some people drank it. [Simon advised] he could tell that it was only Kool-Aid and not poison. [Simon advised] he thought it was a bad “practical joke”. [Simon advised] Steve Jones protested the suicide drill. [Simon advised] that narcotics were not used to facilitate this. [Simon advised] he felt the mass suicide was voluntary, he felt people wanted to get out of the whole mess. [Simon advised] that he did not witness the people shooting at Ryan’s party because he [Simon] was in Georgetown.
[Simon advised] he did not know of an assassination squad. [Simon advised] while he was in Georgetown he
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talked to a white girl, Tina Bowe [Bogue], who was shot at Jonestown. Bowe told him that she was afraid that there was some kind of “assassination squad”.
[Simon advised] he did not know any remaining individuals at liberty who would carry out assassination plans of survivors or defectors.
[Simon advised] Jones did months of brainwashing his people to hate. Jones used to tell his followers that if they left the temple they would be tortured by the CIA and FBI.
[Simon advised] that the only person he knew that may have a criminal involvement was Greg Watkins, a guard.
[Simon advised] the following individuals operated or had access to the radio in Jonestown:
Mike Carter – repaired radio
Danny Casanova – Simon believes Casanova is dead
Scott Thomas – repaired radio
Karen Layton – main radio operator
Maria Casaris [Katsaris]
Debbie Blakely [Blakey] – radio operator – She left Jonestown months ago
[Simon advised] Jonestown had four radios, use codes and communications were between Jonestown, Georgetown and the United States. [Simon advised] he knew of only one radio at the San Francisco Temple.
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[Simon advised] Jones made people sign statements that would incriminate them. These oaths were signed during the “white night”. The last oath that Jones made the people sign was that they were to be buried in Jonestown.
[Simon advised] he had no knowledge regarding relocation plans in the event of mass suicide. [Simon advised] he had heard that Karen [Sharon] Amos, who was in Georgetown, supposedly got a message to kill herself and her children. [Simon] advised that Odell Rhodes, who escaped from Jonestown, was a witness to the mass suicide.
[Simon advised] about three months ago a Soviet diplomat and a Soviet doctor visited Jonestown, but he did not know the identity or reason for the visit.
[Simon advised] the following individuals were Jones’ bodyguards. He stated that he had never seen any of them armed, but it was implied that they were armed:
Ray Watkins, age 23, Negro, 5’10”, 175 pounds
Joe Wilson, age 24, Negro, 5’11”, 170 pounds
Tony Walker, age 22, Negro, 6’1″, 185 pounds.
[Simon advised] he remembered Lieutenant Governor of California, Merve Dimmerly [Mervyn Dymally] visiting the People’s Temple at Guyana while he was there. He also said that Donald Freed, an author visited Guyana about four months ago.
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[Simon advised] Paula Adams is alive and in Georgetown. Adams and Debbie Touchette signed checks for the People’s Temple. [Simon advised] Adams was usually in the States. It was rumored that Adams had a boyfriend in the Guyanese Government. Adams is described as white, female, age 27, medium hair, 125 pounds, 5’7″. Adams had a child that died in the suicide.
[Simon advised] he had no information regarding a primitive nuclear device.
[Simon advised] he did not know what was kept in hut 14. He stated he only knew that Jimmy Jones lived there.
[Simon advised] the People’s Temple had two vessels. One was called the “Cujoe/Marcy” [“Cudjoe/Marceline”], 75 foot fishing boat, the other was the “Albatross [III]”, a 150 foot freighter that made runs to Trinidad and Venezuela. [Simon advised] the following individuals were assigned to the boats:
Tim Swiney [Swinney], white male, 180 pounds, 5’9″
Glifford Geig [Clifford Gieg] (phonetic)
Herber [Herbert] Newell
[Simon advised] the only thing he knew about “dolls” what if they were sold at $18.00 a piece and that the People’s Temple recently got a large order for dolls from the Guyana Stores Limited. He thought that Kay Nelson handled the dolls.
[Simon advised] a brief description and possible whereabouts of the following people:
Joe Wilson – security – dead, dark Negro, 6 feet, 170 pounds, short hair
Albert Touchette – coordinator auto mechanics, white, blonde hair, age 19, 5’8″, 165 pounds.
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Ron James – physical therapy, age 21, thin build, 6’1″, 165 pounds, Negro
Bob Kice – head of security, roving security, white, blonde crewcut, 6’2″, 180 pounds
Tom Kice – carpenter
Tim Jones – “Tim Jones Day”, white, adopted son of Jim Jones
Jimmy Jones Jr. – adopted son of Jim Jones, Negro, 6’3″, age 18
Eddy [Eddie] Crenshaw – drove tractors and trailers part-time security at night, Negro, 6 feet, 225 pounds.
Ron Tally [Talley] – daytime security, white, male, age 35, short hair, 5’8″, 165 pounds
Herbert Newell – Negro, 5’11”, 165 pounds, age 23, boat crew
Johnnie [Johnny] Cobb – Negro, 6’3″, 145 pounds, basketball team
Johnnie [Johnny] Jones – head of a committee, age 27, 5’9″, 145 pounds, Negro, short hair, mustache, glasses
Lou [Lew] Jones – Asian adopted son of Jones, age 22, 5’8″, 145 pounds
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Mark Cordell – white, blond, age 17, 5’11”, 175 pounds, basketball team
Jim MacElvane [McElvane] – public relations person for Los Angeles Temple, Minister for Los Angeles, head of security in States, came to Jamestown with Phyllis Houston, 6’4″, 180 pounds, Negro
Gary Johnson – “Poncho” Johnson, Negro, male, 6 feet, 200 pounds, “fanatic”, obsessed with gun – rifle, security guard
Emmit [Emmett] Griffith – bulldozer operator, 5’11”, 175 pounds, Negro, some-time security
Billy Oliver – nighttime helper (security), dedd, Negro, bushy hair, 6’1″, 200 pounds, age 19
Burece [Bruce] Oliver – brother of Billy Oliver, daytime helper
Steve [Stephan] Jones – Jim Jones’ son, bulldozer operator – basketball team, 6’5″, age 19, 160 pounds
Tim Tupper – same as Tim Jones
Cris [Chris] Newell – banana crew, Negro, male, 5’6″, age 16, 150 pounds, dead
Doug Sonders [Sanders] – electrician, Negro, 6’2″, 185 pounds, busy natural, dead
Stanley Greg [Gieg] – tractor driver, white, 5’6″
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Lee Ingram – head of basketball team, coordinator for “Project Alive”, Negro, 6’2″, alive[,] Georgetown
Chris O’Neal [O’Neill] – brick factory, white, male, age 27, 5’11”, 175 pounds
Albert Touchette – also known as Charlie Touchette, general overall coordinator for metal shop, 50, White, male – alive and in Trinidad [editor’s note: description is for Charlie Touchette, Albert’s father]
Danny Moten – night worker, 6 feet, Negro, male, 175 pounds
Calvin Douglas – basketball team, Negro, 5’10”, 170 pounds, age 18, alive
Cleveland Newell – basketball team, 6’1″, 180 pounds, Negro, alive
Wesley Brudenback [Breidenbach] – ham radio operator, repaired radio equipment, white, 19, blonde, 5’10”, 155 pounds, dead
Yvonne Hayden – day helper, Negro, 19, 130 pounds, 5’7″, dead
Bonnie Simon – kitchen, white, 5’4″, 125 pounds, daytime helper
Paul McCann – machine shop, 6’2″, white, 180 pounds
Pauline Groot – medical department (genius), looked hypnotized most of the time, white, blonde, 26
Don Fields – pharmacist, 5’5″, 110 pounds, glasses, partially bald, late 40s, dead
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Tom Grubbs – Principal of school – archery teacher, white, glasses, blondish hair, 40s, 5’9″, 170 pounds
Marie Rankin – also known as Duchett [Duckett], ECU, worked with insecticides, also known as Marie Laurence [Lawrence], Negro, tight eyes, 140 pounds, 5’7″, age 35
Robert Rankin – 6’1″, 170 pounds, Negro
Terry Bufford [Terri Buford] – white, female, age 23, 5’7″, 105 pounds, Jones’ trusted her, she traveled back and forth to the states
Jean Brown – secretary in public relations, female, white, blonde, 5’7″, stout
Rennie Kice – Bob Kice’s wife, worked in “Barn”, dead
Lora [Laura] Johnston – work in the fields, then secretary, 5’8″, white, 30s, Jones embarrassed her on the floor of the Pavillion [Pavilion] for having sex with an official
Vera Young – 5’7″, 105 pounds, Negro, short hair, secretary
June Crym – secretary
Ava Jones nee Brown – adopted daughter of Jim Jones – counselor over nursery school, dead
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Sandy Cobb – “Jim Jones’ day [Tim Jones Day] wife”, lab technician/radio room, female, 23, 130 pounds, 5’7″, black hair
Mike Prooks [Prokes] – public relations person, radio room, male, white, 33, alive
Tim Carter – trusted person – sent to States and Georgetown frequently, white, 37, wide shoulders, blonde hair, 5’9″, 175 pounds, alive
Sandra Ingram – also known as Bradshaw, secretary, possible security, female, glasses, small frame, 5’6″, 115 pounds
Judy Flowers – Negro, female, 190 pounds
Harriet Randolph – known as Sara Trop [Sarah Tropp], legal advisor/radio room
Carolyn Layton – sister [wife] of Larry Layton, female, 35, crewcut, dark blonde
Leona Collier – coordinator, San Francisco Temple, Negro, 40s, 5’5″, 160 pounds
Jack Beam – agriculture, male, white, 50s, bald at top of head, heavyset, 5’8″, 220 pounds
Dale Parks – alive
Burrell Wilson – alive
Norman Ijoms [Ijames] – 40s, Negro, 5’10”, flat haircut, airplane pilot – alive
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Judy Ijomes [Ijames] – white, 20s, nurse licensed registered nurse, long dark hair, medium build, 5’9″, 155 pounds, dead
Carol Stahl – secretary, crewcut, glasses, blonde hair, 5’5″, 140 pounds
Clara [Claire] Janaro
Richard Janaro – worked on the boat
Don Beck – counselor in PC, alive
Marie Kasarns [Maria Katsaris] – Jones’ personal secretary, 20s, 6 feet, 130 pounds, dead
Tish Leroy – agriculture – accountant, female, 5’7″, 210 pounds, blonde hair, dead
Chuck Bikemon [Beikman] – worked on boat, white, 5’7″, 180 pounds, blonde hair, alive
Sharon Amos – Temple public relations, supposed to have slit her throat, dead
Joyce Touchette – help mix poison
Charlie Touchette – boat, alive
Michelle Touchette – kitchen, dead
Mike Touchette – basketball team
James Cobb Jr. [John Cobb] – basketball team – alive
Elhere [Elihu] Dennis – Negro, dead
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Stanley Clayton – Negro, 24, 5’11”, 178 pounds, alive
Mary Lee Bogue – nurse’s office, piggery, dead
Tom Gogue [Thom Bogue] – piggery, small frame, age 15, 130 pounds, 5’10”, alive
[Simon advised] two days before the mass suicide he had taken a patient to Georgetown, Guyana. He himself had dental work done, for example, two tooth filled and a partial plate made. He attended a movie on the Saturday of the suicide and heard of the suicide upon exiting the movie.
[Simon advised] he was not familiar with an individual called Lady Satin.
The following is a physical description of [Michael Angelo Simon] along with background data:
[Balance of page 17 and entirety of pages 18 and 19, detailing Simon’s residence, occupation, description, and relatives all deleted]