#leoryan

LEO RYAN

1925-1978

            Leo Ryan was an American politician and California’s congressman from 1973. He was murdered in 1978 by followers of Jim Jones the cult leader from the People’s Temple.

            In 1978, there were reports about abuse and human rights violations taking place in the People Temple, Jonestown in Guyana which was headed by cult leader Jim Jones. After hearing rumors about members not being permitted to leave, Ryan decided to go to Jonestown, where Jones and his 1,000 members lived in isolation.

            Jonestown was located in Guyana in North America, Ryan arrived in Georgetown 150 miles away from Jonestown and stayed at the hotel for three days. On 17 November 1978, Ryan, his aide Jackie Speier, embassy chief Richard Dwyer, Guyanese information officer, nine journalists and four relatives boarded a plane to fly to Port Kaituma Airport, not far from Jonestown. On arrival they were welcomed and initially Ryan was impressed by the community and its followers. A member then handed a letter to one of the visitors stating ‘please help us get out of Jonestown’, Jones became aware of the note and became paranoid. Most of the group returned to their hotels, except for Ryan, Speier and Dwyer who continued interviewing members the next morning. They met numerous people who stated they wanted to leave Jonestown with their family members (14 all up), Jones loyal followers Larry Layton pretended to be one of the defectors. Before they were ready to leave, a member attacked Ryan with a knife and Ryan was ordered to leave. Ryan told members he will return to help them.

            The group left Jonestown and arrived at Kaituma airstrip at 4:45pm, their two planes didn’t arrive until 5:10pm. Layton opened fire and wounded several cult members. More of Jones loyal members turned up and opened fire on the group, which killed Ryan, three journalists and one of the members and nine more were wounded. Ryan was shot 20 times, and survivors fled into the fields to hide. The Guyanese army didn’t turn up until the next morning and by the time they turned up, they found Ryan and the other victims as well as 909 cult members at Jonestown dead by suicide and murder - including Jones. Layton survived and was convicted in 1986 and was released in 2002.

LEO RYAN

1925-1978

            Leo Ryan was an American politician and California’s congressman from 1973. He was murdered in 1978 by followers of Jim Jones the cult leader from the People’s Temple.

            In 1978, there were reports about abuse and human rights violations taking place in the People Temple, Jonestown in Guyana which was headed by cult leader Jim Jones. After hearing rumors about members not being permitted to leave, Ryan decided to go to Jonestown, where Jones and his 1,000 members lived in isolation.

            Jonestown was located in Guyana in North America, Ryan arrived in Georgetown 150 miles away from Jonestown and stayed at the hotel for three days. On 17 November 1978, Ryan, his aide Jackie Speier, embassy chief Richard Dwyer, Guyanese information officer, nine journalists and four relatives boarded a plane to fly to Port Kaituma Airport, not far from Jonestown. On arrival they were welcomed and initially Ryan was impressed by the community and its followers. A member then handed a letter to one of the visitors stating ‘please help us get out of Jonestown’, Jones became aware of the note and became paranoid. Most of the group returned to their hotels, except for Ryan, Speier and Dwyer who continued interviewing members the next morning. They met numerous people who stated they wanted to leave Jonestown with their family members (14 all up), Jones loyal followers Larry Layton pretended to be one of the defectors. Before they were ready to leave, a member attacked Ryan with a knife and Ryan was ordered to leave. Ryan told members he will return to help them.

            The group left Jonestown and arrived at Kaituma airstrip at 4:45pm, their two planes didn’t arrive until 5:10pm. Layton opened fire and wounded several cult members. More of Jones loyal members turned up and opened fire on the group, which killed Ryan, three journalists and one of the members and nine more were wounded. Ryan was shot 20 times, and survivors fled into the fields to hide. The Guyanese army didn’t turn up until the next morning and by the time they turned up, they found Ryan and the other victims as well as 909 cult members at Jonestown dead by suicide and murder - including Jones. Layton survived and was convicted in 1986 and was released in 2002.