</s>LA 56-156 stated TOWE has a high IQ, about 170, however, Sergeant BALDWIN stated it is possible he could be hallucinating in regard to the attempted murder of Senator KENNEDY. Sergeant BALDWIN requested that Lieutenant HEGGE be contacted in this matter relating to TOWe prior to any contact with TOWB. - 2 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail investigative activities surrounding the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) in Los Angeles on June 5, 1968, and related inquiries into potential suspects, witnesses, and forensic evidence. Sergeant Baldwin assessed TOWE’s mental state, noting possible hallucinations regarding RFK’s attempted murder, with instructions to contact Lieutenant Hegge before engaging with TOWB. Rachel Phillips claimed knowledge about SIRHAN (likely Sirhan Bishara), prompting Supervisor William John Nolan to direct follow-up on the lead. SA Emmett B. Doherty investigated how the Los Angeles Police Department traced the murder weapon, requesting teletype transmission of findings. Complaint forms FD-71 referenced MERLE M. MATTESSON’s alleged hate literature sent to RFK via Xerox copy and potential links between SIRHAN and the Ambassador Hotel. Witnesses Humphrey Cordero and Enrique Rabago described an individual matching RFK’s assassin at the hotel, while Dean Knox’s employee W. J. Wood allegedly overheard Arabic conversations at RFK’s headquarters referencing targeting him. Miscellaneous entries included unrelated forms such as horse racing licenses, diver’s records, and administrative notes on declassification (E.O. 14176).  

Rabago and Cordero described SIRHAN as a male, Caucasian, approximately 20 years old, wearing a cardigan sweater, with dark hair and a slight accent, matching the attacker seen on television. Klein reported observing a man fleeing the Embassy Room post-assassination, carrying a blue package wrapped in cardboard or paper, described as Mexican or Cuban, 23–24 years old, with long black sideburns and a shirt/tie. PATTI NELSON allegedly saw a gun muzzle near the suspect. VALDIA, an individual working at the Ambassador Hotel under false Social Security credentials ([SSN REDACTED]), was noted as possibly linked to the investigation. SALTONSTALL’s claim of an assassination attempt on Senator McCarthy was deemed unreliable due to the informant’s mental instability. The FBI coordinated with agencies in Los Angeles, Portland, and Sacramento to identify and track suspects, seeking photographs of SIRHAN.  

Key People:  
- **Sergeant Baldwin** (assessed TOWE’s mental state)  
- **Lieutenant Hegge** (requested contact prior to engagement with TOWB)  
- **Rachel Phillips** (claimed information about SIRHAN)  
- **Supervisor William John Nolan** (directed follow-up on Phillips’ lead)  
- **SA Emmett B. Doherty** (investigated weapon tracing)  
- **MERLE M. MATTESSON** (allegedly sent hate letter to RFK)  
- **Humphrey Cordero, Enrique Rabago** (described SIRHAN as RFK’s assassin)  
- **Dean Knox, W. J. Wood** (alleged overheard Arabic threats against RFK)  
- **SIRHAN BISHARA** (suspect identified via witness accounts and physical descriptions)  
- **RABAGO, CORDERO** (witnesses confirming SIRHAN’s identity)  
- **KLEIN** (observer of suspect fleeing the Embassy Room)  
- **VALDIA** (individual working at the Ambassador Hotel under false credentials)  
- **SALTONSTALL** (alleged informant with questionable reliability)  
- **Sirian Sirian** (suspect with possible Costa Rican ties)  
- **William Fredric Crosson** (arrested for remarks about the Kennedys)  
- **Henry A. Schutz, Richard D. Rogge** (FBI personnel involved in fingerprint checks and investigations)  

Key Locations:  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)** (investigative activities)  
- **Ambassador Hotel** (site of RFK’s assassination and suspect’s escape)  
- **Los Angeles County** (complaint forms and administrative records)  
- **Holiday Inn on Airport Blvd., Los Angeles** (Crosson’s reported location)  
- **Santa Monica, California** (Crosson’s residence address)  
- **Pasadena City College** (mentions of Arab Students Organization)  

Key Events:  
- **June 5, 1968**: RFK’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel; witness accounts of suspect fleeing with a package.  
- **June 4–5, 1968**: Overheard Arabic conversations at RFK’s headquarters referencing targeting him.  
- **June 6, 1968**: Phillips’ claim about SIRHAN; Doherty’s weapon tracing inquiry; complaints about MATTESSON’s alleged hate letter; witness accounts of the assassin at the Ambassador Hotel.  
- **June 5–6, 1968**: FBI coordination between Los Angeles, Portland, and Sacramento to identify suspects; fingerprint checks for Sirian Sirian with name discrepancies (SHIAN vs. SIRIHAN).  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (central to investigations, declassification markers)  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)** (involved in weapon tracing and witness follow-ups)  
- **Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)** (fingerprint checks for Sirian Sirian)  
- **California Horse Racing Board** (unrelated license application records)  
- **U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)** (record discrepancies for Sirian Sirian)

RFK Declassified Files

56-la-156_sec_001_ser_1-250-part_4_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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