</s>FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER HQ - HEADQUARTERS Class/Case # Sub Vol. Serial # 002 587 1 1104 ONLY 7/18/14/2009 RANNAZZZZZ

Summary  
The document details the FBI and LAPD investigation into the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy on June 5, 1968, focusing on the chain of custody for a firearm used in the crime. The weapon was traced to Albert Hertz, who purchased it in August 1965. Hertz’s wife stated the gun was given to their daughter Dana Westlake, who passed it to George Ehrard. Ehrard sold the weapon to Adel Sirhan, identified through interviews and police collaboration. Sirhan was arrested in Pasadena after being recognized by Ehrard. Witness accounts, including William Price, confirmed the transaction details, though discrepancies emerged between Sirhan and Ehrard regarding their interactions. The investigation also included interviews with individuals connected to political affiliations, gun ownership, and events surrounding the assassination, such as Walter Crowe’s alleged Communist ties and his relationship with Sirhan Bishara. Unrelated content, including a 1959 U.S. consulate incident and garbled text, was noted but not directly tied to RFK’s case.  

Key People  
- **Adel Sirhan**: Suspect arrested in Pasadena after being linked to the weapon via George Ehrard.  
- **George Ehrard**: Intermediary who sold the gun to Sirhan; later identified as a key witness.  
- **Albert Hertz**: Gun purchaser whose wife provided information about the weapon’s transfer chain.  
- **Dana Westlake**: Hertz’s daughter, recipient of the gun before it was passed to Ehrard.  
- **William Price**: Witness who confirmed details of the firearm transaction and described Sirhan’s appearance.  
- **Walter S. Crowe Jr.**: Allegedly recruited into the Communist Party by William T. Divale; linked to Sirhan Bishara through political affiliations.  
- **Marilynn Brunton**: Crowe’s sister, noted Sirhan’s anti-Jewish views and lack of political expression.  
- **Ronald Thomas Pennatt**: UPI photographer who witnessed the assassination from the kitchen area at the Ambassador Hotel.  
- **Angelo Di Pierro**: Hotel staff member who provided details about gunfire and crowd control during the attack.  
- **Bill Eppridge**: Life Magazine photographer who described the shooting sequence from the kitchen area.  

Key Locations  
- **Ambassador Hotel (Los Angeles)**: Site of Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination; key location for witness accounts and evidence collection.  
- **Pasadena, California**: Home to Sirhan’s arrest location (Nash Department Store) and interviewees like Walter Crowe.  
- **Woodstock, California**: Residence of Dana Westlake, connected to the gun investigation.  
- **Alhambra, California**: Hertz’s residence, where the gun was initially purchased.  
- **Woodlake, California**: Westlake’s residence, mentioned in the chain of custody for the weapon.  
- **Rampart Police Station**: Location of prior interrogations involving William Price and George.  

Key Events  
- **June 5, 1968**: Robert F. Kennedy’s assassination at the Ambassador Hotel; multiple witness accounts describe the shooting sequence and locations.  
- **Gun investigation**: Serial number tracing led to Albert Hertz, with subsequent transfers to Dana Westlake, George Ehrard, and Adel Sirhan.  
- **Firearm transaction**: William Price confirmed a $25 sale between George and Sirhan, involving borrowed funds and disputed details about payment and initiation of contact.  
- **Arrest of Sirhan**: Identified through Ehrard’s recognition and linked to the weapon used in the assassination.  
- **Witness discrepancies**: Conflicting accounts between Sirhan and Ehrard regarding their interactions prompted further scrutiny.  
- **Lie detector test reference**: Mentioned in the context of George’s interrogation at Rampart Police Station.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, traced the weapon’s chain of custody, and investigated political affiliations and potential conspiracies.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Involved in evidence collection, witness interviews, and Sirhan’s arrest.  
- **Pasadena Police Department**: Participated in Sirhan’s arrest at Nash Department Store.  
- **Marin County Sheriff’s Office**: Conducted interviews related to gun ownership and witness statements.

RFK Declassified Files

62-hq-587_ebf_1104_sec_001_ser_1104_only-part_1_of_2.pdf

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