</s>89-HQ-4095 SECTION 1 SERIALS 1- X 89-HO-40595-1 Bureau of FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER FBI / CENTRAL HEADQUARTERS DO NOT DO NOT Class / Case # Sub Vol. Serial # FOIPA #12.03.71 DESTROY 0089 4095 1 1 OPEN 3/12/431923 INVESTIGATION 3/2/431973 - - - USE CARE IN HANDLING THIS FILE Transfer-Call 3421 RRP00407B $98 REV. 1/09/71 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document details an FBI investigation into claims made by Thomas Lawrence Ortega, a Mexican-American inmate at Soledad Prison, California, regarding an alleged death contract offered to him by Sirhan Bishara (later identified as the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy). Ortega stated that during his incarceration from December 1976 to January 1977, he was housed adjacent to Sirhan and that Sirhan offered him $1 million and a car in exchange for killing Senator Edward Kennedy. Ortega declined the offer but claimed Sirhan instructed him to contact Sirhan’s mother upon release for further details. The FBI, through Phoenix Division, verified Ortega’s statements and cross-referenced them with prison records, including his parole date (January 20, 1977) and associations with other inmates like Domingo Barros. Investigations by San Francisco and Washington, D.C., concluded that Ortega was unreliable due to a history of fabricating stories and being known as a transsexual (Teresa) within the prison system. The FBI ultimately deemed the information from Ortega unsubstantiated and closed the case, noting Sirhan’s tendency to isolate himself and avoid association with other inmates. A separate communication mentions Thomas Lawrence Ortega, Sr., who claimed he was housed next to an individual referred to as "subject" during incarceration and that the subject offered him $1 million and a car for assassinating Senator Edward Kennedy. The FBI disseminated this information to local authorities in Boston, Massachusetts, and San Francisco, California, for further verification.  

Key People  
- **Thomas Lawrence Ortega**: Mexican-American inmate at Soledad Prison, California; claimed to have been offered a death contract by Sirhan Bishara.  
- **Sirhan Bishara**: Identified as the assassin of Robert F. Kennedy; allegedly offered Ortega $1 million and a car for killing Senator Edward Kennedy.  
- **Edward Kennedy**: U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, victim of the assassination referenced in the document.  
- **Alf Christensen**: Counselor at Soledad Prison who confirmed Ortega’s parole status and described him as a habitual liar.  
- **George Smith**: Sergeant at Soledad Prison who corroborated Ortega’s unreliability and fabricated stories.  
- **Lieutenant Don Hill**: Investigative officer at Soledad Prison involved in verifying Ortega’s claims.  

Key Locations  
- **Soledad Prison, California**: Site of Ortega’s incarceration; where he claimed to have interacted with Sirhan Bishara.  
- **Coconino County Jail, Arizona**: Where Ortega was interviewed by Phoenix FBI agents.  
- **Oxnard, California**: Location of Ortega’s parole release from the California Department of Probation and Parole.  
- **San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, and Massachusetts**: Agencies involved in verifying and disseminating information about the alleged death contract.  

Key Events  
- **November 28, 1977**: Thomas Lawrence Ortega was interviewed by Phoenix FBI agents regarding his claims about Sirhan Bishara offering a death contract for Senator Edward Kennedy.  
- **December 1, 1977**: Alf Christensen confirmed Ortega’s parole status and described him as a transsexual (Teresa) with a history of fabricating stories.  
- **December 1, 1977**: Lieutenant Don Hill and Sergeant George Smith corroborated Ortega’s unreliability and alleged fabricated narratives.  
- **December 8, 1977**: FBI closed the investigation into Ortega’s claims, citing his history of falsehoods and lack of credible evidence for the death contract allegation.  
- **November 1977**: Thomas Lawrence Ortega, Sr., was interviewed by Phoenix Division agents regarding an alleged offer from an inmate ("subject") to assassinate Senator Edward Kennedy.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, cross-referenced prison records, and evaluated the reliability of Ortega’s statements.  
- **California Department of Corrections**: Provided records on Ortega’s incarceration, parole status, and associations with other inmates.  
- **Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)**: Mentioned in the context of disseminating information about Ortega’s unreliability.  
- **Secret Service**: Notified of Sirhan Bishara’s alleged dangerousness and the untrustworthiness of Ortega as a source.  
- **Boston Police Department**: Notified of the potential threat related to Senator Edward Kennedy.

RFK Declassified Files

89-hq-4095_sec_001_ser_1-.pdf

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