In 1994 James Files provided this picture of himself and an unidentified man to Bob Vernon after conducting the on camera interview, that was later released as "Confession of an Assassin" by MPI Home video. James Files provided this picture after Vernon asked him if he still had pictures of himself from 1963.

Files went to his storage locker and pulled out the picture. Vernon was pleased and expressed his appreciation. He also asked: Who is the other guy? Files replied that he did not want to go in that. However Vernon asked why not and pressed on a little bit. Files eventually said something like: "Off the record, that's the guy who killed Tippit." I am not sure if Files intended Bob Vernon to publish that information on the Internet, frankly I don't think so, but since he has, the picture has been on the website www.jfkmurdersolved.com long before I came on the scene, and long before I had ever heard of James Files. But naturally the identity of this mystery man has intrigued me for years, ever since I first saw it. Also, since the picture shows James Files and a real man, I wondered why the man, or any of his relatives or friends, have never come forward to deny the allegation. Surely there must have been people who have recognized him, if not the man himself. And if he would not be the man who killed officer Tippit, you would expect people to come forward to deny the allegation, especially if it could be easily proven that James Files wasn't telling the truth. I have always thought that this circumstance alone adds weight to the veracity of James Files.

I have cracked my brains for years on who it could be. I have compiled lists of candidates, mob guys, undercover agents, cuban exiles, etcetera, most of which I could cancel out quickly because there are known pictures of most candidates and they did not resemble the man in the picture. I have asked around, and was sent on some wild goose chases, false leads and dead end roads.


Based on the information from James Files, http://jfkmurdersolved.com/tip.htm , we are looking for a tall caucasian man that

- was born and raised in America, and is maybe still alive.

- was from Chicago, as he was an acquaintance of James Files.

- was 25 to 35 years of age in 1963 (now 70 to 80 years of age).

- has no widely known connection to the Kennedy assassination.

- was in Dallas 11/22/1963

- was probably not called for the Warren Commision or the House Select Committee on Assassinations.

- was an undercover intelligence agent.

- worked for David Atlee Phillips.

- knew Lee Harvey Oswald, otherwise he could not have been sent to kill him.

- may have had a similar training as Lee Harvey Oswald

Maybe Dale Myers of http://jdtippit.com/ knows?

quick question: any idea the whereabouts of Bob Vernon? I lost contact with him 45 days after Hurricane Katrina.... haven't heard anything (anywhere) about him since....Appreciate it!

David Healy

Maybe, Let's give Tippet Sun Glasses, overlay the face, and make a comparison Forget Tippit's age in the photograph ( 20 ) Check the features, or am I way off the mark?

You mean he isn't trying to sell a Huricane Katrina web site?

Bob Vernon is the P. T. Barnum of JFK researchers, a real circus huckster and showman, comeplete with three rings and clowns.

BK

Here's a candidate, what is the chance this is the same guy?

Duncan (or anyone else) can you switch the sunglasses and put them on Y, can you then fill in the eyes of Y on X?



http://jfkmurdersolved.com/images/y.jpg



http://jfkmurdersolved.com/images/x.jpg

I always thought this guy looked a bit like Larry Ronco.

Ronco below.

James

James, did Ronco die? If so, when?

Ronco appears to have a pointed chin, not like the square chin of my man. And smaller shoulders.

Wim

Wim,

I do not know if this guy is Ronco or not. I was pointing out that there are some similarities in appearance.

I also do not know much about Ronco (including whether or not he is alive).

He was somewhat of a strange bird. Many rumors were floating around just after the assassination but what I can tell you is that he dated Beverly Oliver during the summer of 1963.

If anyone is in contact with her these days, maybe they can ask about Ronco?

James

Duncan (or anyone else) can you switch the sunglasses and put them on Y, can you then fill in the eyes of Y on X?

Sure



Duncan

Another question:

Are these two pictures of the same man?

http://jfkmurdersolved.com/images/y.jpg

http://jfkmurdersolved.com/images/z.jpg

_________________________________

FWIW,

Seems to be missing a front tooth and to have really bad teeth. See enlarged photo in Duncan's post #10, too.

--Thomas
_________________________________

James...I contacted Beverly about this photo...and she is astonished that anyone
has one of her PERSONAL photos. How did someone get it?

Here is part of her reply to me:

"Yes, this is a picture of Larry that I took in the Kodak Store in Six Flags. It would have been the summer of 1962. His name is Lawrence Taylor Ronco Jr., his wife's name was Sally and at that time he had a little boy around 2-3 whose name was Scott. I do not know what happened to him but I was told he committed suicide in late 1964. That is all I know. I wonder where anyone got this picture???? Bev."

That is a good question. Were Beverly and Larry under surveillance in the 60s?
How did a personal snapshot a teenager took of a co-worker at an amusement
park end up in intelligence files? Was Ronco being used by someone to recruit
a pretty minor to take some photos? (They both were employed by Kodak.)

Jack

Jack,

To state the obvious, I am not going to offer who my sources are but I am now convinced that Ronco is not the guy in Wim's photo.

What I can tell you is that there was more to Ronco than meets the eye. Whether he found himself mixed up with peripheral events surrounding JFK's death, I do not know. The trail went cold a long time ago and information is extrememly difficult to come by.

FWIW.

James

Did you find Beverly's information helpful and or interesting? Does it fit
with what you know about Ronco and the photo of him?

Jack

Jack,

The information was most helpful indeed. Would you be kind enough to pass on my appreciation and thanks.

Cheers,

James

Here's the question that has always intrigued me, brought to the fore by this thread and redoubled.

Here we've got a guy - Files - who's confessed to killing Kennedy, who alleges in turn that another man who appears in a photo with Files (I can't imagine how utterly stupid that must've would've been if Files had been apprehended) is a cop-killer. While certainly a dead bird in the hand is worth at least one living in a bush, why is nobody interested in this man?

Should we believe that DPD is content to believe that they got their man, and - even if this guy was only an accomplice - they are likewise content to let him walk free and unhindered? Nobody on DPD today was serving then and probably didn't know JD, but cripes, the man's grandson is now a Dallas cop and even he doesn't care? Not even a little tiny bit interested?

It seems reasonably clear that Files has some form of immunity from death or prosecution, if only because he could have done such a thing as "Confession of an Assassin" and remain uncharged. Nobody he's saying was behind the killing - a Mob hit, it would seem ... and they therefore must've been who was behind Files' own compensation for his part in the deed - even seems to lose sleep over Files' continued existence. Is it that "omerta" doesn't apply because he's not Sicilian? Not even Italian?

It would seem, then, that someone would be interested in nailing the guy who killed Tippit, an innocent cop who just happened to pull over the wrong guy (which seems fairly close to the truth, but not in this light). Interested enough, anyway, to at least sweat Files over his identity. Has this occurred?

I could perhaps understand that the FBI probably wouldn't get involved in this, a local cop-killing not being within their jurisdiction (tho' the question of it maybe being a "hate crime" or some other new form of aggravation could leverage that), but what's up with DPD? Don't any of the cops even care?

There is no statute of limitations on murder, and one jurisdiction - even within state and federal prisions - will usually cooperate with another, at least to the extent of accompanying an out-of-towner to interview an unincarcerated suspect, and certainly to allowing said out-of-towners to interview their incarcerated prisoner. Has it happened?

Even ADA Bill Alexander has been quoted as saying he didn't think Oswald did it alone ... but nobody's interested. Why is that? At the very least, wouldn't Files suddenly find himself able to tell who it was after the guy is mysteriously beaten to death in his sleep by unknown assailants - presumably ticked off cops anyway - leaving Files with nothing and nobody to protect? Or is DPD simply happy to have had a hero that day, albeit a dead one?

Is it all just simply to perpetuate the great cover-up? "Ah, let him walk, we charged someone, and isn't that all that counts?" I just don't get it. Maybe someone could explain?

The pictures I posted are from Ralph Meyers. I thought he might be the man on the picture with Files. He seemed a perfect candidate filling all the requirements mentioned in the starting post of this thread. But I just found it is NOT him.

James Files has stated that the man has died recently, in early 2007. James, do you know of any of the usual suspects that died last year?

Does anyone have any idea what those reddish/brownish spots are on his forehead, just onder his hairline? Is that shadows from his hair or is it actually on the skin? If so, that's a pretty rare facemark for identification. These winespots on the forehead. The pool of candidates is not that big, if you take the requirements from the beginning post.

Wim

I believe in Harvey and Lee, that there were at least 2 men sharing the identity of Lee Harvey Oswald. Could this photo of the man on the right be one of Lee Oswald? I'll state right away that he does not look like Donald O. Norton -- his nose is too slim. OK. Could he be the killer of J.D. Tippit? Witnesses describe LHO as the killer -- and I believe Lee killed Tippit. Are we looking at the birth Oswald? He seems to have a discolored tooth, like Lee had.

I believe Harvey was Russian, trained in English for 3 years. Robert Oswald said about his "brother" (paraphrase), "I was surprised at how much hair [Harvey] lost!" I guess that statement was to convince family, friends and acquaintances that Harvey had changed physically while in Russia.

Then, again, is this actually J.D. Tippit himself?

Kathy

Then, again, is this actually J.D. Tippit himself?

Kathy

Here's another comparison with Tippit. I just added the sunglasses.



Duncan

It looks a lot like Tippit, especially the "widow's peak" hairline. So did Lee Oswald kill this man? Or is "Lee" Oswald really J.D.Tippit? It would solve the disappearance of "Lee" Oswald -- dead. And there was only one LHO: he went to Russia and "Harvey" came back and was killed by Ruby. But Mailer mentions there were 2 Oswalds at the Texas Theater -- I have to look at Harvey and Lee again about the theater. Tippit was dead by then. Neither looks like Donald O. Norton. My goal is to find out what happened to "Lee" Oswald.

Another problem: Could Tippit be BadgeMan? This is another theory, but I don't buy it.

Harvey Oswald was arrested in New Orleans for giving out fliers re FPCC. This is supposed to be his mugshot (unless it's Lee's). That's an awfully good picture of him; Harvey didn't have much eye appeal. If you put sunglasses on him, would he look like the Tippit gif?

**********************************************************

That's Harvey's mugshot, IMHO.

The ears appear to be placed lower on the head in your picture of Harvey, than those on the super-imposed pictures of Duncan's Tippit.

Also, take into consideration Duncan's super-imposed sunglasses on his B/W photo of Tippit, and remember that the "arms" of the ear "part" of the glasses frames, when in place on some people, have a tendency to cause their ears to appear to "bow" out, making the case for Duncan's Tippit all the more feasible in its comparison.

In other words, had Duncan been able to superimpose the arms of the glasses frame over the ears of his B/W Tippit, the ears would be even more in line with the color picture of Tippit and Files, accounting for the slightly bowed-out appearance. At least, that's how I'm interpreting it. Then again, I could be wrong, too. Such is the enigma of this case.

I hope I haven't confused anyone? It's early in the morning here, and I'm rushing to get off to work.

Good show, BTW!

Wim, I'm with Duke on this one. I don't get it.

What's the explanation again?

You post a picture of who you say is James Files with a guitar and a guy he claims had something to do with the Tippit killing, - is that it?

Now you say "The pictures I posted are from Ralph Meyers...."

They aren't from Ralph Meyers are they?

BK

The picture of the guy with Files is Tippit's killer.

I recently thought it could be Ralph Meyers. The rest of the pictures are of Ralph Meyers. But I have recently found definite proof that the guy is NOT Ralph Meyers.

Is it clear now?

Wim

One more thing. His nickname was Raven.

I have googled for CIA guys with that nickname and found GUNTHER RUSSBACHER, but that is clearly not the guy in the picture.

http://www.rumormillnews.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?read=76582

Wim

If you [anyone can assume the 'you'] want to get to the bottom of the 'Files' matter [which I don't believe in, but lets put it to the 'test'] one only needs to take two American citizens and a lawyer to approach and enter the correctional facility he is in and make a 'citizen's arrest' of him for the assassination of JFK [or accessory to] or a related matter or person. That would force a trial where one could try to get the truth out. Otherwise, the matter is just one to get James a better cell than he would have had without the tempting proposal. Do it, or end it.

What about "Hawk", RAVEN, Gator, and Eagle..... care to explain.... Its about time to come out with what you know instead of being so secret...or put it to rest?

I believe in Harvey and Lee, that there were at least 2 men sharing the identity of Lee Harvey Oswald. Could this photo of the man on the right be one of Lee Oswald? I'll state right away that he does not look like Donald O. Norton -- his nose is too slim. OK. Could he be the killer of J.D. Tippit? Witnesses describe LHO as the killer -- and I believe Lee killed Tippit.
(Kathleen Collins)



Kathy:
No credible witness "describe(d) LHO as the killer" of Tippit.

Dawn

The guy on the right looks a good older version of http://home.wi.rr.com/harveyandlee/Tooth/Tooth.htm

For what its worth: LHO did not shoot ANYONE. He was "Set-Up", just like he said. Will not be long now before this will become a known FACT.

I have a feeling that I know who he is. Compare the mystery man's photo to Donald O. Norton's. Look at the man's smile. The upturned lip on his left side matches the Yearbook picture of Norton's! He also has a bucked tooth that a photo of Donald O. Norton has. But look at that lip!

Instead of Donald Norton dyeing his hair red, what about if he dyed it dark in 1963? That could be very natural looking. His nose doesn't match Avon Pk's Donald O. Could Armstrong have stumbled onto something? If Lee killed Tippit, could this be Lee Oswald? I, for one, don't feel we have many pictures of Lee Oswald. This man doesn't look like Lee Oswald, but his mouth, with the missing tooth (here discolored) and a bucked tooth and that upturned lip. Maybe that's why Armstrong followed Norton around, believing he was Lee Oswald. Compare.

Kathy Collins

PS: Please compare Norton with the jpeg in an earlier post, not the gif.

I've noticed something else about the Yearbook picture. Norton has Harvey's left ear.

Kathy Collins

Eagle? Who knows what about Eagle? Peter Lemkin?

Was Eagle David Atlee Phillips?

Wim

Is there a known photo of Thomas Mosely or Homer Echevarria?

Wim

Very good question, Wim.

I hope someone can oblige. I would very much like to see a picture of Homer Echevarria. I've never seen one. The fact that he mysteriously faded from view after the Chicago incident makes him interesting, imo. He might have been involved in the Tippit killing, imo, if he matches the 'short and bushy hair' description of Tippit's killer. Just a hunch.

You're right. I should have referred to Harvey and Lee. In that book I understand John Armstrong believed Lee Oswald killed Tippit because Tippit mistook Lee for Harvey and was about to kill him. Instead Tippit was killed and Ruby had to kill Harvey.

Kathy Collins

Just as I thought. Photos of Echevarria are rare indeed.

Does anyone know when he died? Larry Hancock's 'Someone Would Have Talked' claims he was approached by the CIA in December 1964, when he and his father were interviewed by the agency. In February 1965 he was granted a provisional operational approval. However, this was cancelled in August 1965 due to a lack of interest in operational use.

That's all I've ever been able to learn about this enigmatic character. Very strange.

The Tenth Batch....from Fair Play.........further information within this article........

Document # 180-10087-10136 is a seven page report from the Chicago Field Office of the Secret Service on Thomas Mosley and Homer S. Echevarria. Information is supplied by an informant still unknown, the symbol number for this informant is 2-1-266. Investigation was made by SS agents Edward X. Tucker, Joseph E. Noonan, Gary M. McLeod and James S. Griffiths. It covered a period between November 29-December 10, 1963. It was previously numbered as CO-2-34,030. It was previously titled Lee Harvey Oswald Assassination of President Kennedy. It is now numbered CO-2-34, 104. It is now titled Homer S. Echevarria.

The informant told of meetings between Echevarria and Mosley and between Mosley and a man named "Mannie" (last name unknown), who allegedly is a leader of all Cuban groups in Chicago. "Mannie" expressed an interest in obtaining automatic weapons, detonators and explosives. These items were to be paid in cash for an action to take place in 90 days.



http://www.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back_i...rrb_tenth2.html

B.......

Record: ECHEVARRIA, HOMER (HOMERIO) SAMUEL VALDIVIA

Sources: CD 87, pp. 1-8 SS 336, SS 443, SS 477, SS 523, SS 626; HSCA Reel 52, Box 29, Folder F (AMKW 29) re Homer Samuel ECHEVARRIA Valdivia; FBI JFK 124- 10027-10044, Lifton's pp. 43-44

Mary's
Comments: White, male Cuban. 32, 3' 9", 160 lbs, black hair, mustache, olive complexion. In Chicago, he maintained steady employment as Chicago transit authority bus driver. Son of Ebelia Echevarria, a "source" for the Chicago office of the FBI. Born at Jatibonico, Camaguay, Cuba. Employed by C. J. Simpson Drilling Co., resided briefly in Dallas at 10353 Denton Drive. Fled Castro's Cuba. Resided in Anniston, Ala 6 months. Had entered United States on July 6, 1960 at Miami, FL, via Cuvano Airlines flight No. 808. I&NS Alien Number is A-12 236 480 (201-767409)


Homer Echevarria - Taking Care of Kennedy

http://www.maryferrell.org/wiki/index.php/...Care_of_Kennedy

B.........

Bernice posted this:

The Tenth Batch....from Fair Play.........further information within this article........

Document # 180-10087-10136 is a seven page report from the Chicago Field Office of the Secret Service on Thomas Mosley and Homer S. Echevarria. Information is supplied by an informant still unknown, the symbol number for this informant is 2-1-266.

B.....
_________________________________________________

Bernice

It turned out that Informant #2-1-266 is actually Thomaz Mosley, himself. Besedes Homer Echeverria, I would like more info about Mosley. There are descrepencies as to who and what he realy was. What happened to him later and did he have a differnt name.

____________
Dixie

So it's not Homer Echevarria then.

Files alos said the guy who killed Tippit was not a Cuban. Just a home grown American.

Interesting to read that he was a busdriver. I did not know that. Just like Ralph Meyers and Thomas Mosely.

Wim

Dixie,

Mosley also used the name Art Rickoften and his codename was 'Blackfoot'.

James

Hi Dixie:

That informations you mention about Mosley appearing to be the informant, is within the above Tenth Batch article ....I posted...by Joe Backus ...........
he states.....

"Okay, Mosley appears to be the informant 2-1-266 because he is instructed to contact Homer Echevarria, who is a co-worker with the informant as a driver of a Chicago Transit Authority city bus. Both the informant and the suspect work out of Keeler Station, 4221 West Diversey Avenue, Chicago, Illinois. "

http://www.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back_i...rrb_tenth2.html

Yes it would be interesting to know where he disappeared to, he could have been operating under an alias, as well as perhaps many others within, and then resumed, his own or another later.....the game of playing to two or more masters perhaps.......

As James refers to also.......

The information about Mosley calling himself Art Rickoften is also from the same Joe Backus article......but "Blackfoot" is a new one, tx ...James.

"A check of the Chicago Police Department files on suspect Thomas Mosley revealed a record for Mosley under the alias Art Rickoften where in 1959 he was arrested for possession of fictitious license plates. A search of his car found machine guns. He was turned over to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Service. "

see link.....

B.......

Just throwing a name out there as I have never seen a picture of him. Is it Curtis (Larry) Crafard?

He resided at the Carousel Club but disappeared immediately after the assassination. Knew Tippett. Was 22 years old. Ruby introduced him to others as 'Oswald'. According to his brother, Edward, he was heavily involved in the assassination. Crafard himself admitted to researcher Peter Whitmey that he was a 'hitman' in the 60's. He had a 'special Army discharge' Garrison was interested in him but due to lack or resources and the lack of a direct New Orleans link he never followed through. He thought he may have been Tippets killer. He is mentioned in Joan Mellon's book page 260. No photo though.

***************

Hi Maggie:

Here is Larry Crafard and ?....for you to compare.........

Thanks......

B...

Thanks Bernice. Do you know how old he was in these photos? Or when they were taken?

Hi Maggie:

The photos of Larry were taken from the Warren Commission...so 64 ish.. ....off hand no idea how old he was, but does
appears to be in his 20's ??

He is another from the W/C.....

B.....

Thanks Bernice. Probably not him as the shape of his face looks too different. It looks uncannily like Tippet to me (as posted by Duncan)

Bernice ,

Thanks for that. (The Mary Ferrell database has listed HE's height as 3'9", btw.)

Hi Mark :

I noticed that.....so went looking,...and further within the documentation ,it states 5' 9"...in
several reports..........typing blooper..I imagine......

B.....