UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Dallas, Texas

March 3, 1964

ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963, DALLAS, TEXAS

On November 25, 1963, Mr. Mike Shapiro, Manager, WFAA-TV, exhibited to Special Agents of the FBI an enlarged photograph taken by an Associated Press photographer on November 22, 1963, showing President John Fitzgerald Kennedy in his car immediately after he was shot. This photograph also showed an individual standing in the entrance of the Texas School Book Depository Building (TSBD), 411 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, who was wearing similar clothing and has some general physical characteristics similar to those of Lee Harvey Oswald. This photograph was described as "DN 5, 11/22/63, Dallas, Texas."

Mr. Shapiro advised that immediately after this photograph was taken it was forwarded by wire to the Associated Press at New York, New York, and subsequently distributed to other AP offices throughout the country. He stated an individual in the Associated Press Office at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, had noted the similarity between the individual in the doorway and Lee Harvey Oswald.

Mr. Shapiro made available a copy of this photograph for immediate use by FBI Agents and this photograph was returned to him on the same day.

On November 25, 1963, the FBI received information that the Associated Press in New York had a photograph that bore the number on the bottom: "FK61345STF" with the note, "Editor, this is a blowup of DN 2, making images larger DN 5, Dallas, Texas, 11/22."

This photograph was of a man who appeared to be standing in the doorway of the TSBD who resembled OSWALD.

RE: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963, DALLAS, TEXAS

On November 25, 1963, Mr. ROY S. TRULY, Warehouse Manager, TSBD, was exhibited an Associated Press photograph described as "DN 5, 11/22/63, Dallas, Texas," depicting an individual standing in the entrance of the TSBD who resembled Lee Harvey Oswald. Mr. Truly, after viewing this photograph, stated, "That picture resembles Oswald, but it's not Lee Oswald, it's Billy Lovelady."

On November 25, 1963, Mr. Billy Nolan Lovelady, 7722 Hume, Dallas, Texas, was exhibited an Associated Press photograph described as "DN 5, 11/22/63, Dallas, Texas," depicting an individual standing in the entrance of the TSBD who resembled Lee Harvey Oswald.

Mr. Lovelady advised that he is an employee at the TSBD and is acquainted with Oswald. Lovelady immediately identified himself in the above-described photograph as being the individual who resembled OSWALD and stated he had observed himself previously in this photograph in the newspaper and was saving it. Lovelady stated there who was no question whatsoever but that this was a photograph of him.

By letter dated January 11, 1964, J. D. Royce, 496 West Scott Avenue, Clovis, California, advised Parade Publications, Inc, New York, New York, that he had what he believed to be "positive proof that Lee Harvey Oswald did not assassinate the President of the United States."

On January 23, 1964, J. D. Royce advised Special Agents of the FBI that the "positive proof" he referred to in the above-mentioned letter was based entirely on a double-page photograph which appeared on Pages 24-25 of the December 14, 1963, edition of the Saturday Evening Post. He stated that after examining this photograph with a magnifying glass, which photograph was reported to have been taken the instant President Kennedy was shot, he was convinced that the individual standing in the background in the left edge of the doorway was Oswald.

On January 22, 1964, the U.S. Secret Service, Washington, D.C., furnished the FBI the following letter received from Mrs. Hellen Shirah, 5530 Santa Monica Boulevard South, Jacksonville, Florida, 32207, dated January 17, 1964:

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RE: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963, DALLAS, TEXAS

"Chief of the Secret Service

Washington, D.C.

"Dear Sir:

"On January 15, 1964, I purchased a magazine, 'Four Dark Days in History' published by Special Publication, Inc. - 6627 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles 28, California.

"On page 4 as the motorcade of our late President passes the Dallas School Depository, there, on the left, emerging in a hurry from the building, is a man who bears a striking resemblance to Lee Harvey Oswald. As a matter of fact, even the clothes he has on seem to be like the ones Oswald had on when arrested. I realize that you have concrete evidence agaisnt him but if you find that the picture is of Oswald, it would mean he had an accomplice, who is still at large.

"I know you are very thorough in your investigations and have probably checked out all available pictures but there could be a chance that you missed this one. I have spent two sleepless nights wondering whether or not to write.

"I would appreciate it if you were to check this picture out. I 'm sure that in getting the original from the Publisher, it can be blown up to find out for sure if that man is Lee Harvey Oswald. I would send you my magazine but it is the only one I have and they are all sold out.

"Thank you very much for giving attention to this letter.

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RE: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963, DALLAS, TEXAS

On January 30, 1964, Mrs. Helen Shirah, 5530 Santa Monica Boulevard South, Jacksonville, Florida, was contacted by Special Agents of the FBI regarding a letter she wrote to the U.S. Secret Service, Washington, D.C. Mrs. Shirah exhibited the magazine, "Four Dark Days in History," and pointed out an individual in the photograph on Page 4 which showed the Presidential motorcade passing the TSBD, 411 Elm Street, Dallas, Texas, as being that of an individual she believed to be Lee Harvey Oswald. Mrs. Shirah based her identification of Oswald solely upon having seen previous photographs of him. On February 19, 1964, Mrs. Shirah was again shown the photograph of the Presidential motorcade appearing on Pages 4-5 in the magazine, " Four Dark Days in History," by Special Agents of the FBI. Mrs. Shirah pointed out the same photograph as she had previosly, stating that it was of an individual she believed to be Lee Harvey Oswald.

On January 30, 1964, a copy of the magazine entitled, " Four Dark Days in History," published by Special Publications, Inc., Los Angeles, California, was obtained by a Special Agent of the FBI and a photograph on Pages 4 and 5 of the Presidential motorcade passing the TSBD on November 22, 1963, was exhibited to William H. Shelley, Assistant Manager, TSBD, who readily identified an individual standing just inside the entrance of the TSBD on the left as TSBD employee Billy N. Lovelady.

Mr. Shelley advised he was actually standing next to Lovelady when this photograph was taken, but was not in view of the camera. He pointed out that he had seen the photograph before and there has been much comment on the fact that in the photograph Billy N. Lovelady resembled Lee Harvey Oswald.

On February 29, 1964, Billy Nolan Lovelady was photographed by Special Agents of the FBI at Dallas, Texas. On this occasion, Lovelady advised that on the day of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, November 22, 1963, at the time of the assassination, and shortly before, he was standing in the doorway of the front entrance to the

RE: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963, DALLAS, TEXAS

TSBD where he is employed. He stated he was wearing a read and white vertical striped shirt and blue-jeans.

Lovelady stated his picture has appeared in several publications, which picture depicts him on the far left side of the front doorway to the TSBD. Lovelady was exhibited a picture appearing on Pages 4-5 of the magazine entitled, "Four Dark Days in History," copyright 1963 by Special Publications, Inc., 6627 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles 28, California. He immediately identified the picture of the individual on the far left side of the doorway of the TSBD as being his photograph. He stated this same photograph, or one identical to it, has appeared in the Dallas Times Herald newspaper of November 23, 1963, and in the Cincinnati Inquirer, of December 3, 1963. He stated it also appeared in an edition of " The Saturday Evening Post," the date of which he does not know. Mr. Lovelady stated his close resemblance to Lee Harvey Oswald has become somewhat embarrassing. He stated his stepchildren, Timmy Ekstedt, age 6, and stepdaughter, Angela Ekstedt, age 4, were watching television shortly after the assassination at a time when Lee Harvey Oswald was shown while in custody of the Dallas Police Department and both of these children remarked that they thought their daddy was on television referring to his close resemblance to Lee Harvey Oswald.

The following physical description and background information was obtained from interrogation and observation of Lovelady:

RE: ASSASSINATION OF PRESIDENT
JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY,
NOVEMBER 22,1963

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