Page:CAB Accident Report, Pacific Air Lines Flight 773.pdf/5

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the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) laboratory disclosed silvery metallic smears in an indentation in the tubing. Spectrographic analyses of these wears revealed the presence of lead and antimony. The FBI report concluded that the indentation in the tubing was produced by a bullet. (See Attachment II.)

A search of the wreckage area disclosed the presence of a .357 Smith and Wesson Model 27 Magnum revolver S/N S2106h5, containing six empty cartridges which had been fired by the weapon. It had a broken frame, jammed cylinder, and missing pistol grips, and human tissue was adhering to it. Clothing fibers were embedded in and adhering to the tissue.

The gun with ammunition and a cleaning kit had been purchased by passenger Francisco Paula Gonzales on the evening of May 6, 1961;. Mr. Gonzales had ad— vised both friends and relatives that he would die on either Wednesday, the 6th of May, or Thursday, the 7th of May. He referred to his impending death on a daily basis throughout the week preceding the accident. 0n the evening of May 6, passenger Gonzales departed San Francisco International Airport aboard a f’acii‘ic Air Lines flight for Reno, Nevada, with a return reservation for Flight 773 on the following morning. Shortly before boarding the flight to Reno, Gonzales displayed the gun to numerous friends at the airport and told one person he intended to shoot himself. Various persons saw Mr. Gonzales board the Pacific Air Lines flight at San Francisco International Airport on the evening of May 6 carrying the small package which contained the gun and ammunition. {3n that same evening he had purchased two insurance policies at the San Francisco Airport in the total amount of $105,000. Another passenger aboard Gonzales' flight from San FranCisco to Reno remembered that Gonzales was carrying a small package and was seated in the front seat behind the pilots' comparhnent. While at Reno, NeVada, Mr. Gonzales spent the night visiting various gambling estab- lishments. Mr. Gonzales gambled that night and one casino employee asked how he was deing to which Gonzales replied, “... it would not make any difference after tomorrow“. Several persons recalled that Gonzales had a large bulge in his clothing and others reported that he was Carrying a small package while in gene. A janitor at a gambling club where passenger Gonzales was Imam to hate spent a part of the evening discovered a cardboard carton for a Smith and ‘r'esson .357 Magnum revolver and a gun cleaning kit in the wastepaper container. Both of these items were identified by the seller as part of passenger Gonzales' purchase on the preceding evening.

Interviews with relatives, associates, and acquaintances revealed that Gonzales was disturbed and depressed over marital and financial difficulties and that he cried continuously during the evening of May 5, 1961:. A credit check showed Gonzales to have been deeply in debt and that nearly half of his salary was committed for loan payments.

Thorough background investigations were conducted of the other comments of Flight 773, including the crew. Those investigations revealed no undue health problems, unusual purchases or holdings of insurance, or indications of despondency by any other person aboard the Pacific Air Lines Flight 7?3 from Rem to San Francisco.