Pseudonym: Garcia Gonzales, Manuel
Orleans Parish Grand Jury Testimony of Layton Martens, 29 Mar 1967
1961: Testimony of Layton Martens to Jim Garrison: "(Julian Buznedo) was a young man who was an associate of Arcacha's - he was with Arcacha, I knew him through Arcacha, and he is reported to be one of the men who actually took part in the invasion. On April 17, the Day of Pigs. You talking about Julian Buznedo? I don't know what his last name was. When did you last see Julian? In '61. Is this the young man who was a rather gifted cartoonist? Is this the young man who was on a boat in the Bay of Pigs and was not captured but came back? Probably yes. Julian Buznedo. Tell us about Henrique? Henrique was with Julian, was a friend of Julian's and I met him also through Arcacha Smith. Julian did not appear Latin per se, his skin was fair, he was heavy set build, his hair was blonde and he had light eyes. who had blonde hair? This was Henrique. Julian had very dark hair, dark complexion, sort of rosy like complexion - when did you last see Henrique? That would have been in 1961, I suppose the last time I saw Julian." A photo of Julian Buznedo with David Ferrie: https://www.jfk-online.com/ferriepre.html Buznedo's obituary - died 11/27/12: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/denverpost/name/julian-buznedo-obituary?id=18788050
Joan Mellen, p. 92; p.p. 196-197 (Potomac Books, 2005)
1963-1967: p. 92: Manuel Garcia Gonzalez was believed to have been the pock-marked Cuban seen with Oswald. He hung around Cuban bars, carried a red toolbox and fixes boats. Jim Garrison referred to him as "Bugs Bunny". See -1993.07.01.09:29:16:460410 - page 4 of this 6/14/67 memo by Angleton's aide James Hunt states that Manuel Garcia Gonzalez was alleged by Garrison to have been one of the JFK assassins - although Dean Andrews said on Sheridan's 1967 TV show attacking Garrison that Manuel Garcia Gonzalez was a made-up name and no such man ever existed, he would turn to Walter Sheridan when the TV camera was off and admit that he did exist. Also see 124-10369-10029, p. 227:
FBI 62-109060 JFK HQ File, Section 125
1963-1967: Attorney Dean Andrews had been talking with Jim Garrison in late 1963 and again in 1966-1967. On 4/6/67, FBI memo from New Orleans to DC, case 89-69: "Andrews stated when first contacted by Garrison he was convinced Garrison had something on the assassination of President Kennedy. Later from conversations, he became suspicious and to test Garrison furnished the names Manuel Cortez, Ricardo Davis and Manuel Garcia Gonzales, which names are fictitious and he does not know anyone by those names. Andrews states Garrison has located three persons with those names and now alleges that Manuel Garcia Gonzales is one of assassins. Andrews alleges that Garrison showed him a pistol, allegedly belonging to Manuel Garcia Gonzales and advised him that Gonzales was arrested in Miami for carrying concealed weapon...(at p. 89) Andrews stated during hearing of Clay Shaw, Julio Buznedo was subpoenaed to appear at hearing. Buznedo is a person Garrison will name as one of the assassins of President Kennedy. Garrison contends Buznedo is the man in the photograph standing beside David Ferrie, near an airplane and supposedly went to Dallas, Texas, at time of assassination in panel truck used in burglary of ammunition bunker in Houma, Louisiana. This truck supposedly contained three rifles and was parked on a hill near scene of shooting and Andrews is of opinion this is where Garrison gets the 'triangulation of gunfire'."
https://www.jfk-assassination.net/weberman/nodule24.htm
1966-1967: From Alan Weberman's Coup d'Etat in America: "The CIA reported: "BERNARDO DE TORRES, who according to a cleared, willing, police contact is a detective hired by Garrison. Contact feels certain, but cannot prove, both BERNARDO and his brother CHARLES, also detective, were in New Orleans during last year. Again, request Headquarters instructions as a to whether further feelers should be put out, through AMOTS or other Station Cuban assets, to attempt learn more about his activities." BERNARDO DE TORRES encouraged New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison to spend hundreds of futile hours searching for Cuban exile Manuel Gonzalez, who had arrived in the United States in 1964. On one occasion, the District Attorney sought out and questioned Miguel Torres, a Cuban whose only connection to OSWALD was that he had lived one block away from him in New Orleans. [FBI 62-109060-4564; CIA 1228-513, 1227-512; Miami Herald 2.25.67 p2A] On March 13, 1967, the FBI reported that "MM T-1 an American citizen of Cuban descent, who has not been contacted a sufficient number of times to determine his reliability, claimed as follows: (4 paragraphs deleted) It is noted that BERNARDO DE TORRES has been described in the public press as a Cuban private investigator at Miami who has been assisting District Attorney James Garrison of New Orleans in the latter's investigation of the assassination. (Deleted)." FBI 3.14.67.
FBI 62-109060 JFK HQ File, Section 127
January 23-28, 1967: Carlos Quiroga wrote a declaration stating that he received a death threat on 1/23/67 for visiting the offices of the District Attorney; that Garrison told him that Oswald was brought to New Orleans by anti-communists who owned a coffee industry here (the Reilly family). He also told Quiroga that one of the men in the photograph with LHO the day he was distributing the Communist propaganda was "Manuel Garcia Gonzales"...there are pictures of this man and other Cubans behind a billboard close to where JFK was shot...Garrison believed that Quiroga was at Mancuso's restaurant at Camp and Lafayette St. with Oswald, Ferrie, and Sergio Arcacha Smith. He was at the DA's office on 1/28/67 when investigator Lou Ivon came out and said Jack Martin made the death threat to me on 1/23/67. Martin said he did it because "he was drunk and didn't know what he was saying." Quiroga was convinced that Martin was the one who made up the story about him being with Oswald and the others at Mancuso's restaurant.
104-10429-10079: Garrison and the Kennedy Assassination
January-April 1967: A CIA extract quotes from George Lardner, Washington Post, 4/2/67, discusses how Garrison has been looking for Manuel Garcia Gonzales since January on a narcotics charge with a $50,000 bond. "Russo said there were two Latin types at the party (in (David) Ferrie's apartment). They were named 'Manuel' and 'Julien'."
124-10369-10029: ADMIN FOLDER-J9: HSCA ADMINISTRATIVE FOLDER, LEE HARVEY OSWAL
2/21/67 - Elise Cerniglia, head of the Catholic Cuban Center in New Orleans, identified Manuel Garcia Gonzalez as a white male, born in Havana, Cuba, birthdate 3/27/28, 5 foot 10, 130 pounds, single, truck driver, Alien registration number appears to be A13 398 314. INS had similar info, had him born in Camaguey.
FBI 105-82555 Oswald HQ File, Section 232
On 2/22/67, Mrs. Marta Trelles, aide to Miss (Jean Mahaffey, Administrative Assistant, Cuban Relief, Center, Miami) contacted Sgt. McCracken (Miami Police Intelligence Unit) to ascertain if Manuel Garcia Gonzalez had been identified...a photograph ...appeared on 2/21/67 issue of the Miami News...This photograph showed Lee Harvey Oswald with two other males...The caption below the photograph described the male standing next to Oswald as a Cuban sought in Miami by...Garrison. The Cuban's name was said to be Manuel Garcia Gonzalez...(at p. 55): The individual District Attorney Garrison's office was endeavoring to locate in Miami was John Alice." At p. 54: "John Alice, John Alice Export Co., Room 308, International Trade Mart, advised on 11/29/63 he recognized his own picture in the photograph..." A redacted version can be found at Section 115, p. 109.
FBI 62-109060 JFK HQ File, Section 115
3/1/67 memo from Miami FBI to Director:"Re New Orleans airtel 2/21/67...wherein Mrs. Elise Cerniglia, Catholic Cuban Center, New Orleans, is reported to have furnished information regarding Manuel Garcia Gonzalez and Emilio Santano...information obtained...regarding Santana is set out...REDACTED, Cuban Refugee Center, Miami, stated she wished to advise of recent inquiries at her office by Sgt. E. W. McCracken of the Miami Police Department. She explained that McCracken has normal liaison with her office concerning Cubans involved in crime. About mid-January McCracken made inquiry concerning Manuel Garcia Gonzalez, indicating it was 'very confidential'. CRC records contained three persons with the name Manuel Garcia Gonzalez. None of these was a member of the anti-Castro organization '2506 Brigade', which was a point of identification apparently sought by McCracken...The CRC file No. 69060 on Manuel Garcia Gonzalez...was reviewed and the following data obtained: Garcia, born June 14, 1930, at San Luis, Pinar del Rio, Cuba, has alien registration No. 13, 107, 777. He entered the United States near Brownsville, Texas, on 8/21/62. He was a tobacco planter in Cuba and had a friend named Jose Cura, age 48...Tampa, Florida. REDACTION...His Miami address as of 9/18/62 was listed as 1790 Northwest 3rd St., Apt. 1. The file showed no addresses in New Orleans. A description of Garcia was noted as follows: 36, DOB 6/14/30 in Cuba, race white, height, 5 feet 2 inches, weight 115 pounds...Manuel Garcia Gonzalez described hereinabove is not identical to the one mentioned in referenced New Orleans airintel (note: or in a 2/27/67 airtel)...REDACTION in view of airtel to all SACS 2/24/67 to conduct no active investigation based on the activity of James C. Garrison, Miami is making no further inquiry related to data above...at p. 100: Comparison of photo of Manuel Garcia Gonzalez with 6/14/30 birthdate with the photo of "Manuel Garcia Gonzalez" identified as John Alice.
FBI 62-109060 JFK HQ File, Section 120
3/17/67 memo from FBI NO to FBI Director and FBI Dallas: "Defense attorneys asked for subpoenas for Manuel Garcia Gonzales and Julio Buzerno (sic), believed to be the two Spanish speaking men that Russo testified were at Ferrie's apartment the night of but prior to the plot meeting. New Orleans indices contained no information in the name of Julio Buzerno, which now appears to be the correct spelling in lieu of the name Julio Bacedo (sic), phonetic, mentioned in New Orleans teletype March sixteen last." At p. 50: "Stewart Medwin, Collier Encyclopedia...stated that Julian Buznedo, Cuban refugee, is employed as a salesman by him. Julian Buznedo, 1107 Lincoln, Denver, Colorado, stated that he at one time knew David Ferrie of New Orleans, Louisiana. He stated that a Julian or Julius Buznedo (different spelling) was mentioned in the Denver Post on March 17, 1967 at being present in one of the alleged meetings where President Kennedy's assassination was planned. Julian Buznedo said that on the dates of the alleged meetings he was not in New Orleans, Louisiana, and does knows nothing of any plans to assassinate President Kennedy." Page 105: The subpoena was for "Julio Buzerno" - the INS found no one by that name. Page 122: C.W. Johnson of INS was subpoenaed by the defense to find files for "Manuel Garcia Gonzalez" and "Julio Bacedo", and the file for Garcia would supposedly discredit Garrison's witness Perry Russo.
104-10300-10404: NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS
April, 1967, Ramparts, William Turner, "The Inquest": "MANUEL GARCIA GONZALES: A mysterious 'physically powerful Cuban exile' said by Garrison to be behind a fence on the grassy knoll in Dallas as the Kennedy motorcade was ambushed. A prime suspect in the assassination, he is now a fugitive. (His exact features are unknown.)." At p. 391, Perry Russo's testimony was that "he had met Ferrie...some four years earlier through Civil Air Patrol activity, and frequently was invited to his apartment. There had been a party before the meeting on the evening in question, and Russo had lingered after the rest of the guests. Among the last to leave were several Cubans in military fatigues, two of whom he recalls by their first names, Manuel and a name something like Julian. Manuel, Garrison suspects, is the missing Manuel Garcia Gonzales. See Claw Shaw Preliminary Hearing of 1967-03-17, p. 4: Garrison's subpoena refers to "Julio Buznedo" as Manuel's companion.
12/30/67 memo from JMWAVE to WH H. Mahoney: "Old hands at Station confirm JMMOVE was the only agency sponsored training camp..." Review of "Station traces that appear unique to JMWAVE or which indicate prior HQS or Station ops interest": Edward Collins of Interpen, Howard Davis, Richard Davis, Fernando Fernandez, Leovino Interian, Victor Manuel (Paneque) Batista, Sylvia Odio, Orlando Piedra, Lorenzo Pascillio (Loren Hall), Layton Martens, Bernardo Torres, Juan A. Valdez, Manuel Garcia Gonzales "no identifiable station traces" (at p. 9), Gerald Patrick Hemming, Mario Bermudez Nunez, Mario Bermudez Quinones. Also see 1994.06.20.14:04:47:690005, page 78, stating "RI-no traces. No further information."