CURRENT THEORY - SUMMARY SCENARIO
In the Matter of the Murder of Harold Eugene Vest
on 27 Jun 1946 in Gainesville, TX

This document is strictly confidential.  It is designed to document an independent assessment of the facts and theories surrounding the death of Harold “Buddy” Eugene Vest on June 28, 1946 in order to discover the truth.  This document necessarily includes a significant amount of personal information – some of which may not be accurate – in order to analyze investigative leads.  This document and its information are not designed to impugn anyone.  Readers must understand that many of the statements in this summary are not factual, but rather are opinions, impressions and speculations based on assumptions and interpretations of existing and necessarily incomplete information.  Further, the information contained in this summary is not warranted to be accurate and we assume no responsibility for damages arising from the publication, distribution, use of, or reliance on any such information.  This document is being provided confidentially in order to further the investigation.  It is a living document, and as such remains subject to change without notice. 

THE BEGINNING OF THE INVESTIGATION

In August 2003, Ruth, my wife, Kerensa, and I attended a seminar in Wichita Falls, TX on the 1862 hangings of Yankee sympathizers in Gainesville. On the way home we discussed the possibility that Buddy, being from Chicago, marrying a local girl and starting a business in Gainesville may have been the victim of gang violence.

In September 2003, I hired Investigator Doe to look into Buddy’s case. The investigator, a former undercover narcotics officer and criminal intelligence officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety, is known to have employed ex-CIA employees and to have done work indirectly for the CIA through another ex-CIA employee. Investigator Doe went to Gainesville and examined the inquest record and Gainesville newspaper article concerning Buddy’s death Investigator Doe immediately called me and said “Herb, your dad did not commit suicide, he was murdered.”

Justice of the Peace Dorothy Lewis told me that when Investigator Doe requested the inquest record, a search had to be conducted to locate it. There were several abnormalities with regard to the document. She said that after making a copy for Investigator Doe, she placed the record book containing the inquest record in her office kept her door locked.

Investigator Doe subsequently met with my mother, my wife and me. At the meeting he showed us a photocopy of the inquest Record. At the conclusion of the meeting, I told my investigator, my mother and my wife to keep the contents of the documents confidential. Each of these individuals reported to me in November 2003 that they had not discussed the contents with anyone.