FACTS AND THEORIES
IN THE JUNE 28, 1946 HOMICIDAL DEATH
OF HAROLD “BUDDY” EUGENE VEST

SUBSTANTIAL REWARDS —
Up to $3,000,000*

offered for pertinent and reliable information about this matter.

On June 28, 1946, Harold Eugene “Buddy” Vest, age 25, was found murdered in his cabinet
shop in Gainesville, Texas. Buddy was interrogated and tortured, resulting in his death.

Buddy had just been honorably discharged the previous January from the Army, having served in the European Theatre of Operations with the 711th Engineer Base Depot Company, the 38th Engineer General Services Regiment, and the 70th Engineer Light Pontoon Company. Before going overseas, he was stationed at Camp Custer, Michigan. Buddy’s survivors included his wife and infant son, both of whom are still living.

A local newspaper reported that Aviation Electronics Mate First Class James Louis Casey was seen just outside Buddy’s cabinet shop when his body was discovered around midnight. Records indicate that Casey had just signed out for leave from Ward Island, Corpus Christi Naval Air Station at 9:00 AM that morning (27 June 1946). Casey listed his leave contact address as 10714 ½ Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood California, c/o G.E. Rees, Jr. One week later, Casey reported to the infirmary at Saint Louis Naval Air Station with a fractured mandible (jaw). He was released one week later.

Casey’s prior duty stations included the Pacific Air Transport Service Unit located on Eyebye Island in the Marshall Group, Fleet Air Wing on the West Coast, Dallas Naval Air Station, and Saint Louis Naval Air Station.

Mr. Casey later worked for the Central Intelligence Agency.

In October 2003, the Vest family received a letter that purported to describe the events of Buddy’s murder from an alleged eyewitness (the “Smith Letter”). The Smith Letter was signed “M. Smith” and no relevant contact information was provided. We now believe the Smith Letter to be an overt act of deception aimed at delaying and frustrating the investigation into Buddy’s death.

Our investigation reveals that Buddy was used as a courier of captured German intellectual property from Europe to the United States. Further, it appears that personnel of an intelligence agency of the United States had knowledge of, or conspired with, private industry officials committing the interrogation and murder.

Buddy’s murder, and the preparation and sending of the Smith Letter through the United States mail violates many federal and state laws, such as murder, homicide, mail fraud, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, violations of governmental directives and charters, and military codes of justice, as well as various civil rights laws.

Murder of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil and attempts to obstruct justice are crimes that are far beyond the charter of any U.S. intelligence agency. Moreover, they are an affront to the dignity of the loyal and hardworking employees of that agency.

Right-thinking employees of the U.S. intelligence community will want the perpetrators of these crimes brought to justice and confidence in our constitutional form of government restored.

It is our desire to learn the truth surrounding Mr. Vest’s death and the origin of the Smith Letter. We are not encouraging anyone to violate any laws or breach any duties, but rather because laws have already been broken, it is imperative that those with knowledge of these events come forward to ensure that the laws of our country are respected and the honor of their agency and its employees, both living and dead, be maintained.

We are prepared to offer substantial sums of money for relevant information that will help determine who killed Buddy Vest and why, and who wrote the Smith Letter. More specifically, the following rewards are currently available:

• $3,000,000 for verifiable information and/or testimony leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder of Harold Eugene “Buddy” Vest on June 28, 1946.

• $1,000,000 for verifiable information and/or testimony leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for writing the Smith Letter.

• $25,000 for the correct identification and contacting of G.E. Rees Jr. of 10714 Victory Boulevard, North Hollywood California between June 25, 1956 and June 30, 1946. If you know or suspect anything with regard to these or other matters, we encourage you to come forward immediately. Other rewards for specific verifiable information concerning this investigation may be available from time to time, so please contact us immediately if you have additional information.

  If you have concerns about the propriety of revealing information to us, we encourage you to consult with appropriate legal counsel. If necessary to ensure that laws and directives are not violated and that identities are protected, we are willing to work confidentially through legal counsel, or other method, of your choice. Please contact our legal counsel, Mr. Gary Eisenstat, at 214-939-2012.

*We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to determine what amounts of money, if any will be paid, and under what circumstances. Rewards may be paid over a period of five years at our discretion.