Marilyn Sitzman and Beatrice Hester Down the Knoll in Skaggs09

[Charles Collins]

The Hesters can be seen in Bronson near the pergola as the limo approaches the Stemmons sign

Thanks Robin, I read the entire thread on the ed forum that I linked to earlier. Not everyone there appears  to be convinced that that is the Hesters. There are some major conflicts between their 11/22/63 account and the FBI reports dated 11/25/63. If we choose to believe the 11/22/63 account to be correct, then it is possible that the Hesters were near the pergola. But if the 11/25/63 reports are correct, then the couple on the south side of Elm Street appear to fit that description.

[Charles Collins]

The couple on the south side infield (as seen in Cancellere) can be seen running in this Bell GIF

Thanks again Robin. That is interesting. I need to take another look at the Bell film.

[Robin Unger]

Beatrice and Sitzman seen in Cook standing together.

[Charles Collins]

Beatrice and Sitzman seen in Cook standing together.

It appears that Beatrice is carrying Stizman’s black purse for her.

[Charles Collins]

Here is the text from the 11/22/63 account (I highlighted the address):


VOLUNTARY STATEMENT. Not Under Arrest Form No. 86
SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT
COUNTY OF DALLAS, TEXAS
Before me, the undersigned authority, on this the 22nd day of November A.D. 1963 personally appeared Charles Hester, Address 2616 Keyhole, Irving Age 28 , Phone No. None
Deposes and says:

My wife, Beatrice and I were sitting on the grass on the slope on Elm Street where the park is located. When President Kennedy's car got almost down to the underpass, I heard two shots ring out. Thye [sic] sounded like they came from immediately behind us and over our heads. We did [not?] see the shooting. I immediately turned and looked at the Texas Book Depository building and did not see anyone. The shots sounded like the [sic] definitely came from in or around the building. I grabbed my wife because I didn't know where the next shot was coming from and dragged her up next to the concrete imbankment [sic] and threw her down on the ground and got on the ground with her. Then there was utter confusion. The Police rushed toward the railroad tracks and I finally found an officer to go to the Texas Book Depository Building. The officer I contacted was Officer Wiseman of the Dallas Sheriff's Department.

/s/ Charles Hester

Subscribed and sworn to before me on this the 22nd day of Nov A. D. 1963

/s/ Aleen Davis
Notary Public, Dallas County, Texas


And here is the text from the 11/25/63 FBI report (I highlighted the address):


FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION

Date 11/25/63

CHARLES HESTER, 2610 Mayhold Street, furnished the following information:

At approximately 12:30 p.m., November 22, 1963, HESTER and his wife, BEATRICE, were standing along the street at the point immediately preceeding the underpass on Elm Street where President JOHN F. KENNEDY was shot. HESTER stated he saw the President slump in the seat of the car and that he heard two shots fired drom what appeared to be a building located on the corner of Elm Street and Houston Street. He Stated he and his wife were almost in a direct line of the fire and he immediately grabbed his wife and shoved her to the ground. He stated hethereafter immediately escorted his wife across to the north side of the street on an embankment in an attempt to gain shelter.



HESTER stated he did not see anyone with a gun at the time the shots were fired and that after the President's car had pulled away from the scene and officers started toward the aforementioned building, he and his wife proceeded to their car and left the area.

on 11/24/63 at Irving, Texas File # DL 89-43

By Special Agent DOYLE WILLIAMS and HENRY J. OLIVER Date Dictated 11/25/63



The street view on google maps of 2616 Keyhole Street shows a small brick home with the appearance of a typical home that might be there in 1963; So I believe this one is correct. The address on the FBI report doesn’t seem to exist. So I have to guess that this is a clerical error. And I am also guessing that perhaps there was a mixup in exactly who’s account the FBI’s report contains. It doesn’t resemble the 11/22/63 Sheriff’s report in several ways. This appears to be the most likely explanation to me. Someone at the FBI might have made a mistake.

[Ray Mitcham]

Charles the Hesters could have been to the North side of the free way access road, and then moved over the Elm Street extension which runs in front of the TSBD.

[Charles Collins]

Charles the Hesters could have been to the North side of the free way access road, and then moved over the Elm Street extension which runs in front of the TSBD.

Thanks for the thought Ray. Here is what the report says:

He Stated he and his wife were almost in a direct line of the fire and he immediately grabbed his wife and shoved her to the ground. He stated hethereafter immediately escorted his wife across to the north side of the street on an embankment in an attempt to gain shelter.


The embankment is on the south side and to the west of the Elm Street Extension. And the only thing immediately north of it is the TSBD.

The un-named couple south of Elm Street can be seen in the Cancellare photo beginning to climb the embankment. It appears to me that they have just crossed Elm Street and are frightened and in a hurry. The descriptions in the 11/25/63 FBI reports for the Hesters fits the locations and activities of the un-named couple very well (in my opinion); and those FBI reports do not fit the Hester”s account or what can be seen of them in the photos and films. So a mixup of some description by the FBI appears to me to be the most likely explanation. The differences in the addresses between the Sheriff’s affidavit and the FBI reports could be a dictaphone transcription error. And it is conceivable (to me) that an interruption of some description could have caused someone to get the accounts of the two different couples mixed up.

What I am going to do next is search for any photographic evidence of the un-named couple laying on the ground. This would tend to further support the theory of an FBI screw-up.

[Robin Unger]

Thanks Robin, I read the entire thread on the ed forum that I linked to earlier. Not everyone there appears  to be convinced that that is the Hesters. There are some major conflicts between their 11/22/63 account and the FBI reports dated 11/25/63. If we choose to believe the 11/22/63 account to be correct, then it is possible that the Hesters were near the pergola. But if the 11/25/63 reports are correct, then the couple on the south side of Elm Street appear to fit that description.

Charles it makes sense that the couple seen in Bronson are the Hesters, prior to the motorcade arriving Zapruder filmed them in the same location.