JFK Assassination Records

Papers of J.W. Fritz


Background on the J. W. Fritz Papers

J. W. "Will" Fritz was a Dallas police captain at the time of the assassination of President John Kennedy. On the evening of November 22, 1963, he interviewed Lee Harvey Oswald. Two days later, he preceded Oswald out of the elevator into the basement of the Police Building just before Jack Ruby shot and killed Oswald. These papers came to the National Archives from the Assassination Records Review Board.

For questions about these records or copying information, please write to the Special Access and FOIA Staff at the National Archives at College Park, Room 6350, 8601 Adelphi Road, College Park, MD 20740-6001, call at (301) 837-3190 or e-mail: specialaccess_foia@nara.gov.

List of Documents in the Fritz Papers

Document List
Volume: 2 Inches


Folder 1:
  • Handwritten Notes of J.W. Fritz, 4 pages
  • Note from Capt. Crowder dated 11/24/63 at 8:30 p.m., concerning a note from an anonymous caller
  • Note concerning a telephone call to W. B. Slack at 1:39.
  • Letter from Dr. John Nichols to Will Fritz re: CE 543
  • Check for $1.00 to "The Bearer" from John Nichols, dated 10/1/74
  • Photograph of Commission Exhibits 141, 543, 544, and 545
  • CE 543
  • Original Warrant of Arrest (F-153) for the murder of John F. Kennedy, dated 11/22/63
  • Original Warrant of Arrest (F-154) for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald, dated 11/24/63
  • Report regarding the planned transfer of Lee Harvey Oswald to the Dallas County Jail, dated 11/26/63
  • Report regarding the possible transfer of Lee Harvey Oswald to the Dallas County Jail on 11/22/63, dated 11/27/63
  • Admissions of Jack Leon Ruby in Captain Fritz' office, 11/24/63
  • Report of Captain Fritz to Chief of Police J. E. Curry on the transfer of Lee Harvey Oswald, dated 12/8/63
  • Report of Captain Fritz on possible transfer of Lee Harvey Oswald to the Dallas County Jail on 11/22/63
  • Report of first interview of Lee Harvey Oswald by Thomas J. Kelley
  • Report of interviews with Lee Harvey Oswald on November 23, 1963, by Thomas J. Kelley
  • Report of Captain Fritz to Jesse Curry, regarding evidence in the Lee Harvey Oswald case
  • List of searches and seizures
  • List of time of occurrences
  • Interrogation of Lee Harvey Oswald
  • Affidavit F-153-- Murder of J. D. Tippit by Lee Harvey Oswald, dated 11/22/63
  • Copy of homicide report on John F. Kennedy, dated 11/23/63
  • Copy of Supplementary Offense Report regarding the clothes Lee Harvey Oswald was wearing when shot
Folder 2: Photographs
  • 6th floor of 411 Elm Street at the northwest corner where the gun was found near the stairs
  • Tippit squad car heading (facing) east, 400 block of 10th
  • View of 10th and Patton: Tippit shot 132 feet east of the curb line
  • Interior of Texas Theater and the seat where Oswald was sitting
  • Taken halfway up Commerce Street ramp, looking North
  • Photo of and engineer drawing made for the Secret Service showing the Elm and Houston area and the trajectory of bullets from the window to the street.
  • Front of the former residence of Lee Harvey Oswald at 214 W. Neely
  • Oswald in the backyard at 214 W. Neely
  • Gun found on the 6th floor of 411 Elm. The photograph was taken at the I.D. Bureau. The gun's strap is showing.
  • Jewelry of Lee Harvey Oswald (U.S.M.C. ring and I.D. bracelet)
  • Dallas Morning News photograph of J. W. Fritz, David Belin, John McCloy and others in the Dallas police garage.
  • Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald
  • Jack Ruby about to shoot Lee Harvey Oswald

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