Originator: HSCA
From: PIERCE, RIO S.
Document date: 1978-05-29 00:00:00
Document type: SUMMARY

# DOCID-32248408

## Page 1

JFK Assassination System

Identification Form

Agency Information

Date:

10/14/20

AGENCY:

HSCA

RECORD NUMBER :

180-10078-10466

RECORD SERIES : NUMBERED FILES

AGENCY FILE NUMBER: 009415

Document Information

ORIGINATOR: HSCA

FROM:

TO :

TITLE :

PIERCE, RIO S.

Released under the John F. Kennedy

Assassination Records Collection act c

1992 (44 USC 2107 Note). Case#: NW

56000 Date: 11-04-2021

DATE:

PAGES:

SUBJECTS :

05/29/1978

4

DALLAS, POLICE DEPARTMENT

RUBY, JACK; BACKGROUND

PIERCE, RIO S.

OSWALD, LEE; MURDER BY RUBY; TRANSFER T40

COUNTY JAIL

DOCUMENT TYPE: SUMMARY

CLASSIFICATION: Unclassified

RESTRICTIONS: Open in Full

CURRENT STATUS: Redact

DATE OF LAST REVIEW: 07/22/1909

OPENING CRITERIA :

COMMENTS :

Box 173.

v9.1

NW 66000 Docld:32248408 Page 1

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## Page 2

KENNEDY

009415

INVESTIGATION INTERVIEW SCHEDULE

1.

Identifying Information:

Name RIO S PiERCE

Address RT# 3

City/State ENNIS, TEXAS 25119

Date of Birth 7-26-23

Social security 454-26-7994

2. Physical Description:

Height_

_5-9

weight

160

Ethnic Group

Date _5-29-78 2PM

Placé RESIDENCE

Telephone 214/875-8300

MOr S

M

spouse Dorothy L

Children 3

Color Eyes

Hair

Special Characteristics

3.

4.

Personal History:

a.

Present Employment: DEPT OF AGRICULTURE

Address ENNIS, TEXAS

Telephone_

b..

Criminal Record

1. Arrests

2. Convictions

Additional Personal Information:

a. Relative(s) : Name

Address

b. Area frequented:

c. Remarks:

Investigator,

Date

5-29-78

Form #4-B

NW 66000 Docld:32248408 Page 2

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## Page 3

KENNEDY

SELECT COMMITTEE ON ASSASSINATIONS

Name

RIO S. Pierce

Address Route #3

Date May 29, 1978 Time 2 PM

Place

_residence

Ennis, Texas 75119

214 875 8300

Interview: Staff Investigator Joseph J. Basteri interviewed Rio

S. Pierce who entered the Dallas Police Department in 1946 and re-

tired January 8, 1974. He is now employed part-time with the De-

partment of Agriculture.

Mr. Pierce was a member of the Uniform Patrol Division

and on Sunday, November 24, 1963 was working from 7AM to 3PM.. He

held the rank of Lieutenant and on that day supervised 8 to 10 men

and 2 sergeants detailed to the basement and adjoining rooms.

Mr:

Pierce then stated that he was then assigned the responsibility to

escort the armored truck out of the basement., Pierce explained that

there were two ramps in and out of the basement. The Main ramp was

the exit. The armored truck, which was going to be used.as a decoy, i

backed into Commerce Street, but because of its height could not

back completely into the basement causing the ramp to be blocked.

Pierce stated that he then decided to exit the Main Street ramp so

that he could get out and then back his car into the Commerce Street

ramp and place it in position in front of the armored truck. He

then proceeded to exit the Main Street ramp and in doing so he

Interviewer Signature

Typed Signature Josepl

Deeps Bidderi

J. Basteri

Date transcribed June 15, 1978

By:

NW 66000 Docld:32248408 Page 3

RosS

Form #4-A

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## Page 4

Pierce Interview

Page two

noticed P. O. Vaughn, who was stationed at this ramp, taking

one or two steps off the sidewalk and into the street to safely

•direct him out into the traffic. Pierce,

who was with two other

members of the force did notice several persons standing at the

entrance of the ramp, but did not know if they were waiting

there or just walking by and waiting for his car to pass them

so that they could continue to walk. Pierce stated he knew Ruby

and Napoleon Daniels, but did not see them. In fact, Pierce

remarked that he was not aware of who was standing at the

entrance because his concentration was to maneuver his vehicle

in front of the armored truck. Pierce does recall Vaughn being

in the gutter and he was either motioning his hands or blowing

his whistle to stop the traffic in order for him to get out of

the ramp. After leaving the ramp, he drove to Harwood Street and

made a left to Commerce Street where he made another left turn.

Pierce then said that as he arrived at Commerce Street ramp, he

does not recall whether he parked the vehicle at the curb or backed

it into the Commerce Street ramp, but at about this time, they

were aware that something had happened inside the basement. They

immediately ran into the basement and learned what had happened.

After LHO had been taken to Parkland Hospital, Pierce decided

also to go there as

a precaution for security reasons. He was

not ordered to go there, but took the action as a supervisor.

He does not recall entering the hospital:

Pierce admits knowing Ruby from the late forties or

early fifties as the Silver Spur was on his post. He described

NW 66000 Docld:32248408 Page 4

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## Page 5

Pierce interview

Page three

Ruby as wanting to know people of influence, even if it was

only a casual meeting. Pierce said that he would never be

afraid to go into any one of Ruby's places without a nightstick

or gun as Ruby ran a place where one could not get hurt. Pierce

did say that he would not trust ruby and always had the feeling

that he had something to do with mob people, but could not prove

it. Pierce said he had the feeling that Ruby did something wrong

to some Chicago bad guys and had to flee to Dallas. He denied that

Ruby had told him this, merely stating he just had that feeling.

Pierce believes that Dallas had no organized crime that had

'eastern and northern influence. Pierce did state that Dallas did

have a criminal element, but he was never in a position to deter-

mine how organized they were. He stated that he was always as-

signed to the Uniform Patrol Division which made it very difficult

for him to make his own observations concerning the organization

of these groups. Pierce did say that from his own knowledge, he

did not believe Ruby was linked with these criminal elements.

NW 66000 Docld:32248408

Page 5

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