Affidavits, Declarations and Statements


July 9, 1984

United States District Court
Eastern District of North Carolina

Affidavit of Brendan Battle (FBI) re: Greg Mitchell

Attachment

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE
EASTERN DISTRICT OF NORTH CAROLINA
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, plaintiff :
VS. : CASE No. 75-26-CR-3
JEFFREY R. MACDONALD, defendant :
I, Brendan J. Battle, being duly sworn does depose and say that:

1. I am a Special Agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (hereafter FBI) assigned to the Charlotte, North Carolina, Field office.

2. On November 24, 1981, Gregory Howard Mitchell voluntarily appeared at the Charlotte office of the FBI. Mitchell was advised by Special Agent Brendan J. Battle that the purpose of the interview was to determine his knowledge surrounding the details of the murder of the family of Jeffrey MacDonald at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in February, 1970.

3. Mitchell is a white male born July 6, 1950, and resided at 1508 Wensley Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina, with an unlisted telephone number, (704) 553-1762 or 1763. Mitchell at the time was part owner with Ron Mills in Mills-Mitchell Electric Company, 1445 East Seventh Street, Charlotte, North Carolina, telephone (704) 332-1521 or 1522.

4. Mitchell advised that he had no photograph of himself taken during the general time frame of 1970.

5. Mitchell supplied a three-page signed statement (attached), which is reported verbatim as follows:


"I, Gregory Howard Mitchell, reside at 1508 Wensley Drive, Charlotte, NC. I am a white male, born July 6, 1950. I have voluntarily appeared at the Charlotte office of the FBI to be interviewed by Special Agent Brendan J. Battle about the MacDonald family murders at Fort Bragg, NC in 1970.

"At that time, I was a Specialist 4th Class assigned to Headquarters, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. I left there shortly after the MacDonald murders for a tour in Vietnam. I was discharged six months later.

"I was a heroin addict from 1966 until three months before my discharge on 02/25/71. I was fully rehabilitated at the time of my discharge and have not had any heroin since that time.

"While at Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, NC, I spent some time with Helena Stoeckley for a period of eight months to a year before I left there for Vietnam. Stoeckley was a heroin addict during the whole time I knew her and got money from her father, a retired army Colonel, and sold drugs to support her habit. Stoeckley claimed to be a "cult" member and to be a witch, but I never paid any attention to that and have no knowledge of these activities.

"I was at home in Fayetteville the night of the MacDonald murders. My stepfather is Vance Ledford, and my mother's name is Violet. They now live in Gibson, NC. I lived with them as well as maintaining quarters in the barracks on Fort Bragg. I learned of the murders from the media the next morning.

"At approximately 4:00 p.m. that day, I saw Stoeckley in the park at Fayetteville, and she said that she 'might have been involved' but she did not know for sure and did not think that she was. I have no personal knowledge of the murders. I was never questioned at that time by CID, FBI, Fayetteville Police or any other law enforcement agency.

"I was questioned about the MacDonald case in 1971 about six months after I got out of the service. This took place in Wadesboro, NC, where I was staying with my sister. The agents were with the SBI. The two agents questioned me about the MacDonald murders, and I told them the truth. I took a polygraph as to the information, and it was determined I was telling the truth and that I had no personal knowledge of the MacDonald murders.

"I did not know Jeffrey MacDonald and had never heard of him until the murders of his family. I also never knew or heard of any of his family.

"I do not recall the names Johnny Fowler, Allen P. Mazerolle or Dwight Smith. I know Don Harris but not by the name Shelby Don Harris. Harris was from Tennessee, and I met him in Vietnam. Harris was not a drug addict but did use some LSD and a few ups and downs. He was at Fort Bragg at the time of the MacDonald murders. Harris knew Stoeckley. I have not seen Harris since I left Fort Bragg in 1970. I do not know where he is at this time.

"I have never been interviewed by Private Investigator Gunderson, Beasley or any others in this case. I am quite sure the two agents who interviewed me at Wadesboro NC, were SBI agents and not CID agents.

"I am willing to testify to the information I have provided.

"/s/ I have read these three pages, and the information is correct to the best of my knowledge. I have given this information of my own free will. I have initialed each page and each correction.

"/s/ Gregory Howard Mitchell

"Witnessed:
"/s/ Brendan J. Battle
"SA, FBI 11/14/1981"

6. On December 11, 1981, Gregory Howard Mitchell, 1508 Wensley Drive, was recontacted concerning his exact whereabouts on the night of the MacDonald murders at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, in February, 1970.

7. Mitchell stated he is positive he was at the home of his stepfather, Vance Ledford, and his mother Violet. Mitchell stated he could not normally recall such a fact but he recalls that when Helena Stoeckley told him about the MacDonald murders the next day, he knew then where he was the previous night. He stated that this is the reason the he can recall his whereabouts.

8. Mitchell's stepfather and mother presently live in Gibson, North Carolina, telephone (919) 268-4791. They would probably recall that he was at their home that night.

Further your affiant sayeth not.

BRENDAN J. BATTLE
Special Agent, FBI

Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day of July, 1984.

(illegible) Smith, Jr.
NOTARY PUBLIC

My Commission Expires 4/11/88



Attachment
November 24, 1981: Handwritten statement of Greg Mitchell
Transcript

Nov. 24, 1981: Handwritten statement of Greg Mitchell, p. 1 of 3 Nov. 24, 1981: Handwritten statement of Greg Mitchell, p. 2 of 3 Nov. 24, 1981: Handwritten statement of Greg Mitchell, p. 3 of 3