Paula’s Background
Paula Jean Neustal, later Paula Adams and Paula Mann, was born on January 3rd, 1949 in Pendleton, Oregon. The specific date when Paula joined the Peoples Temple is unclear, but it is noted that Adams joined the temple several years before moving to Guyana (Reiterman, Raven, 274). Paula Adams was a member of Peoples Temple who went to Guyana on one of the first trips to that country in 1974 and did not return to the U.S. until after the mass suicide. Paula was said to have joined the Temple a mixed-up 22-year-old with “no hope beyond the drinking and doping life of a manic-depressive.” (Reiterman, Raven, 274). On page 274 of Raven by Tim Reiterman, it is stated that Adams was a student at Santa Rosa, and lived in the dormitories. As she was not doing well academically Jim Jones decided to have Paula come work in Georgetown (Reiterman, Raven, 274). Adams was described as an attractive young white woman, which was somewhat of a rarity in the area (Reiterman, Raven, 274). Soon after Adams arrived in Guyana she began working principally in the Temple headquarters in Georgetown, acting as a liaison between the group and the Guyanese government; she rarely went to Jonestown. Paula Passed away on October 24th, 1983 in Bethesda, Maryland. Adams is buried at the Gate of Heaven Cemetary in Silver Spring, Maryland. Like Edith Roller, Paula Adams kept a diary. FBI copies of Paula’s diary can be found here, and recount her experiences working in Georgetown, her relationship with Laurence Mann, and her loyalties to Jim Jones.
Paula’s father Tom Adams, was also a Temple member. Though he did not move to Guyana Tom was a radio operator for the Temple in San Francisco, and even transmitted some calls during the Stoen dispute (Reiterman, Raven, 382). In San Francisco, Tom Adams worked with Sandy Bradshaw and Jean Brown. During the Leo Ryan conflicts, the three gathered on the second floor of the Temple awaiting news from Jonestown. They were hopeful that Ryan would return from Guyana making positive remarks about Jonestown, and their troubles would disappear (Reiterman, Raven, 523). On the day of the revolutionary suicide, it is noted that Sandy Bradshaw was the one who informed Adams of what was taking place in Jonestown (Reiterman, Raven, 542).
Diagram showing Paula Adams’s relationships and family members.
Paula’s Work in the Peoples Temple
On page 274 of Raven by Tim Reiterman, it is noted that Paula Adams conducted most of her work on the boulevard of the Presidential Palace, which was a street away from the American Embassy, where Jones held healing services. Ritterman states that Adams curried favor with officials and influential citizens. It is highlighted that Adams worked with the Guyanese government to facilitate moving Temple members to Jonestown. Paula Adams worked closely with Sharon Amos, and Debbie Touchette while working on the Lamaha Gardens public relations team (Reiterman, Raven, 412-413). Though the women worked closely, it is stated that Sharon Amos was sent to keep Adams in line after Jones found out that she was not being entirely truthful in her reports to him (Reiterman, Raven, 413).
It is known that Jones assigned many young attractive women to seduce Guyanese officials in order to get inside information on how the local government perceived the Temple. Stories highlight that Adams befriended Jeff Haas, Grace Stoen’s attorney, while disguised as an American tourist. This was done during the height of the Stoen case when Haas was in Georgetown to talk to a Guyanese magistrate about John Victor Stoen’s return (Reiterman, Raven, 361). There have also been mentions that Paula secretly recorded a number of her future husband, Laurence Mann’s Private telephone conversations with Guyanese officials. Transcripts were even found in Jonestown. Though she was very active in Temple work Adams expressed a dislike for many Jonestown administrators and volunteered to quit Georgetown and settle in the jungle (Reiterman, Raven, 311).
Adams participated in many key conversations in Georgetown. On page 386 of Raven by Tim Reiterman, it is highlighted that Adams had played the “child molester” tape for Dick McCoy. Later on page 542: Adams, Debbie Touchette, and Stephan Jones are said to have heard orders over the radio from Jim Jones calling for revolutionary suicide. Tim Carter, Mike Prokes, Debbie Touchette, Sharon Amos, and Paula Adams took roles in the Guyana-Korea Friendship Society. This group sponsored two seminars on some of North Korean Leader, Kim Il Sung’s revolutionary concepts (Reiterman, Raven, 413)
Paula Neustel and other temple members planting seedlings as part of the Ukiah 4-H Club.
On the Day of the Jonestown Massacre
Paula was in Georgetown on November 18, 1978, and survived the horror of the deaths that day. There is no record of Paula’s thoughts on the events. It has been noted that Adams remained supportive of Jim Jones and the events that occurred at Jonestown even after the suicide. It is stated by fellow Temple member, Laura Johnston Kohl, that Adams was in jones’s inner circle, and was a very centered person who put others before herself. Paula Adams was deeply dedicated to Temple philosophy. Read more of Laura’s recollection of Adams here.
Relationship with Laurence Mann
Laurence Mann was the Guyanese ambassador to the United States While the Temple was in Jonestown. You can read an example of some of Mann’s work in parliament here. While working in Georgetown Paula Adams met Laurence Mann, and the two quickly began a relationship, which Paula would hid from Jim Jones for as long as possible. It is stated on page 386 of Raven by Tim Reiterman that Mann and Adams had affairs at the residence of Arthur Chung who was the President of Guyana. It is noted that Katsaris, prepared to sue the Peoples Temple for defamation persuaded Mann to intervene. At one point Adams even fixed dinks for Katsaris and Mann during a meeting. Paula is said to have been very secretive about her relationship with Mann and would make Jim feel like he was completely in control.
After the mass suicide in Jonestown Laurence Mann and Paula Adams got married. Paula was Laurence’s third wife, and he had three other children from his previous marriages. In 1982 Mann and Adams had a son named, Laurence Alexander Mann. their child suffered from pyloric stenosis which is a congenital stomach issue that causes vomiting. The couple moved to the East coast, far from the memories of Jonestown. It is known that Adams was psychologically and possibly physically abused by Mann, and within a few years of their marriage the couple split.
Laurence’s sister, Lesley King said this about her brother and Paula’s relationship, “He didn’t share that part of his life. It was very personal.” on the day of the suicide King reports seeing Mann twice at her office and they had talked about “passing nonsense . . . current events. They just bombed the Marines in Beirut. We talked about that.” there was no hint of what was occurring at Jonestown. Read more from king here.
Paula’s Death
Laurence Mann would eventually return to Paula Adam’s apartment and shot both Paula and their son before killing himself. This altercation was said to have been initiated by a domestic dispute over custody and visitation rights. The three were killed by one shot each from a handgun. It is reported that at about 9:30 pm a man passing Adam’s apartment heard “terrible screams” and banging on the walls, followed by two gunshots. After hearing this the man asked the woman at the front door to call the police. When police arrived they found the bodies just inside the apartment. Both Paula and her son had died from gunshot wounds to the head, and Mann died about two hours later at Suburban Hospital. Adams’s 3-year-old niece Stephanie Sue Watson Read more about this tragedy here.
Images of Paula Adams