The testimony of Domingo Benavides was taken at 2:30 p.m., on April 2,
1964, in the office of the U.S. attorney, 301 Post Office Building,
Bryan and Ervay Streets, Dallas, Tex., by Mr. David W. Belin, assistant
counsel of the President's Commission.
Mr. BELIN. You want to raise your hand and stand up and be sworn.
Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help you God?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I do.
Mr. BELIN. Will you state your name for our reporter, please?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Domingo Benavides.
Mr. BELIN. How old are you, sir?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I am 27, April the 9th. I am now 26.
Mr. BELIN. Single or married?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Married.
Mr. BELIN. Family?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Two children and one expected sometime this month.
Mr. BELIN. Where are you from originally?
Mr. BENAVIDES. From Dallas.
Mr. BELIN. You were born in Dallas?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Go to school in Dallas?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. How far did you go through school?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Tenth grade.
Mr. BELIN. Then what did you do when you got out of school?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I just went to work.
Mr. BELIN. Where did you work first?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Merchants Delivery.
Mr. BELIN. What did you do?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I was helper on a truck and part-time mechanic; mechanic
helper.
Mr. BELIN. How long did you work for them?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I imagine about 2 years.
Mr. BELIN. Then what did you do?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I went into the Navy.
Mr. BELIN. What did you do in the Navy?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yeoman and seaman.
Mr. BELIN. How long were you in the Navy?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Three years.
Mr. BELIN. Honorable discharge?
Mr. BENAVIDES. No, sir.
Mr. BELIN. You did not have an honorable discharge?
Mr. BENAVIDES. No, sir.
Mr. BELIN. What did you do when you got out of the Navy?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I returned to work for Merchants Delivery.
Mr. BELIN. Then what did you do?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Well, just from there I jumped around from roofing
companies. I started in roofing then and I worked for Donald Bost,
which is Town & Country Roofing Co., for on up until about 4 years ago,
I guess. Then I just started mechanicing.
Mr. BELIN. You started to become an automobile mechanic?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes.
Mr. BELIN. For whom did you work then?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I worked in Martinez, Calif., for Donley Chevrolet &
Cadillac Co., and then later on I was transferred to their paint and
body shop, and then I came back to Dallas and I worked for Mr. Harris.
Mr. BELIN. For whom?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Mr. Harris, at Dootch Motors.
Mr. BELIN. Dootch Motors?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Are you still working for them now? That is, as a mechanic?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. How long have you been working for Dootch now?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Well, off and on about 3 years. During this time I went
back to Merchants Delivery and worked there and then I worked for
Southern Delivery, too.
Mr. BELIN. Now when was the last time you went back to Dootch Motors?
Mr. BENAVIDES. It's been a year ago.
Mr. BELIN. You have been working for them ever since?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. Taking you back to November 22, 1963, anything unusual
happen that day?
Mr. BENAVIDES. On the 22d?
Mr. BELIN. 22d of November 1963?
Mr. BENAVIDES. This would be embarrassing. Was that the day of the
Assassination of the President?
Mr. BELIN. Yes.
Mr. BENAVIDES. I was thinking it was the 24th. Well, nothing except it
seemed like a pretty nice day.
Mr. BELIN. Do you remember what day of the week it was?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I don't remember.
Mr. BELIN. Do you remember the day that the President was assassinated?
Mr. BENAVIDES. No.
Mr. BELIN. Do you remember that he was assassinated in Dallas?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Oh, yes; I remember this.
Mr. BELIN. That day you had lunch, were you at work that day?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Yes, sir.
Mr. BELIN. You had lunch?
Mr. BENAVIDES. I had lunch. And then this man had stalled this car in
the middle of the street and asked me if I would fix it. Something was
wrong with the carburetor, or pump that had broken in it, and I went
around to the parts house to get the parts for it.
Mr. BELIN. Where had the man's car stopped in the middle of the street?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Well, on Patton Street.
Mr. BELIN. Patton and what?
Mr. BENAVIDES. Between Jefferson and 10th.