Report of the President's Commission on the Assassination of President John F. Kennedy

The Unanswered Questions

This section addresses unanswerable questions about Oswald’s mindset in the week before the assassination. It notes that after his November 15 argument with Marina over his alias, he skipped his usual weekend visit to Irving, only returning on November 21. He asked coworker Frazier for a ride to Irving that morning, falsely claiming he needed to pick up curtain rods for a new apartment. The Commission states he had likely planned the attack by November 21 at the latest, and that public reporting of the presidential motorcade route (which would pass the Texas School Book Depository) starting November 15 made the target accessible to him. It also explores Oswald’s long-standing personal struggles: his sense of isolation, failed attempts to find belonging in the U.S. Marine Corps, the Soviet Union, and Cuba, his strained marriage, and his feeling of being unwelcome at the Paine home, all of which may have shaped his state of mind. The Commission clarifies that marital conflict alone did not cause the assassination, as Oswald’s underlying hostility and desire for historical recognition predated his marriage.

Oswald’s Post-Assassination Behavior and Arrest

Oswald’s actions following the assassination provide limited insight into his motives. He took only $13.87 with him when he left Irving on November 22, suggesting he did not expect to escape far, similar to a note he sent his wife before his earlier attempt to kill General Walker. After the assassination, he returned to his roominghouse to retrieve his revolver, killed Patrolman J.D. Tippit when Tippit attempted to question him, and was arrested at the Texas Theatre after resisting arrest. Officers testified that at the time of his arrest, he stated “it’s all over now.” During interrogation, he was overbearing and arrogant, consistently denying involvement in the assassination or Tippit’s murder, and handling questioning with composure while lying about other matters, with his denials holding no probative value given the overwhelming evidence against him.