Who killed John F. Kennedy?
Two official U.S. investigations reached different conclusions about the 1963 assassination of President Kennedy. The 1964 Warren Commission found Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone; the 1979 House Select Committee on Assassinations found a probable conspiracy, resting on acoustic evidence that a National Academy of Sciences panel later discredited. This ledger tracks each finding against the responsible bodies' own reports.
5 established, 1 disputed, 1 debunked, 1 unresolved. We do not pick an answer; the evidence places each claim. How we decide
14 citations from 5 independent sources - 9 echo the same voices and count once. Graded A1-D1.
Added 3 Jul 2026 - updated 9 Jul 2026
What the four states mean
- Establishedsupported, uncontested
- Disputedcredible sources disagree
- Debunkedrefuted by the evidence
- Unresolvedno settled answer
Established 5supported, uncontested
Both official investigations found that Oswald's own rifle fired the shots that struck the president, and that the recovered bullet and fragments were fired from that rifle to the exclusion of all other weapons.▰▰▰▱▱ likely2 points
Supports- The nearly whole bullet found on Governor Connally's stretcher at Parkland Memorial Hospital and the two bullet fragments found in the front seat of the Presidential limousine were fired from the 6.5-millimeter Mannlicher-Carcano rifle found on the sixth floor of the Depository Building to the exclusion of all other weapons.Warren Commission Report, Chapter 1: Summary and Conclusions - U.S. National Archives authoritative
- Lee Harvey Oswald fired three shots at President John F. Kennedy. The second and third shots he fired struck the President. The third shot he fired killed the President.HSCA Final Report: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - U.S. National Archives authoritative
The Warren Commission concluded in 1964 that Lee Harvey Oswald fired the shots that killed Kennedy and wounded Governor Connally, and that it found no evidence Oswald was part of any conspiracy, foreign or domestic.▰▰▱▱▱ likely2 points
Supports- The shots which killed President Kennedy and wounded Governor Connally were fired by Lee Harvey Oswald.Warren Commission Report, Chapter 1: Summary and Conclusions - U.S. National Archives authoritative
- The Commission has found no evidence that either Lee Harvey Oswald or Jack Ruby was part of any conspiracy, domestic or foreign, to assassinate President Kennedy.Warren Commission Report, Chapter 1: Summary and Conclusions - U.S. National Archives authoritative
In 1979 the House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded that Kennedy was 'probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy,' while still finding Oswald fired the shots that killed him and being unable to identify any other gunman.▰▰▱▱▱ likely1 source
Supports- The committee believes, on the basis of the evidence available to it, that President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. The committee is unable to identify the other gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.HSCA Final Report: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - U.S. National Archives authoritative
A majority of Americans believe more than one person was involved in Kennedy's assassination.▰▰▱▱▱ likely1 source
Supports- The 65% of U.S. adults who think Oswald worked in concert with others and the 29% who say he was solely responsible are roughly in line with the previous readings from 10 years ago.Decades Later, Most Americans Doubt Lone Gunman Killed JFK - Gallup primary
No bullets, weapons, or physical evidence of a second gunman have ever been recovered; all recovered cartridge cases, bullets and fragments traced to Oswald's rifle.▰▰▰▱▱ roughly even chance1 against2 points
Supports- The three used cartridge cases found near the window on the sixth floor at the southeast corner of the building were fired from the same rifle which fired the above-described bullet and fragments, to the exclusion of all other weapons.Warren Commission Report, Chapter 1: Summary and Conclusions - U.S. National Archives authoritative
Against- Other scientific evidence does not preclude the possibility of two gunmen firing at the President. Scientific evidence negates some specific conspiracy allegations.HSCA Final Report: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - U.S. National Archives authoritative
Disputed 1credible sources disagree
The 'single-bullet theory' - that one bullet passed through Kennedy and also caused Governor Connally's wounds - is correct.▰▰▰▱▱ roughly even chance1 against2 points
Supports- Although it is not necessary to any essential findings of the Commission to determine just which shot hit Governor Connally, there is very persuasive evidence from the experts to indicate that the same bullet which pierced the President's throat also caused Governor Connally's wounds.Warren Commission Report, Chapter 1: Summary and Conclusions - U.S. National Archives authoritative
Against- The Commission did not conclude the single-bullet theory had been proven, as three members of the body, Representative Hale Boggs, Senators Richard Russell and John Cooper thought the theory improbable.Single-bullet theory - Wikipedia summary
Debunked 1refuted by the evidence
The acoustic ('dictabelt') evidence proves a second gunman fired from the grassy knoll.Refuted by
The acoustic analyses do not demonstrate that there was a grassy knoll shot, and in particular there is no acoustic basis for the claim of 95% probability of such a shot.
refuted1 against2 pointsThe claim rested on- Scientific acoustical evidence establishes a high probability that two gunmen fired at President John F. Kennedy.HSCA Final Report: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - U.S. National Archives authoritative
Refuted by- The acoustic analyses do not demonstrate that there was a grassy knoll shot, and in particular there is no acoustic basis for the claim of 95% probability of such a shot.Report of the Committee on Ballistic Acoustics (1982) - National Research Council / National Academy of Sciences authoritative
Unresolved 1no settled answer
Whether anyone besides Oswald was involved in planning the assassination remains unresolved in the official record.▰▰▰▱▱ roughly even chance1 against2 points
Supports- The committee is unable to identify the other gunman or the extent of the conspiracy.HSCA Final Report: Summary of Findings and Recommendations - U.S. National Archives authoritative
Against- The acoustic impulses attributed to gunshots were recorded about one minute after the President had been shot and the motorcade had been instructed to go to the hospital.Report of the Committee on Ballistic Acoustics (1982) - National Research Council / National Academy of Sciences authoritative
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