When Robert F. Kennedy was gunned down in the kitchen pantry of the Ambassador Hotel in 1968, the world basically stopped. Most of us have seen that grainy, black-and-white shot of the busboy, Juan Romero, cradling a dying Bobby on the floor. It’s haunting. But the real clinical stuff—the autopsy photos of RFK and the X-rays—didn't hit the public eye the same way. For decades, those images were tucked away in the California State Archives, accessible only to researchers and investigators. Honestly, the medical evidence is where the whole "second gunman" theory really lives or dies.
You've probably heard the name Thomas Noguchi. He was the L.A. County Chief Medical Examiner, the guy they called the "coroner to the stars." He did the autopsies on Marilyn Monroe and John Belushi, too. When it came to RFK, Noguchi was obsessed with getting it right because he knew how much the medical community had criticized the botched autopsy of JFK five years earlier. He wanted his work to be bulletproof. Ironically, it’s his very precision that fueled decades of conspiracy theories.
The Shot Behind the Ear
Here is the thing about the autopsy photos of RFK: they show something that eyewitnesses didn't actually see.
Almost every person in that pantry said Sirhan Sirhan was standing a few feet in front of Kennedy. But Noguchi’s autopsy report—and the photos of the entry wounds—tell a totally different story. The fatal shot entered behind Bobby’s right ear. Even crazier, Noguchi found "powder burns" (soot) on the skin.
In forensics, that means the gun was basically touching him. We’re talking a distance of maybe an inch or less.
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If Sirhan was in front, how did a bullet end up point-blank behind the ear?
This is the central mystery that keeps researchers digging through the archives. The photos document three distinct hit points:
- The fatal head wound behind the right ear.
- A shot to the right armpit/chest area.
- A shot about an inch below that, also in the back/shoulder region.
Why the Evidence Was Locked Up
For a long time, the Kennedy family fought to keep these records private. You can't really blame them. Seeing your father or husband on a cold metal table isn't something anyone wants for the world to see. But in the 1980s, the LAPD files—including nearly 2,900 photographs—were finally transferred to the California State Archives.
There was a big push in 2025 and early 2026 to declassify even more of these records. In January 2025, an executive order was signed to release remaining files on RFK and Martin Luther King Jr. This resulted in tens of thousands of pages being digitized.
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While the most graphic autopsy photos of RFK are often still restricted to prevent "sensationalism," the diagrams and medical descriptions are out there. They reveal a messy, chaotic crime scene. For instance, the "bullet count" has always been a mess. Sirhan’s gun held eight rounds. But if you count the holes in the wall, the ceiling, and the wounds in Kennedy and the five other people who were hit... well, some experts say the math just doesn't add up to eight.
What the Experts Say Now
Not everyone thinks there was a second shooter. The "official" stance from groups like the 1975 Kranz Commission is that Sirhan did it alone. They argue that in the chaos, Kennedy might have turned his head at the exact millisecond the shots were fired.
But then you have people like Dr. Cyril Wecht, a legendary forensic pathologist. He’s been a vocal critic for years, arguing that the trajectory simply doesn't match Sirhan's position.
Basically, the autopsy photos of RFK are more than just morbid historical artifacts. They are the primary source for anyone trying to figure out if Sirhan Sirhan was a "patsy" or a lone wolf.
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Actionable Insights for Researchers
If you're actually looking to see this evidence for yourself or research the case seriously, don't just look at random blogs. Here’s what you should actually do:
- Check the National Archives (NARA): Since the 2025 declassification orders, NARA has been uploading massive amounts of "KENSALT" (the FBI's code name for the RFK case) files. Look for the "LA 56-156" exhibits.
- Visit the California State Archives: They hold the "Special Unit Senator" files. You can actually request to see microfilm copies of the investigative photos, though some medical photos remain restricted for privacy.
- Read Noguchi’s "Coroner": Thomas Noguchi wrote a book that explains his findings in plain English. It's a great way to understand why he stood by his "contact wound" finding even when it made the police look bad.
- Look into the Pruszynski Recording: Combine the medical evidence with the only known audio recording of the shooting. Some forensic audio experts claim they hear 13 shots on that tape—way more than Sirhan’s gun could hold.
Understanding the autopsy photos of RFK requires looking past the shock value and focusing on the ballistics. The distance of the gun, the angle of the entry, and the soot on the skin—those are the facts that haven't changed in over 50 years, no matter how many times the official story is retold.
Next Steps for Your Research:
To get a full picture of the medical evidence, you should look for the 1975 "Wolfer Board of Inquiry" records. These documents specifically address the ballistics discrepancies found during the initial autopsy and explain how the LAPD tried to reconcile the "one inch" distance with Sirhan's known position. You can find many of these digitized through the California Secretary of State’s website.