FACT CHECK: No, JFK Jr. Is Not Still Alive
An image shared on Facebook purportedly shows photographic proof that John F. Kennedy Jr. is still alive.
Verdict: False
Kennedy died in 1999. The photo shows the U.S. Army’s 1st Theater Sustainment Command unit.
Fact Check:
The Facebook post combines two photos: one on the left of Kennedy, and the other showing military personnel standing in a circular formation. The image singles out a man in the military formation and shares a zoomed-in photo of him. “Is JFK Jr. alive? Yes,” text in the image states.
The image’s caption quotes Kennedy as saying, “I will expose my Fathers K.il.le.r.s no Matter who they are, even if I have to bring down the whole Government.” (RELATED: Was Joe Biden Involved In A Plot To Kidnap JFK Jr?)
Kennedy, his wife and his sister-in-law died in July 1999 after their plane crashed off the coast of Martha’s Vineyard, The Washington Post reported. The remains of all three were found in the ocean days after the crash, according to the outlet. Several major media outlets, such as CNN, The Boston Globe and the Los Angeles Times also reported on the plane crash and Kennedy’s death.
Through a reverse image search, Check Your Fact found the image showing the military formation posted on Facebook in October 2018 by the U.S. Army’s 1st Theater Sustainment Command unit. The photo shows the team forming the symbol on the unit’s patch at Fort Knox in Kentucky, according to the caption on Facebook.
An internet search turned up no record of Kennedy saying he’d expose his father’s killer, either. Fact-checking organization Lead Stories debunked the claim in January.
This is not the first time social media users have shared a claim that Kennedy is still alive. Check Your Fact in April debunked the baseless claim that he faked his death in order to avoid being assassinated by former President Bill Clinton.