John Fitzgerald Byers
John Fitzgerald Byers was born on November 22nd
1963, the day
JFK was
assassinated, in
Sterling, Virginia, and was named after the fallen president â€" his parents were originally planning to call him Bertram after his father. Byers idolized his namesake, but always had suspicions about the real cause of his death.
He formerly worked as a public affairs officer for the
FCC in
Baltimore until May 1989. At this time he met Suzanne Modeski at a consumer electronics show in Baltimore and fell instantly in love with her. Initially lying about her identity to him, she revealed herself to be a scientist working for the Army Advanced Weapons facility and appealed to him for help in stopping one of her developments (a gas causing fear and paranoia) being used by the military on innocent civilians. Enlisting the help of
Melvin Frohike and
Richard Langly who were also at the electronics show, they succeeded and although Modeski was later kidnapped, she had awakened a desire in all three of them to uncover the truth, which subsequently led to the formation and publication of "The Lone Gunman" Newsletter, providing information on government cover-ups and conspiracy theories. Leaving the FCC and publishing the newsletter led to estrangement from his father, although the two were briefly reconciled in 2000.
Byers is rarely seen without his suit and tie and always impeccably turned out, sporting a neatly trimmed beard. The most conventional dresser of all the Gunmen, he is a straight man whenever they need someone who looks respectable.
He appears to specialize in biological and chemical phenomena; he is able to interpret
DNA strands, instantly informing
Mulder that
Scully's blood had been tampered with in "One Breath".
All three of the Lone Gunmen died in the X-Files episode "Jump The Shark", sacrificing themselves to save thousands from a terrorist created plague by using fire doors to seal themselves in a closed hallway with the man carrying the plague. AD
Skinner pulls some strings and arranges for them to be interred at
Arlington National Cemetery as tribute to their brave deeds.
