Gordon Michael Duane Novel (February 7, 1938 – October 3, 2012) was a private investigator and electronics expert, who was known for several controversial investigations. He was most notable for his conflict with District Attorney Jim Garrison and his work as investigator for automobile industry executive John DeLorean and U.S. Attorney General Ramsey Clark. Early life Novel grew up in New Orleans living as an only child with his mother. He graduated from East Jefferson High School in 1956, spent a brief period studying engineering at Northrop Aeronautical Institute of Technology, the University of Southern California and tried motion picture directing classes at the Pasadena Playhouse. He met his former wife, Marlene Mancuso, Miss New Orleans 1958, at the Louisiana State University. Career In 1960, Novel bought a dragstrip in Hammond, Louisiana, together with associate Ranny Ehlinger. Later he produced auto shows in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Atlanta. Bay of Pigs weapons In February 1961 Novel was part of a group of people which stole weapons from a munitions bunker in Houma, Louisiana, which was owned by the Schlumberger Company. Novel claimed the theft had been planned by Guy Banister and David Ferrie, who at the time were actively involved in the anti-communist/anti-Castro groups. According to a report in the New Orleans States-Item newspaper Banister served as a munitions supplier for the 1961 Bay of Pigs Invasion and continued to deal weapons from his office until 1963. Gus Russo has written about the existence of a letter of marque, signed by Robert F. Kennedy, who was U.S. Attorney General at the time, which supposedly gave Banister the go-ahead to "liberate" the weaponry although the letter has never been proved to have existed. Novel claimed to have received a key to the bunker from Banister. The stolen munitions were allegedly stored at Banister's office in Camp Street, New Orleans and at Ferrie's house. Novel claimed that the act was not illegal but had been arranged by the CIA as part of Operation Mongoose. While taking a lie detector test, Novel stated that the burglary was not a burglary at all, but a war materials pickup made at the direction of his CIA contact. 1964 New York World's Fair In the early 60's, Novel served as Director of Operations for the 'Bourbon Street Pavilion' at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The pavilion reportedly achieved the highest gross income of any