Lee Harvey Oswald was a former U.S. Marine who briefly defected to the Soviet Union before returning to America. He is the figure identified by multiple U.S. government investigations as the assassin of President John F. Kennedy in Dallas, Texas on November 22, 1963. Oswald consistently denied his involvement, famously claiming he was merely a 'patsy' in a larger plot. He was assassinated two days later by nightclub owner Jack Ruby while in police custody, cementing his place as one of the most controversial figures in modern history.