</s>-2-248 (REV. 4:15:40) H. S. Department of Justire (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) DO NOT. FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number 49-3881/ Volume Number: T Serials. See also Nos. 1,234,10 File in Chocd 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and Secret Service investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on Holt Chew, a Denver resident with a history of violent behavior. Chew was interviewed in April 1968 regarding alleged involvement or knowledge of King’s assassination. He admitted to harboring resentment toward King due to financial losses linked to civil rights activities in Florida, where King’s followers allegedly disrupted his business. Chew claimed no direct connection to King’s death but expressed a desire for violent retribution against civil rights leaders like Stokely Carmichael and H.H. Brown. He also stated he made a telephone threat against King but later recanted, citing possible intoxication. The FBI noted Chew’s criminal history, including probation after shooting James Thomas Jackson in 1966, and his business ties in Georgia. His wife confirmed travel to Florida in 1968, with records showing he was born in Bert City, Georgia, and had a World War II military service record. Surveillance reports referenced individuals resembling suspects, such as "James Earl Ray," and included Denver police interactions.  

Additional FBI investigations focused on Holt Chew’s telephone activity in Denver around the time of King’s assassination, including toll call records checked by the Bureau. J.R. Keller, linked to Leavenworth Prison, was subject to record checks in Florence, Arizona, and federal repositories. Elbert E. Norton, a truck driver for Pacific InterMountain Express, was considered a suspect due to potential presence in Memphis during the assassination, with statements indicating satisfaction over King’s death due to perceived communist ties. The FBI tracked phone calls made by "Ray" from coin-operated telephones in Texas and California during December 1967, noting locations like Alpine, Grand Junction, and San Diego.  

Documents also referenced addresses on Clarkson Street in Denver linked to James Earl Ray (JER) and potential connections to King’s assassination. DMV records showed a 1968 Colorado license plate issued to Denis W. W. Shoppy for a 1966 Oldsmobile with an address at 363 Clarkson Street. Witnesses denied JER’s presence at 365 Clarkson Street, while discussions involved a "lush fund" for the killer of King, including William M. Scotty Jack in Denver and Paul Dangian (Casper, Wyoming). Flyers with Ray’s photo were distributed to hippie hangouts in Casper, including Lange’s Book Store and Robert’s Pizza House. FBI operations in Cheyenne, Wyoming, noted no known hippie joints there. A map referenced MLK’s murder, linking locations in Australia (e.g., Cambera) and Denver, with references to the Ebenezer Baptist Church.  

FBI instructions from May 2, 1968, directed fingerprint comparisons between James Zarl May and records dated April 23, 1967, to establish potential connections to Ray’s past whereabouts and source of funds. Senior Resident Agents were tasked with implementing these checks, submitting memos to the MURKINS file, and maintaining statistical records of time, mileage, and costs. Law enforcement agencies in Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, and Adams Counties were coordinated under SA Roy I. Mischke’s oversight.  

Key People  
- Holt Chew (subject of investigation, alleged resentment toward MLK)  
- James Thomas Jackson (victim of Chew’s 1966 shooting)  
- Stokely Carmichael, H.H. Brown (civil rights leaders referenced by Chew)  
- J.R. Keller (linked to Leavenworth Prison, record checks conducted)  
- Elbert E. Norton (truck driver under suspicion due to potential Memphis presence and statements about MLK)  
- James Earl Ray (JER)  
- Denis W. W. Shoppy (license plate owner linked to Clarkson Street address)  
- William M. Scotty Jack (involved in discussions about a "lush fund" for the killer of MLK)  
- Paul Dangian (Casper, Wyoming)  
- Ralph Schauss (Canada)  
- SA Roy I. Mischke (handler for Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams Counties)  

Key Locations  
- Denver, Colorado (Chew’s residence, FBI interviews, Clarkson Street addresses, toll call records)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (MLK’s assassination location)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (location of MLK’s assassination)  
- Leavenworth Prison, Kansas (J.R. Keller’s incarceration)  
- Florence, Arizona (federal records repository for J.R. Keller)  
- Casper, Wyoming (hippie hangouts, Paul Dangian’s residence)  
- Cheyenne, Wyoming (FBI operations, no hippie joints noted)  
- Cambera, Australia (map reference linked to MLK’s murder)  
- Ebenezer Baptist Church, Denver, Colorado (map reference)  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews of Holt Chew on April 29–30, 1968, regarding threats against MLK  
- Surveillance efforts by FBI agents in Denver to locate individuals resembling suspects  
- Investigation into Chew’s financial losses linked to civil rights activities in Florida  
- Review of Chew’s criminal history, including probation for assault in 1967  
- FBI investigation into Holt Chew’s telephone activity around MLK’s assassination date  
- Record checks for J.R. Keller to verify identity and connection to MLK-related activities  
- Examination of phone calls made by "Ray" from coin-operated telephones in Texas and California during December 1967  
- Consideration of Elbert E. Norton as a suspect due to potential Memphis presence and statements about MLK  
- DMV checks for license plates linked to JER on April 22, 1968  
- Witness statements denying JER’s presence at 365 Clarkson Street  
- Discussions about a "lush fund" for the killer of MLK involving Denver and Wyoming officials  
- Distribution of flyers with Ray’s photo to hippie hangouts in Casper, Wyoming  
- FBI operations in Cheyenne, Wyoming, noting no hippie joints  
- Map references linking MLK’s murder to locations in Australia and Denver  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) divisions (Denver, Dallas, San Francisco)  
- United States Secret Service  
- Denver Police Department  
- Retail Credit Men’s Association (provided credit records on Chew)  
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP, referenced in Chew’s statements)  
- U.S. Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)  
- Pacific InterMountain Express (company associated with Elbert E. Norton)  
- Law enforcement agencies under cooperation agreements (Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams Counties)

MLK Declassified Files

157-dn-203_617806_44-01-part_1_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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