</s>FD-38 (Rev. 5-22-64) FBI Date: Transmit the following in (Type in plantext or code) Via (Priority) Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential connections between James Earl Ray (also referred to as Carl Ray) and Martin Luther King Jr.'s (MLK) assassination in 1968. Surveillance efforts focused on tracking Ray’s movements, financial transactions, and associations with individuals linked to MLK. Key activities included monitoring telephone communications between Quincy, Illinois, and cities such as St. Louis, Memphis, Denver, Seattle, and Aurora, Illinois; investigating Ray’s alleged use of a Frontier Airlines credit card and ticket purchases for travel to Hawaii; and reviewing hotel records, motel guest lists, and airline manifests to identify potential connections. The FBI coordinated with local law enforcement agencies, telephone companies (e.g., Illinois Bell, IBT), and airlines (e.g., United Airlines, Frontier Airlines) to trace Ray’s activities. Fingerprint comparisons were conducted between Ray and latent prints found on a Memphis magazine observed in Denver by William C. Harris. Redacted social security numbers appear in the records, though specific numbers are not included.  

Key People  
- Melba Marie Kyran (MLK’s sister; subject of surveillance)  
- Ruby Carpenter (MLK’s stepmother; monitored during FBI investigations)  
- Frank Fuller (MLK’s aunt; under surveillance)  
- James Earl Ray (subject of investigation; also referred to as Carl Ray)  
- William C. Harris (observer who noted an individual reading a Memphis magazine in Denver)  
- Mrs. Cay (linked to credit card and ticket purchase inquiries)  
- Mr. BRUNNER (motel manager at El Patio Motel)  
- MELBA MARIA (suspected sister of Ray, mentioned in telephone call context)  

Key Locations  
- Quincy, Illinois (residence of MLK’s relatives; center of surveillance activities)  
- Virginia Hotel, Quincy, Illinois  
- St. Louis, Missouri  
- Memphis, Tennessee (origin of magazine linked to Ray)  
- Denver, Colorado (sites of motel investigations and credit card inquiries)  
- Pecos, Texas (subject of business record checks for Ray)  
- Aurora, Illinois  
- Cheyenne, Wyoming  
- Stapleton International Airport (Denver, Colorado)  
- El Patio Motel (Denver, Colorado)  

Key Events  
- Telephone number monitoring and call logs between 1965–1968, including communications between Quincy, Illinois, and cities like St. Louis, Memphis, Denver, and Seattle.  
- FBI investigation into Carl Ray’s alleged use of a Frontier Airlines credit card and attempts to purchase tickets for travel.  
- Coordination with local law enforcement in Pecos, Texas, to verify business records and postal information.  
- Observation by William C. Harris of an individual reading a Memphis magazine containing articles and photographs related to James Earl Ray.  
- Request for latent fingerprint analysis of the Memphis magazine to compare with Ray’s prints (FBI number 405942).  
- Review of El Patio Motel guest records on April 3, 1968, including individuals associated with National Cash Register Company training programs.  
- Hotel inquiries across Denver, Colorado, to locate Carl Ray or associated individuals.  
- Reports of a man resembling Ray observed in Albuquerque, New Mexico, purchasing groceries.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Local police departments in Quincy, Denver, and Pecos, Texas  
- Telephone companies (Illinois Bell, IBT)  
- United Airlines (Los Angeles International Airport)  
- Frontier Airlines (Denver, Colorado)  
- National Cash Register Company (training programs in Denver)  
- FBI field offices in Springfield, Denver, El Paso, and Memphis

MLK Declassified Files

157-dn-203_617806_44-01-part_4_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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