</s>EP 157-186 SUSPECT - LON R. HUMMEL AT EL PASO, TEXAS On April 23, 1968, Mrs. DORRIS SHINNAUT, E1 Paso County Tax Office, made available to SA WALLACE A. CROSSMON Tax Office. Made available to SAA WALLAGE A. CROSSMAN the records regarding the 1966 Texas licenses on file in her office. It was ascertained that the 1968 Texas license CLB 94 was registered to LONR. HUMMELL, 5939 Falcon Street, El Paso, Texas. The 1967 1967 PASo City Directory reflected that the Crown Plastic Products, Inc ., was located at 5339 Falcon Street, EL Paso. On April 24, 1968. Mrs. LEE NOLAN, President, Crown Plastic Products. Inc . ,, advised SA DAVID J. REID as follows: LON R, HUMMEE, son of a former college classmate of Mrs. NOLAM, in Iowa, was employed by Crown Plastic Products, Inc. from March, 1967, to April 3, 1968 , HUMMEMEL departed from El Paso. Texas, on April 6, 1968 ., route to Winslow, Inc .. from March. 1967, on april 6, 1966, to contact JOHN TATE, Jr ., 113 Elm Street, Arizona, where he planned to contact John TATE. was a member of the Texas Business. HUMMELL planned to find his white Ford Bronco B. business. HUMMEEL planned to driving he departed Ford El Paso .. HUMMEL did not resemble JAMES EARL RAY, according to Mrs. NOLAN, who described HUMMELS as follows : 41 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23, 1967, and his subsequent movements leading to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Key actions include tracking Ray’s travel to Birmingham, Alabama, where he purchased a 1966 Ford Mustang, then to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The FBI coordinated with U.S. Border Patrol, Customs Service, and Mexican authorities to monitor Ray’s alleged residence in Canada under false identities and his movements across borders. Investigations involved reviewing financial transactions, including Canadian money orders linked to Ray and Eric S. Galt, as well as analyzing documents for signature verification. A Shelby County Grand Jury indicted Ray for first-degree murder on May 7, 1968, though the indictment remained secret. The FBI also pursued leads related to a bank robbery in El Paso, Texas, connected to Ray, and tracked individuals such as Lon R. Hummel and Carl Ray through local law enforcement and immigration records.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Escaped Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967; implicated in Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Assassinated on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Implicated in the murder plot; associated with Ray and linked to financial transactions in Canada and Alabama.  
- **John Willard**: Name used by Ray to rent a room at the South Main Street building in Memphis.  
- **Lon R. Hummel**: Suspected individual linked to Crown Plastic Products, Inc., in El Paso, Texas; provided employment details by Mrs. Lee Nolan.  
- **Carl Ray**: Mentioned as a relative of James Earl Ray; associated with bank robbery investigations.  
- **Mrs. Dorris Shinnaut** and **Mrs. Lee Nolan**: Provided information about Lon R. Hummel’s license, address, and travel plans.  
- **Sergeant Elbert Baldridge**: Contacted by agents regarding his wife Shelley Gean Baldridge’s potential contact with Eric Ray.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, Missouri)**: Ray’s escape from this facility on April 23, 1967.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Ray resided here after escaping prison; Galt registered at Economy Rooms (2608 Highland Avenue).  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination at the Lorraine Motel (406 Mulberry Street); Ray rented Room 5B under the name John Willard.  
- **El Paso, Texas**: Central location for investigations involving Lon R. Hummel and a bank robbery case on September 1, 1967.  
- **Ojinaga, Chihuahua, Mexico**: Mexican officials contacted regarding Ray’s alleged movements.  
- **White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico**: Mentioned in telephone number investigations.  

Key Events  
- **April 23, 1967**: James Earl Ray escaped Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **May 7, 1968**: Shelby County Grand Jury returned a secret indictment charging Ray with first-degree murder.  
- **July–August 1967**: Ray and Galt engaged in financial activities, including Canadian money orders and car purchases.  
- **April–May 1968**: FBI and Border Patrol efforts to locate Ray, including contact with Mexican authorities in Chihuahua.  
- **April 23–24, 1968**: Mrs. Dorris Shinnaut and Mrs. Lee Nolan provided information about Lon R. Hummel’s license, employment, and travel plans.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Ray’s escape, movements, and potential involvement in the assassination; coordinated with Border Patrol and Customs Service.  
- **U.S. Border Patrol**: Placed stops on individuals suspected of being James Earl Ray.  
- **U.S. Customs Service** and **Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)**: Coordinated with FBI on stop notices for Ramon George Sneyd and James Earl Ray.  
- **Texas law enforcement agencies**: El Paso Police Department, Midland County Sheriff’s Office, Ector County Sheriff’s Office; provided information on suspects.  
- **Mexican Immigration and Customs Authorities**: Contacted regarding potential sightings or locations of James Earl Ray in Mexico.

MLK Declassified Files

157-ep-186_hs1-852950407_180-01-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search