</s>KC 44-760 3 A check on April 26, 1968, of the address at 3819 Wyandotte, Kansas City, Missouri, reveals that this address is now a parking lot. The 1967 Polks Directory lists MARY M. PORTER at telephone number 0-6749, and one JOHN F. COATES, JE 1- 3719. A telephone call was made to each of the numbers and it was determined the numbers are no longer listed to this individual. A check was made on April 28, 1968. of the Address 608 East Street, Kansas city, Missouri. Of the address that the Emery Hotel has been demolished and a new building housing the Langley Optical Company is at that address. 146 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI investigative records related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on two primary suspects: **Lynn Ray Cleveland** and **James Earl Ray**. Cleveland, a traveling Baptist minister with a history of mental health issues, was linked to the crime through his movements around April 4, 1968, but no direct evidence connected him to the assassination. The FBI concluded there was no conclusive link between Cleveland and the murder. Meanwhile, James Earl Ray, later convicted of the crime, is referenced in internal reports detailing flight records, hotel check-ins, and coordination among FBI field offices. These documents highlight investigative efforts to track suspects, analyze travel patterns, and assess potential accomplices, though they do not confirm Ray’s involvement definitively.  

Key People  
- **Lynn Ray Cleveland**: Suspect with a history of mental health issues, institutionalization, and erratic behavior; claimed to be in Springfield, Missouri, around the time of King’s assassination.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted assassin of MLK, referenced in FBI reports as a fugitive linked to Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4–5, 1968.  
- **Reverend Billy Max Wullweller**: Identified Cleveland as a former church member from Baxter Springs, Kansas.  
- **Reverend Ken Rasdale**: Reported seeing Cleveland in Bolivar, Missouri, on April 5, 1968.  
- **Richard Ruble**: Contact in Springfield, Missouri, allegedly met by Cleveland around April 4, 1968.  
- **Vincent Walker** and **Lawrence Rand**: Names linked to hotel records in Memphis, Texas, but not confirmed as suspects.  
- **John Willard**: Name associated with the Rice Hotel in Houston, Texas, on April 5, 1968.  
- **Claude Chester McClaren Jr.**: Investigated for resemblance to MLK’s assassin; traced through travel records from Honduras and Mexico.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination (April 4, 1968).  
- **Springfield, Missouri**: Cleveland claimed to be present around the time of the assassination.  
- **Houston, Texas**: Hotel check-ins (Rice Hotel, Milby Hotel) and flight records linked to suspects.  
- **Mexico City, Mexico** and **Honduras**: Travel routes for suspects like McClaren Jr.  
- **Delta Airlines Flight 157**: Departed Memphis on April 5, 1968, with suspected aliases (W. Davis, B. Childlaw).  

Key Events  
- **April 4–5, 1968**: Cleveland’s movements in Springfield, Missouri; FBI tracked his presence via Western Union telegram and hotel records.  
- **April 5, 1968**: Two men dropped off at the Rice Hotel in Houston, Texas, with no matching records found for their names (John Willard, Vincent Walker, Lawrence Rand).  
- **April 8–10, 1968**: FBI checked hotel and credit bureau records for suspects linked to Memphis, Houston, and Mexico.  
- **April 23, 1968**: FBI compared fingerprints of suspects to those from the assassination case.  
- **April–May 1968**: Interviews and travel records reviewed for individuals connected to Memphis, Houston, and Mexico.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted fingerprint comparisons, hotel record checks, and suspect interviews; coordinated with field offices in Houston, Memphis, Chicago, Jackson, Kansas City, and Los Angeles.  
- **Houston Police Department**: Provided records for investigation.  
- **Harris County Sheriff’s Office**: Collaborated on background checks.  
- **Houston Credit Bureau**: Checked financial records for suspects.  
- **Texas Services (Hertz Rent-A-Car)**: Traced vehicle rentals linked to suspects.

MLK Declassified Files

157-jn-9586_624938_427c-05-part_4_of_6.pdf

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