</s>previously submitted in this case. The dent contains microscopic marks of the type which could be produced by the side of the barrel at the muzzle but insufficient marks for identification were left on the board due to the use of the rifle barrel. The type which would be present are different from the type that would be produced by the duck-bill pliers or tack hammer which were in the blue zipper bag previously submitted. No other marks were on the barrel. No gunpowder or gunpowder residues were found on the Q71 board. No wood, paint, aluminum or other foreign material was found on the rifle barrel nor were any significant marks found on the Rifle barrel. Page 2 PC-A5505 BX 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
This document compiles historical FBI records from 1968 detailing the investigation into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with a focus on forensic evidence and witness accounts. Central to the case is **James Earl Ray**, who was later convicted in 1969. The documents include fingerprint analysis linking Ray to items such as a Remington Model 760 rifle (serial #461476), binoculars, a newspaper, a plant lotion bottle, and a Schitz beer can. Witness statements from **Harry Sero** (a Missouri prison inmate) and **Lawrence Chancelor Howell** (a Birmingham rooming house resident) are also referenced. Sero alleged Ray had motives tied to racial animus and criminal ties in Kansas City, while Howell denied knowledge of Ray or **Eric Starvo Galt**, another figure mentioned but not conclusively linked to the crime. The FBI’s investigation into potential accomplices included interviews at the **Economy Rooming House** in Birmingham during September 1967, though no direct connections were established. The documents also highlight ongoing debates about the case, including skepticism toward Ray’s conviction due to lack of physical evidence and speculation about government involvement or conspiracies involving figures like Galt.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** (convicted assassin)  
- **Harry Sero** (Missouri prison inmate providing witness testimony)  
- **Lawrence Chancelor Howell** (Birmingham rooming house resident)  
- **Eric Starvo Galt** (unconfirmed suspect mentioned in FBI records)  
- **Reverend James Bevel** (Southern Christian Leadership Conference representative involved in 1963 survey)  
- **Lieutenant A. S. Zelinski** (Memphis Police Department)  
- **Lieutenant J. J. Harrison** (Memphis Police Department)  
- **Arthur C. Lourdesent** (Memphis City Engineer)  

Key Locations  
- **Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee** (scene of the assassination; subject of 1963 forensic survey)  
- **South Main Motel, Memphis, Tennessee** (used as reference point in 1963 measurements)  
- **Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee** (baseline for distance calculations in 1963 survey)  
- **Economy Rooming House, Birmingham, Alabama** (site of FBI interviews in September 1967)  

Key Events  
- Forensic analysis of fingerprints on weapons and items linked to James Earl Ray  
- Witness statements from Harry Sero and Lawrence Chancelor Howell regarding Ray’s motives and associations  
- FBI investigation into potential accomplices at the Economy Rooming House in Birmingham (September 1967)  
- 1963 forensic survey of the Lorraine Motel to determine Dr. King’s position during the assassination using engineering measurements and autopsy data  
- Ongoing debates about Ray’s conviction, including questions about physical evidence and conspiracy theories involving Eric Starvo Galt  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (primary investigative agency)  
- **Memphis Police Department** (collaborated on 1963 survey and forensic work)  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)** (represented by Reverend James Bevel in the 1963 survey)

MLK Declassified Files

157-mo-2627_625067_26-07-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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