</s>OFFICIAL FORM NO. 10 9/10/104 UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum TO : : DATE: 5/6/68 FROM : SAC, MOBILE (157-2627 SF1) SURJECT: MURKIN RE: 1943-9/24/11/2013 and license plates stolen by Alabama as compiled from in- The Bureau has furnished a list of motor vehicles formation retained in NCIC. The Bureau instructed that necessary investigation was conducted in an effort to de-er- necessary investigation by the Bureau as instructed that these thefts. In the view of the possibility that MAY MAY have stolen a motor vehicle and concealed in prior to his return instructured that investigation also be conducted regarding vehicles which may have been recovered in the event the subject unit was subject to the investigation. A review of these records in Montgomery has been made and information concerning the theft shown in the above subcabaction is contained on attached handwritten sheet. subcaped and contained on attached handwritten sheets. reported, Minimum investigation will include Interview with owner, neighborhood investigation at point of theft, contact investigation and law enforcement agency concerning their investigation. Law enforcement agency conceming their car if recovered. ARMED AND DANGEROUS. JTBI:orb (35) 167-2671-2-2 SEARCHED INDEXED SEARALIZED MAY-FILLED- MARK-MOOH-1662 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and local law enforcement investigations into stolen vehicles in Alabama and surrounding areas during 1968, with a focus on potential ties to James Earl Ray. Records include theft reports of specific vehicles such as a 1967 Ford (VIN 7AGZHIG0143) stolen from Alton Boyer on March 20, 1968, and later linked to William Henry Gates, who was arrested for an armed robbery in Baldwin County, Alabama, following a high-speed chase on April 16, 1968. Investigations also tracked other vehicles, including a 1965 Honda motorcycle stolen from a carport on Cottage Hill Rd., recovered by Arthur D. Stutsmann. Coordination between the Mobile Police Department (MO PD) and FBI agents, such as SA Robert W. McDonough and SA Roger E. Fritz, focused on vehicle recovery, ownership verification, and suspect identification. Some entries reference vehicles connected to accidents or recovered cars, with notes on potential links to Alabama and Mississippi. The documents emphasize the need for further inquiry into Ray’s possible use of stolen vehicles prior to or after specific dates.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Implied in some entries as a subject of interest linked to stolen vehicles, though not explicitly named in all records.  
- **Alton Boyer**: Owner of the 1967 Ford stolen on March 20, 1968.  
- **William Henry Gates**: Arrested for armed robbery; implicated in theft of the 1967 Ford.  
- **Sgt. Troy Pounder**: Mobile PD officer involved in vehicle theft investigations.  
- **Burton Davis**: Baldwin County Deputy Sheriff who interrogated Gates.  
- **Arthur D. Stutsmann**: Owner of the recovered 1965 Honda motorcycle.  
- **SA Robert W. McDonough, SA Roger E. Fritz, and SA Michael E. Stroh**: FBI agents handling vehicle theft cases.  

Key Locations  
- **Mobile, Alabama**: Central location for most vehicle thefts and police investigations.  
- **Bay Minette, Alabama**: Location of Alton Boyer’s residence and alleged theft site.  
- **Baldwin County Jail, Alabama**: Detention facility for William Henry Gates.  
- **Cottage Hill Rd., Mobile, Alabama**: Site of the 1965 Honda motorcycle theft.  
- **Orange County, Florida**: Mentioned as origin of a car held at gunpoint before being stolen.  

Key Events  
- **March 20, 1968**: Theft of Alton Boyer’s 1967 Ford in Mobile, Alabama.  
- **April 16, 1968**: High-speed chase involving William Henry Gates and police, resulting in injuries to an officer.  
- **May 9, 1968**: Theft of a 1960 Buick (VIN 766018224) reported by Lester V. Clark, later found abandoned near Springfield College Property.  
- **April 5, 1968**: Recovery of the stolen 1960 Buick by Mobile PD.  
- **May 13–17, 1968**: FBI and local police investigations into multiple vehicle thefts, including a 1965 Honda motorcycle recovery.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted tracking and coordination with local agencies on stolen vehicles.  
- **Mobile Police Department (MO PD)**: Led investigations into vehicle thefts and property recovery.  
- **Prichard Police Department**: Involved in one vehicle theft investigation.  
- **U.S. Fidelity and Guaranty Company**: Handled insurance claims for stolen vehicles.

MLK Declassified Files

157-mo-2627_625067_28-01-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search