</s>(REV. 4:13-90) (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED DO NOT PFF NOT FIT DO NOT DESTROYOF. ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED DO NOT DESTROFF. ENTIRIE FILE REVEVE FOR SELECT COMMITTEE FEDERAL BUREAU X DO NOT DESTROPF. FOR HISTORICAL HISTORICIAL VALUE FOR HISTorical F NATIONAL ARCHIVES DECLASSIFICATION / INVESTIGATION INVESIGATION/ Volume Number Bureau File Number 44.3886/ COPY R1 Serial Number ALL INFORMATION CONTANIED HEREIN 18 UNCLASBEDY DATE: BY BY S/S/S FILE STRIPPED INITIAL DATE : 7/4/78 See also Nos. -157-10673-A. Newspaper dippings only 157-10673-A, Newspaper dippings only. 157-10873-Sub A. Original 302's and Original Inserts only. 157-107673-S. Sub A. and Inserts ONLY. - - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains witness statements from individuals residing near the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee, following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. Frank Brewer reported hearing a loud noise around 6:00 p.m., initially thinking it might be a firecracker or gun. He described people yelling and firemen responding, then an officer instructing him to lock the door. Brewer estimated the time between hearing the noise and stepping onto the back porch as 15–20 seconds. He noted no one matching the description of John Williard, who was later identified as a suspect, had been registered at the location prior to April 4, 1968. Howard Bonnie Vance stated he was intoxicated on April 3–4 and saw nothing. Frank Mahley, also residing in the area, heard a loud noise around 6:00 p.m. but did not investigate due to heavy drinking. Frank Millard Marley provided conflicting accounts of seeing individuals resembling an "Indian" and hearing shots, describing chaotic scenes involving multiple people fleeing the area. He was noted as an alcoholic, with tenants reporting a shot heard around 6:00 p.m.  

Key People  
- **Frank Brewer**: Landlord and resident at 4223 South Main Street; reported hearing gunfire and interacting with officers.  
- **Howard Bonnie Vance**: Resident at 422 South Main Street, Apartment 4; claimed intoxication on April 3–4.  
- **Frank Mahley**: Resident at 4221 South Main Street, Apartment 7; heard a loud noise but did not investigate.  
- **Frank Millard Marley**: Tenant at the Lorraine Hotel; provided conflicting accounts of witnessing individuals and gunfire.  

Key Locations  
- **Lorraine Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Central location where MLK was assassinated.  
- **4223 South Main Street**: Address of Frank Brewer’s residence and the rooming house.  
- **Back porch of the rooming house**: Where Brewer and others observed activity following the shooting.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. at the Lorraine Hotel.  
- **Witness accounts of gunfire**: Multiple residents reported hearing a loud noise around 6:00 p.m., with some describing it as gunshots.  
- **Interaction with law enforcement**: Officers were present at the scene, with one described as wearing dark green pants and a tan shirt.  
- **Conflicting witness statements**: Frank Millard Marley provided inconsistent narratives about individuals fleeing the area and his own movements.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted the investigation; documents include witness interviews and case notes.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Officers were present at the scene, with one described as wearing dark green pants and a tan shirt.

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_122-06-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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