</s>FRI NEW ORLS FRI HOUSTON 537PM URGENT 4-28-63 EVB TO DIRECTOR (44-38861), ATLANTA, BIRMINGHAM, MEMPHIS, NEW ORLEANS, LOS ANGELES, AND SAN ANTONIO FROM HOUSTON (44+1509) MURKIN RE HO TELS APRIL TWENTY-SIX AND TWENTYSIX AND Twenty-SEVEN. LAST. RE HO LOUIS LOMAX - CHARLES STAIN RE LOUISAINSWORTH OF NEWSWEEK CONTACTED TELEPHONE CO ., HOUSTON, HUGH ANSWORTH OF NEWSWEEX CONTACTED TELENPHONE Co ., HOUSTON, TEXAS AND, ADVISED LOMAK AND STEIN HAD IDENTIFIED A COIN TELLPHONE LOCATED AT ENCO SERVICE STATION, ROUTE NINETY, UVALDE, TEXAS AS ONE ALLEGED USED BY 9Y TO RAY TO MAKE CALL TO NEW ORLEANTS BETWEEN HOURS OF SIX PM AND NINE PM TWELVE SIXTEEN SIXTYSEVEN, TELEPHONSE NUMBER OF THIS PHONE IS BR EIGHT SIXTLEVEN SIXTHSEVEN AINSWORTHE RECEQUED TOLL CALLS FROM THIS PHONES ARE ZERO FOUR EIGHT. DETERMINATE IF ANY CALLS. MADE TO NEW OLEANS TWENTIELA TWELVES SIXTWELVE STIXTEENTEEN SIXTYSSEVEN IF HE BE ADVISID. . CONFIDENTIAL SIXTFENTIAL SOURCE AT TELEPONE CO. HAS ADVISIED THIS OFFICE NO CALLS MADE MADE IN NEW ORLANS FROM THIS PHONE DURING. ENTIRE MONTH OF DEC. SIXTSYSEVEN DURING HOUS SIX PMO TO NINE PIM TWELVEN SINTEVEN SEASPENDING ALMOSTED-1913-4H40 HOURSE CALL MADE FROM THIS THIS WHICH WAS SERIALIZED FILLED MADE AY 7 1966 END PAGE ONE MADEAER 7 1966 Coue CaleaDORLEA 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 141476

Summary  
The text comprises fragmented declassified government documents from 1968, primarily related to the FBI’s investigation into James Earl Ray, a fugitive linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. The documents reference Ray’s criminal history, including convictions for burglary and theft, his association with organized crime networks (e.g., Chicago mob ties), and his movements across states such as Missouri, Illinois, Florida, and California. FBI efforts to locate Ray included tracking his alleged connections to drug trafficking, prison systems, and individuals like Johnnie Blackwell, June Taylor, and Louis Lomax. The text also details parallel investigations into narcotics operations in Los Angeles, Memphis, and New Orleans, with mentions of code terms like "MURKIN" (possibly related to narcotics or criminal activity). Administrative notes highlight FBI record-keeping practices, including case files labeled "FD-203," "FD-209," and references to teletypes and forms. Some sections contain OCR errors, repeated phrases, and fragmented content, suggesting the text may be a compilation of incomplete or mixed records.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Convicted of assassinating Dr. King; linked to organized crime, drug trafficking, and prison systems.  
- **Johnnie Blackwell**: Interviewed as a potential associate of Ray.  
- **June Taylor**: Suspected in narcotics activities; her mother visited Ray’s Florida residence.  
- **Louis Lomax**: Investigated for possible ties to Ray via prison work assignments.  
- **Charles & Rita Stein**: Suspected in illegal narcotics operations in Los Angeles.  
- **Fernandel, Jack Pendleton, Look-alikes**: Individuals linked to Ray’s alleged criminal networks.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in law enforcement contacts and drug investigations.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Center for narcotics operations linked to Ray and other suspects.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Ray’s prior incarceration; associated with organized crime ties.  
- **Baton Rouge (Bighly)**: Likely OCR error; referenced in FBI records but corrected to Louisiana locations.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on the balcony of a Memphis motel.  
- **April 20, 1968**: James Earl Ray added to FBI’s "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list.  
- **Drug trafficking investigations**: FBI tracked narcotics networks in Los Angeles, Memphis, and New Orleans.  
- **FBI surveillance**: Monitoring of Charles & Rita Stein’s residence; interviews with potential associates of Ray.  
- **Criminal network tracking**: Focus on Ray’s ties to prisons, organized crime, and illicit industries (e.g., bakeries, confectionery).  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central agency in the investigation of Ray and related criminal activities.  
- **New Orleans Police Department (NOPD)**: Involved in disseminating information about Ray’s movements.  
- **Lafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office**: Mentioned in law enforcement contacts.  
- **Media outlets**: *WEBRZ-TV*, *KNOE*; used to spread information about the case.  
- **Drug enforcement agencies**: Implied involvement in tracking narcotics operations across multiple states.  

Notes on SSNs: The text contains references to social security numbers, which have been redacted or replaced with placeholders (e.g., "[SSN REDACTED]"). No actual 9-digit numbers are included in the summary.

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_123-07-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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