</s>ME 44-1987 PAGE TWO THE INFORMATION DEVELOPED RE MURPHY IN THE CASE ENTITLED "HALL COOPER BOURLAND; ET AL; 00J; 00; 00: ME, " MEMPHIS RECORDS REFLECT CONSIDERABLE INFORMATION RE MURPHYS' ILLEGAL LIQUOR ACTIVITY IN LEE COUNTY, MISS. NO INFORMATION DEvelOPED BE MURPY'S ACTIVITIES BY THE MEMPHIS'S DIVISION SUBSCRIQUEENT TO JACKSON BEING MADE A DIVISION. ATLANTA, BIRM NCHAM, JACKSON, MOBILE, NEW ORLEANS, ST. LOUIS ADVISED BY AM. ARMED AND DANGEROUS. P. END. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities in 1968 related to James Earl Ray, a suspect in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., and other matters. Investigations focused on tracking long-distance phone calls made by Charles Strein during his travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans, verifying identities through photographs and fingerprint comparisons, and checking subscriber records for potential ties to hate groups. The FBI sought information on individuals like Myrial Tomasos (also known as Marie Martin) and James W. Hammons, who were under scrutiny for possible connections to Ray or other suspects. Efforts included cross-referencing rental records, financial transactions, and travel routes across Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and international locations such as Mexico City and Ottawa. The FBI coordinated with local police departments, state agencies, and the U.S. Census Bureau to verify suspect identities and access deceased person records.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; subject of fingerprint comparisons and identity verification.  
- **Charles Strein**: Traveler from Los Angeles to New Orleans; made long-distance calls during his trip.  
- **Myrial Tomasos (Marie Martin)**: Individual under investigation with multiple aliases recorded by law enforcement.  
- **James W. Hammons**: Subject of a Gulf Credit Card inquiry linked to James Earl Ray.  
- **SA Donald B. Van Pelt, William P. Kusch, Roscoe**: FBI agents involved in coordinating investigations.  

Key Locations  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana** (FBI SAC office, police departments).  
- **Los Angeles, California** (Charles Strein’s origin; Marie Martin’s residence).  

Key Events  
- **Long-distance phone call tracking**: FBI requested records from Houston, El Paso, and San Antonio divisions to trace calls made by Strein during his 1967 trip.  
- **Identity verification**: Photographs of Marie Martin and James Earl Ray were circulated for comparison with suspects.  
- **Credit card inquiry**: Gulf Credit Card linked to James W. Hammons was investigated as a potential connection to Ray.  
- **Fingerprint comparisons**: Efforts to match unidentified deceased individuals’ fingerprints with Ray’s.  
- **Interagency collaboration**: FBI coordinated with local police departments, state agencies, and international offices (e.g., Mexico City, Ottawa) for record checks.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central authority coordinating investigations, telegrams, and interagency communication.  
- **Southern Bell Telephone & Telegraph Co.**: Provided phone records for subscriber inquiries.  
- **Local police departments** (e.g., New Orleans, Vernon Parish, Beauregard Parish): Assisted in verifying suspect identities and travel histories.  
- **U.S. Census Bureau, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare**: Consulted on potential deceased person records.

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_124-02-part_7_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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