</s>FD-302 (Rev. 4-15-64) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 1 5/1/68 Date PAUL MC KAY, Night Clerk, St. Francis Hotel, 5533 Hollywood Boulevard, was interviewed and furnished the following information: MC KAY stated that he is not acquired with anyone by the name of RAY FERNANDELL. He stated that there are no fry cooks employed at the St. Francis Hotel. on 4/27/68 Los Angeles, California Los Angeles 44-1574 at File # SA THEODORE J. A'HEARN: Jmk 5/11/68 by Date dictated This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency, it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray (JER) and his potential connections to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, focusing on Los Angeles in April–May 1968. Interviews with hotel staff, nightclub owners, dancers, and patrons at the St. Francis Hotel, Seventh Veil, The Mouse Trap, and other locations sought information about JER’s movements, associates, and possible ties to the assassination. Key figures included Helena Vihahos (belly dancer at Seventh Veil), Melody O'Brien (topless dancer at The Mouse Trap), Eric S. Galt (suspected associate linked to "The Local Swinger" advertisement), and Alan O. Thompson (St. Francis Hotel manager). The FBI also probed "The Local Swingers," a correspondence club in Downey, California, operated by Ann L. Meyers and James E. O'Dowd, which received payments from individuals like Eric S. Gali and sent coded letters to recipients such as Patricia Schubert. No direct evidence linking JER to the assassination was found, but inquiries persisted into his residency at 1535 North Serrano Avenue (November 1967–January 1968) and interactions with hotel staff and club members.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; referenced as a person of interest in interviews at the St. Francis Hotel and other Los Angeles locations.  
- **Helena Vihahos**: Greek descent belly dancer at Seventh Veil, described as pregnant and living with her sister Maria Vihaos.  
- **Melody O'Brien**: Topless dancer who worked at The Mouse Trap and other clubs; reported receiving phone calls from an unknown male.  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Suspected associate linked to "The Local Swinger" advertisement and the St. Francis Hotel.  
- **Ann L. Meyers**: Co-owner of "The Local Swingers," involved in distributing swinger lists and sending coded letters.  
- **James E. O'Dowd**: Co-owner of "The Local Swingers," stated no records were kept of recipients of coded letters.  
- **Alan O. Thompson**: Manager of the St. Francis Hotel, provided details about JER’s alleged presence and interactions with hotel staff.  
- **Florence Thompson**: St. Francis Hotel occupant who reported seeing JER wearing sunglasses in Room H03.  
- **Mrs. Alvin Rome**: Hotel tenant who mentioned her daughter Frank Valdez as a tenant but did not recognize JER from photographs.  
- **Frank Valdez**: Hotel tenant and daughter of Mrs. Rome, also unrecognizable to FBI investigators.  

Key Locations  
- **St. Francis Hotel (Los Angeles)**: Central location for interviews; referenced in discussions about JER’s alleged residency and interactions with staff.  
- **Seventh Veil (Sunset Boulevard, Hollywood)**: Nightclub where Helena Vihahos worked; subject of FBI inquiries.  
- **The Mouse Trap**: Club where Melody O'Brien worked as a topless dancer.  
- **1535 North Serrano Avenue (Los Angeles)**: Address where JER resided from November 1967 to January 1968, confirmed by Diane DiGenova and others.  
- **Downey, California**: Home of "The Local Swingers" correspondence club operated by Meyers and O'Dowd.  
- **Los Angeles Free Press**: Newspaper where an advertisement by Eric S. Galt was published.  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews with hotel staff, nightclub owners, dancers, and patrons to investigate JER’s movements and associations.  
- Examination of coded letters sent by "The Local Swingers" to recipients like Patricia Schubert, including a Polaroid photograph of a subject purporting to be Eric S. Galt.  
- Verification of JER’s residency at 1535 North Serrano Avenue (November 1967–January 1968) through tenant and security officer accounts.  
- Inquiries into potential associates of JER, including individuals named Eric Galt, Ginger Nance, Ginger Day, and Anita Katzwinkel.  
- Investigation into the St. Francis Hotel’s occupancy records and interactions between JER and hotel staff.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, inquiries, and investigations into JER, "The Local Swingers," and associated individuals.  
- **St. Francis Hotel management**: Subject of FBI inquiries regarding JER’s alleged residency and interactions with staff.  
- **Los Angeles police department**: Implied through FBI coordination in investigating hotel and club activities.

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_125-05-part_2_of_4.pdf

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