</s>NO 157-10673:emh 2 ANN HULLAND, Bossier Bottle Shop, 1316 East Texas, advised 'that she was a steady customer at the Curtis Park Bar and that she knew THELMA RUSSELL. She stated RUSSEL was residing as of a week ago somewhere on MacArthur Drive in Bossier City. She stayed she did not know the house number; Bossier city. She was stationed at the Laredo Plymouth, A photograph of RAY of RAV as displayed in HULLARD and she stated she had never seen this person before. LINDIA BONNER, 616 MacArthur Drive, advised that she had resided at that address for several years and did not Know THELMA RUISSELL, MYRTIS FREEMAN, 708 MacArthur Drive. advised that he had been residing at that Address for about 13 years, but she did not know a THELMIA RUSSEELL. Several attempts were made to contact JERRILE GARRETT at 833 Benton Road with negative results. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document outlines federal and local law enforcement investigations conducted between December 15–16, 1967, and summer 1967, focusing on potential connections between individuals and Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Telephone call investigations traced activity from Yuma, Arizona, and Alpine, Texas, to Greenwood, Louisiana. Interviews with Bossier City residents, including Thelma Russell and Myrtis Freeman, explored links to James Earl Ray, though no direct ties were confirmed. In New Orleans, an incident at Wanda’s Seven Seas Bar involved an individual resembling Ray during a dog altercation in December 1967, resulting in arrests but no photographic identification of Ray. The FBI investigated Robert Hood Strader, who allegedly claimed in summer 1967 that a group in Baton Rouge planned to assassinate MLK. Raymond Starne, Strader’s business associate, denied knowledge of the plot and noted Strader’s erratic behavior, including claims of being followed by federal agents. Records mention stolen property from Starne’s vehicle and notes on Strader’s mental state.  

Key People  
- Thelma Russell (Bossier City, Louisiana)  
- Myrtis Freeman (MacArthur Drive, Bossier City)  
- James Earl Ray (subject of investigation)  
- R. Hammett (Greenwood, Louisiana)  
- Edward Hunsucker (Baytown, Texas)  
- Raymond Starne (Denham Springs, Louisiana)  
- Robert Hood Strader (alleged plot participant)  

Key Locations  
- Bossier City, Louisiana  
- Greenwood, Louisiana  
- Alpine, Texas  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (Wanda’s Seven Seas Bar)  
- Denham Springs, Louisiana  
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana  

Key Events  
- Telephone call investigations from Yuma, Arizona, and Alpine, Texas to Greenwood, Louisiana (December 15–16, 1967).  
- Arrests at Wanda’s Seven Seas Bar in New Orleans linked to a dog altercation in December 1967.  
- FBI interviews with Bossier City residents regarding potential ties to James Earl Ray.  
- Investigation into Robert Hood Strader’s alleged claims about an assassination plot against MLK in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (summer 1967).  
- Theft of property from R. Hammett’s vehicle by Robert Hood Strader.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- New Orleans Police Department (Robbery Detail)  
- Southwest Electric Power Company (Shreveport, Louisiana)

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_125-06-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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