</s>SI 44-561 D. FRANK RYAN - 55 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail federal and local investigations into James Earl Ray’s personal history, family connections, and alleged associations with violent activities between 1944 and 1968. Key findings include: James Earl Ray (JER) was incarcerated at Leonard State Penitentiary in Konard, Illinois, from 1960 to 1964, alongside his brother Senny RYAK. Ruby Carpenter, a former associate of JER, provided information about his family, including his marriage to Lucille Ray and their son James Gerald Ray, as well as alleged involvement in the murder of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The FBI conducted surveillance on Carpenter’s home in Quincy, Illinois, and obtained statements from her employer Homer Shelton and others, finding no direct links to JER’s activities. Records also reference Earl Everett Ray (alias James Ryan), a former inmate at Menard State Prison with documented violent offenses, including assault and acid-throwing incidents. Investigations by the FBI included inquiries into JER’s family members, such as Frank Fuller and Mabel Ray Fuller, and surveillance of William E. Maher, JER’s uncle, who had ties to pro-Nazi individuals and an armed robbery in 1959.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (JER)  
- Senny RYAK (brother of John Larry Ray; incarcerated with JER at Leonard State Penitentiary)  
- Ruby Carpenter (former associate of JER; provided details about his family and alleged activities)  
- Homer Shelton (employer of Ruby Carpenter; reported no contact with JER)  
- Earl Everett Ray (alias James Ryan; former inmate at Menard State Prison; violent offenses documented)  
- William E. Maher (uncle of JER; associated with pro-Nazi individuals and an armed robbery in 1959)  
- Frank Fuller (paternal uncle of JER)  
- Mabel Ray Fuller (wife of Frank Fuller)  
- Walter Terry Rife (associate or relative of JER; correspondence files included prison records and contact details)  

Key Locations  
- Leonard State Penitentiary, Konard, Illinois (incarceration records for JER and Senny RYAK)  
- Menard State Prison, Mennard, Illinois (incarceration records for Earl Everett Ray)  
- Quincy, Illinois (residence of Ruby Carpenter; workplace at 404 Oak Street)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (JER’s residence; associated with Lucille Ray)  
- Alton, Illinois (William E. Maher’s residence; subject of FBI surveillance)  
- Peoria, Illinois (correspondence files for Walter Terry Rife)  

Key Events  
- JER’s incarceration at Leonard State Penitentiary (1960–1964) and Senny RYAK’s imprisonment alongside him  
- FBI surveillance of Ruby Carpenter’s home in Quincy, Illinois (May 1968)  
- Documentation of Earl Everett Ray’s violent offenses at Menard State Prison (1925–1933, 1948–1955)  
- Surveillance of William E. Maher’s residence in Alton, Illinois (May 1968)  
- FBI inquiries into JER’s family members, including Frank Fuller and Mabel Ray Fuller  
- Investigation of Walter Terry Rife’s correspondence and prison records (Mennard Prison, Illinois)  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI; conducted surveillance, interviews, and investigations)  
- Illinois State Board of Probation and Parole (provided records on Earl Everett Ray)  
- Menard State Prison (incarceration details for Earl Everett Ray)  
- Leonard State Penitentiary (incarceration records for JER and Senny RYAK)  
- Quincy, Illinois Police Department (arrest records for EARL EVERETT RAY)  
- Knox County Sheriff's Office (involved in arrests of EARL EVERETT RAY)

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_126-01-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search