</s>SI 44-561 A. RECORDS RE JAMES EARL RAY - 142 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail investigative records from April 1968 related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on suspect identifications, vehicle registrations, and administrative inquiries. Key entries include Kenneth Newdle’s identification of Eric Stavo Galt as distinct from a SS Hudson crewman (1961–1962), leading to no further action. A car registered to Cloud Drake in Winchester, Illinois, with license plates C6 6359 and associated with a white Chevrolet, was noted but deemed unrelated to other cases. Joseph Clayton Montagne was identified as resembling a photo of James Earl Ray, though the connection remains unconfirmed. Paul Stanley Bootery’s arrest in Clinton, Illinois, included claims of travel to Memphis on April 8, 1968, and odd-jobs work, with no direct link to MLK-related activities. Other entries include license plate records for James J. McGovern and George Ward, as well as an unknown suspect aliasing J. Carnahan. The documents also reference inconsistencies in dates (e.g., "1980" instead of "1968") and fragmented entries, suggesting partial or outdated records.  

Key People:  
- Kenneth Newdle (identified Eric Stavo Galt)  
- Cloud Drake (car registration)  
- Joseph Clayton Montagne (linked to James Earl Ray via description)  
- Paul Stanley Bootery (arrested in Clinton, Illinois)  
- James J. McGovern (license plate records)  
- George Ward (license plate records)  
- J. Carnahan (unknown suspect alias)  

Key Locations:  
- Peoria, Illinois (Kenneth Newdle’s address)  
- Winchester, Illinois (Cloud Drake’s car registration)  
- Pascoquilla, Mississippi (vehicle stop involving Joseph Clayton Montagne)  
- Clinton, Illinois (Paul Stanley Bootery’s arrest)  
- Springfield, Illinois (Motor Vehicle Bureau records)  

Key Events:  
- April 18–19, 1968: Vehicle stops and suspect identifications in Mississippi and Illinois.  
- April 29, 1968: License plate and driver information retrieved from Springfield, Illinois.  
- Ongoing investigations into Eric Stavo Galt’s identity and connections to the SS Hudson crewman.  

Key Organizations:  
- Department of Public Safety (mentioned in Newdle’s report)  
- Motor Vehicle Bureau, Springfield, Illinois (license plate records)  
- Donitie County Sheriff’s Office (arrests related to Paul Stanley Bootery)

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_126-02-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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