</s>NO 157-10673 2 2 6:32 LD Dr. REYNOLDS 7:30 8:25 7:20 LD 7A RAY MC NABB 8:10 8:26 8:35 8:45 8:46 OS 333 7D 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents consist of multiple FBI FD-302 forms and investigative reports from May–June 1968 detailing interviews with residents in Louisiana and Texas regarding potential connections to James Earl Ray (JER) and broader investigations into individuals linked to the Martin Luther King Jr. assassination. Interviews focused on verifying telephone records, long-distance calls between Texas and Louisiana during December 1967, and associations with JER or other persons of interest. While no direct ties to MLK’s assassination were confirmed, some respondents mentioned awareness of media coverage or familiarity with names like Eric Galt and James Earl Ray. The FBI also examined ex-convict records in New Orleans, parolee data, and rental histories for individuals such as Derek Albert Waugh and Oscar Henry Baker, finding no confirmed links to the subject of interest.  

Key People  
- Clarence M. Price (Montgomery, Louisiana) – Reported phone calls from Brackettville, Texas, in December 1967; familiar with Eric Galt and James Earl Ray.  
- Mrs. Betty Randle Smith (Alexandria, Louisiana) – Denied recognizing JER in photographs.  
- Mrs. James R. Bonds (Alexandria, Louisiana) – Did not recognize JER in photographs.  
- Mrs. Peter Smith, Jr. (Morrow, Louisiana) – Did not recognize JER in photographs.  
- Oscar Henry Baker (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Checked for incarceration records at Leavenworth or Missouri State Penitentiary; no prior convictions found.  
- Derek Albert Waugh (New Orleans, Louisiana) – Verified rental history and employment details.  
- Mrs. Ollie Fields (Pineville, Louisiana) – 7-year-old resident who did not recognize JER’s photographs.  
- Mrs. Frances Jones (Bastrop, Louisiana) – Reported a collect call from Texas in December 1967 but did not recognize JER.  
- Lonnie Reese (Oak Grove, Louisiana) – Received a call from Houston, Texas, in December 1967 and did not recognize JER.  
- John Burton (Fort Necessity, Louisiana) – A Black farmer who mentioned his daughter in Texas and stated no information about MLK’s assassination beyond media reports.  

Key Locations  
- Montgomery, Louisiana  
- Brackettville, Texas  
- Alexandria, Louisiana  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  
- Houston, Texas  
- Pineville, Louisiana  
- Bastrop, Louisiana  
- Oak Grove, Louisiana  
- Winnfield, Louisiana  
- Jonesboro, Louisiana  
- Opelousas, Louisiana  
- Ragley, Louisiana  
- DeRiddler, Louisiana  
- Fort Necessity, Louisiana  
- Lake Charles, Louisiana  
- Zachary, Louisiana  
- College Station, Texas  
- Marion, Louisiana  
- Choudrant, Louisiana  
- Monroe, Louisiana  
- Robeline, Louisiana  
- Campiti, Louisiana  
- Natchitoches, Louisiana  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews with residents in Louisiana and Texas to investigate potential links to James Earl Ray and broader inquiries into individuals associated with the MLK assassination.  
- Examination of telephone records and long-distance calls between Texas and Louisiana during December 1967.  
- Verification of ex-convict records for Oscar Henry Baker, including checks against Leavenworth and Missouri State Penitentiary incarceration histories.  
- Review of rental history, employment details, and parolee records for Derek Albert Waugh.  
- Assessment of individuals’ familiarity with JER or other persons of interest through photographic identification and statements about personal contacts.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Company  
- Louisiana State Parole and Probation Officers  
- New Orleans Police Department  
- Louisiana State Penitentiary (Angola)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary  
- Manda Brothers Packing Company  
- Cities Service Refinery

MLK Declassified Files

157-no-10673_hs1-852666771_130-05-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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