</s>THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS Van Blomestelin & Birt David Mitchell Tim Patterson Frank Wile Piet Willers Max Pop T. S. Patterson Francis Galleit Blake Francis Sherman Davis Belcher de Graaf Herbert Cox Mrs. Coetzze Monsieur Diamant Christine Granville Harry Openheimer Sammy Silberstein Kutzte Captain van der Westhuisen Groffelaar William Percival Radley ("Tony") Patrick Sullivan Donald Miles Leiser Weitman Henry Orford John Gundry Blaize Willy Rosen Bernard Nealon Sillitoo Harry Morgan Henry Brassseur Finkle Kheir William N. Witherspoon Mr. Capper P. M. R. Willis Robert Johnson Ardayast Pownalian Ernest Oppenheimer -3- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and U.S. legal attaché investigations into James Earl Ray's movements and activities related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Key points include: Ray’s alleged travel to Mexico, interactions with Donald Bruce Lively in Dallas regarding a real estate broker named RAY CARSON, and checks for an unidentified deceased individual in Acapulco whose fingerprints did not match Ray’s. The FBI sought information on Ray’s whereabouts, including his potential presence in Puerto Vallarta, Costa Rica, and Mexico City. A letter from Hamilton, Ontario, linked to the case was examined, and efforts were made to verify Ray’s identity through fingerprint records and witness accounts. Flyers were distributed in Guatemala and Honduras to locate Ray.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., investigated for his movements in Mexico and connections to drug activities.  
- **Donald Bruce Lively**: Dallas resident who interacted with RAY CARSON, a real estate broker allegedly involved in marijuana sales in Puerto Vallarta.  
- **RAY CARSON**: Alleged associate of Ray, described as a fly-by-night real estate broker deported from Mexico.  
- **Wilma Carson**: Wife of RAY CARSON, mentioned as residing near Puerto Vallarta but not directly linked to the assassination investigation.  
- **Graham Robert Smith**: Suspect whose photographs were compared to Ray’s by witnesses in Mexico.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of King’s assassination (implied through context).  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Location of Lively’s residence and interactions with RAY CARSON.  
- **Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico**: Center of Ray’s alleged activities, including real estate dealings and drug-related associations.  
- **Acapulco, Mexico**: Site of an unidentified deceased individual whose fingerprints were checked against Ray’s.  
- **Guatemala City, Honduras, Tegucigalpa**: Locations where Spanish-language wanted flyers for Ray were distributed.  

Key Events  
- **May 1968**: FBI and legal attachés conducted searches for Ray in Mexico, including checks at Acapulco and Puerto Vallarta.  
- **Fingerprint verification**: Attempted to confirm Ray’s identity using prints from an unidentified body found in Acapulco.  
- **Witness interviews**: Individuals in Mexico, including Lively and hotel guests, were questioned about Ray’s presence and activities.  
- **Flyer distribution**: Spanish-language flyers for Ray were sent to U.S. embassies in Guatemala and Honduras for public dissemination.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Led the investigation into Ray’s movements and connections to the assassination.  
- **U.S. Legal Attachés (Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras)**: Coordinated efforts to locate Ray and share intelligence with local authorities.  
- **State Department**: Facilitated distribution of flyers and provided logistical support for international investigations.

MLK Declassified Files

173-mx-1_sec_002_ser_151-260-part_3_of_5.pdf

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