</s>Mr. Deloach April 6, 1968 A. Rosen 1- Mr. DelOach 1-Mr. Rosea A. Malley MURKIN 1-M. McGovern M. Sullivan 1-MR. McBishop 1-mr. Mohr 1- M. Callahan In view of the numerous communications in connection with the case involving the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr ., in Memphis, Tennessee, on 4/4/66, it is felt that the code name MURTH should be utilized in order to more efficiently handle the mail. The code word has been checked through the indies and there is no prior record of it having been utilized as a code name. ACTION: This code name will be utilized in all intra-Bursus communul- cations relating to this specific case. (0) m-11 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The FBI and Department of Justice investigated the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. Forensic analysis confirmed a .30 caliber Remington-Peters bullet from King’s body matched a rifle found near the scene by Guy Warren Campife, Sr., which was traced to Aero Marine Supply Company in Birmingham, Alabama. The rifle, purchased under the fictitious name Harvey Lowmeyer on March 29, 1968, was exchanged for a Remington Model 760, .30-06 caliber rifle on March 30, 1968. Binoculars linked to the suspect were purchased from York Arms in Memphis on April 4, 1968. The FBI identified Room 5B at a rooming house near the Lorraine Hotel as a potential firing location and sought to identify the rifle purchaser. Investigations also explored connections between suspects and other cases, including the murder of Medgar Evers, involving Byron De La Beckwith.  

The assassination occurred at the Lorraine Hotel and Motel in Memphis, with King shot from a bathroom window of a rooming house at 422 1/2 South Main Street. A white Mustang fled the scene, and Guy Warren Canipe found a .30-06 Springfield caliber Remington Gamemaker rifle (Model 760, serial number 4614616) with a Redfield telescopic sight, along with binoculars and personal items. The bullet recovered from King’s body was sent to the FBI Laboratory for analysis. Suspects included John Willard, who rented Room 5B at the rooming house, and two men arrested near a garage—Manuel Marcus Levin and Alex J. Hurder, later released by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). The FBI noted potential links between John Willard and John Hubbard Villard, an individual with a prior arson conviction in Mississippi.  

Key People  
- **Harvey Lowmeyer**: Fictitious name used to purchase the rifle from Aero Marine Supply Company.  
- **Guy Warren Campife, Sr.**: Identified as the individual who found the rifle near the shooting scene.  
- **John Willard**: Suspect who rented Room 5B at the rooming house.  
- **Manuel Marcus Levin** and **Alex J. Hurder**: Arrested near a garage, later released by SCLC.  
- **Byron De La Beckwith**: Linked to Medgar Evers’ murder; his son was speculated as the killer, though no direct connection to King’s assassination is established.  
- **John Hubbard Villard**: Individual with prior arson conviction in Mississippi, potentially linked to John Willard.  
- **Arthur B. Fulton** and **ASAC Halter**: FBI agents involved in investigations and coordination.  
- **Bessie Ruth Brewer**: Manager of the rooming house where John Willard rented Room 5B.  

Key Locations  
- **Lorraine Hotel and Motel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination.  
- **422 1/2 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee**: Rooming house from which the shot may have been fired.  
- **Room 5B**: Room rented by John Willard at the rooming house.  
- **York Arms, Memphis**: Store where binoculars were purchased.  
- **Aero Marine Supply Company, Birmingham, Alabama**: Location of rifle purchase and exchange.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the Lorraine Hotel; a .30-06 Springfield caliber rifle and binoculars were recovered near the scene.  
- **March 29–30, 1968**: Rifle purchased under the name Harvey Lowmeyer in Birmingham, exchanged for a Remington Model 760.  
- **April 4, 1968**: Binoculars purchased from York Arms in Memphis.  
- **April 5–6, 1968**: FBI agents recovered evidence (rifle, carton, bullet) and coordinated with local authorities.  
- **Ongoing FBI investigations**: Focus on identifying the rifle purchaser, analyzing forensic evidence, and cross-referencing suspects with other cases.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted primary investigation, including firearms analysis and suspect tracking.  
- **Department of Justice**: Provided oversight for the case.  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Identified Alex J. Hurder and Manuel Marcus Levin as civil rights workers.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Assisted in crime scene details and evidence recovery.  
- **Pontotoc Sheriff’s Office, Mississippi**: Involved in reviewing John Willard’s arrest record.

MLK Declassified Files

190-hq-709_bulky_231_sec_005_ser_231_only-part_12_of_12.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search