</s>0-9 rev. 5:22-64) FBI Date: 4/22/68 Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) Airtel Via (Priority) To: SAC's, Atlanta (44-2386) Memphis (44)-1987) From: Director, FBI (44 -38861) MURKIN Re Atlanta airtel 4/17/68, submitting an envelope bearing the hand printed name "Eric S. Galt," "Q246. Three latent fingerprints were developed on Q246 and have been identified as fingerprints of SA John Edward Ogden. Result of laboratory examination and disposition of Q246 subjects of separate communication. 4423bl-1032 SEARCHED INEDEXED SERIALIZED (FLEXED) APR. 2.9 1968 FB1-ATLANTA Sent Via M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI forensic investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on evidence analysis and suspect tracking in April 1968. Forensic reports include latent fingerprint comparisons on an envelope (Q246) linked to SA John Edward Ogden, soil sample analyses from Memphis and Atlanta crime scenes, and physical items such as a 1968 Mustang car part with a Sears battery marked "C EIGHT" and "C BIGHT." These findings were used to trace potential connections between suspects and locations. Witness tips identified individuals resembling James Earl Ray or Eric Starvo Gait, including sightings near Grady High School and reports of Ray’s alleged employment at Capitol Foods in Atlanta. Investigations also explored Ray’s ties to car theft rings involving Leo Crumley, Terry Mayes, and Duke Mainor, as well as his prior criminal history, including burglary convictions and incarceration with Raymond Louis Curtis. Flight surveillance on Eastern Airlines Flight 328 (April 5, 1968) was conducted to monitor Ray’s movements, though no confirmed identification was found.  

Key People  
- **John Edward Ogden** (SA; fingerprint match on Q246 envelope)  
- **Eric Starvo Gait** (individual resembling Ray identified via witness tip)  
- **James Earl Ray** (primary suspect; linked to car parts, Sears battery, and criminal history)  
- **Leo Crumley** (alleged car thief with ties to Alabama officials)  
- **Terry Mayes/Terry McCroory** (associate of Crumley in car theft rings)  
- **Duke Mainor** (burglar with Memphis/Atlanta connections)  
- **Raymond Louis Curtis** (inmate incarcerated with Ray; linked to criminal networks)  
- **SA Charles S. Harding, SA Paul Miller, SA Marion B. Cheek** (FBI agents conducting investigations)  
- **Peter S. Gilchrist** (witness who reported a man resembling Ray on an Atlanta-to-Houston flight)  
- **Bruce Willard** (sighted Ray near Grady High School)  

Key Locations  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: FBI headquarters, Sears and Roebuck Auto Service Centers, Capitol Foods (77 W. Whitfield Street), 67A Lindberg Drive (non-existent address), Virginia Avenue apartments, Grady High School  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Crime scene, Rebel Motel parking lot, Memphis PD offices  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Investigated as part of Ray’s alleged travel routes  
- **Aniston, Alabama**: Crumley’s residence; linked to legal assistance networks  
- **Jackson County Jail, Kansas City, Missouri**: Curtis’s incarceration with Ray (1955–1957)  
- **Menard, Illinois**: Ray’s prior imprisonment  

Key Events  
- **April 5, 1968**: Eastern Airlines Flight 328 (Atlanta–Toronto) scrutinized for Ray’s possible travel; no confirmed identification found.  
- **March 1968**: Sears battery with markings "C EIGHT" and "C BIGHT" recovered from a 1968 Mustang linked to Ray.  
- **April 12, 1968**: Peter S. Gilchrist reported seeing a man matching Ray’s description on an Atlanta-to-Houston flight.  
- **April 17–23, 1968**: FBI canvassed Atlanta neighborhoods for Ray or associates; most residences unresponsive.  
- **April 19, 1968**: FBI Atlanta teletypes detailed Ray’s criminal history and investigative requests.  
- **Prior incarceration (1955–1957)**: Curtis incarcerated with Ray in Missouri and Illinois; Ray had prior burglary convictions.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted forensic analysis, surveillance, witness interviews, and vehicle checks.  
- **Local Law Enforcement**: Memphis PD, Atlanta police assisted in tracking suspects and verifying addresses.  
- **Postal Inspection Service** (Wayne Richie, Florida): Involved in inquiries into stolen postal money.  
- **Eastern Airlines**: Flight records referenced for Ray’s potential travel.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_158-05-part_2_of_4.pdf

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