</s>4/25/68 AIRTEL TO: SAC, RICHMOND (44-657) FROM: SAC. MEMPHIS (44 -1987) (P) SUBJECT: MURKIN CR OO: ME 4/10/68, a copy of which is enclosed for each receiving office. Re Richmond teletype to Memphis, 11:01 a.m ., No investigation is being requested to identify the unknown individual observed by Mr. WILLIAM HACKNEY on 4/5/68 aboard an Eastern Airlines flight that departed Atlanta, Georgia, at 10:30 a. m. 2-Richmond (Enc. 1) 1-Atlanta (Inc. 1), 44-2386-137) 2-Charlotte (Emc. 1). (Memphis JCH) 1/p (6) A. H. S. D. A. M. Space, Del. Registard. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential connections between individuals and James Earl Ray (JER), a suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Key activities include tracking a gray Volkswagen with a Georgia license plate (68 GA) observed near Columbia, South Carolina, by Dr. William Hutto on April 27, 1968. The car was linked to Charles Vortz of Marietta, Georgia, though no stolen report existed. FBI agents in Atlanta and Memphis pursued leads involving Louis Lomax and Charles Stein, who allegedly traveled from Houston to San Antonio seeking a telephone booth used by Ray. A cab driver, Raymond Pye, picked up a man resembling JER at the Biltmore Hotel on April 27, 1968, prompting surveillance efforts. An anonymous tip described a man purchasing newspapers with dark glasses, possibly linked to Ray's movements. The FBI also reviewed rental records for rooms in Atlanta, noting Bill Faulkner and William Harper as tenants, and checked flight manifests for Delta Airlines passengers traveling to London or Frankfurt.  

On April 5, 1968, an unknown individual was observed on an Eastern Airlines flight from Atlanta, Georgia, but no investigation was requested. Eddie Jean Griffin, a resident of Alabama, was linked to a 1961 Ford with VIN 1A32/7/843; investigations into his ownership and movements were conducted, though inconsistencies in records led to no conclusive findings. Donald Eugene Sparks (FBI # CC170-5) was investigated for alleged KKK offers to kill MLK in 1964. His nickname "Two Jumps" and associations with criminal activity were noted. Interviews with Sparks in 1965 revealed he denied involvement, though his history of violent behavior and connections to the KKK raised suspicion. James Earl Ray was flagged as a suspect and marked "ARMED AND DANGEROUS." The FBI sought to identify him through photographs and surveillance, including efforts to locate laundry markings linked to his movements.  

Leonard Davis in Atlanta reported encountering a man near rental property listings who claimed to have previously been in Memphis and expressed hostility toward Dr. King. The individual was described as potentially associated with JER, though no direct link was confirmed. Efforts to contact Walter Walton, a shoe business associate, were unsuccessful. Subsequent investigations involved reviewing newspaper ads for vehicles between March 23 and April 6, 1968, contacting individuals who may have seen Raymond (Ray) at the First Baptist Church in Atlanta on November 24, 1964, and verifying flight details of several individuals to London, Frankfurt, and other locations. The FBI sought information on potential suspects through interviews and cross-referencing city directories and witness accounts.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; described as a white man with a long beard, sandy hair, and a striking resemblance to a passenger observed by Henry Crouch.  
- **Donald Eugene Sparks** (FBI # CC170-5): Allegedly offered money by the KKK to kill MLK in 1964; nickname "Two Jumps."  
- **Eddie Jean Griffin**: Linked to a 1961 Ford VIN 1A32/7/843; investigated for potential connections to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Louis Lomax**: Reporter associated with the Houston Chronicle; traveled with Charles Stein to San Antonio.  
- **Charles Stein**: Accompanied Lomax on a trip to locate a telephone booth allegedly used by Ray.  
- **Dr. William Hutto**: Witnessed the gray Volkswagen near Columbia, South Carolina.  
- **Henry Crouch**: West Fair Cab dispatcher who transported a man resembling JER to Chattanooga, Tennessee.  
- **Raymond Pye**: Cab driver who picked up a man matching JER’s description at the Biltmore Hotel.  
- **Leonard Davis**: Reported encountering a man linked to Memphis and Dr. King.  
- **Walter Walton**: Shoe business associate; contact attempts unsuccessful.  
- **Mrs. Calvin Zonger** (Smyrna, Georgia): Provided description of an individual seen at the First Baptist Church in 1964.  
- **Frank Gordy** (Varsity Restaurant owner): Confirmed no sightings of James Earl Ray at the restaurant.  

Key Locations  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Central to investigative activities, including cab company operations (West Fair Cab), rental property inquiries, church sightings, and restaurant interviews.  
- **San Antonio, Texas**: Destination for Lomax and Stein’s trip; telephone booth investigation.  
- **Chattanooga, Tennessee**: Destination for the man picked up by Raymond Pye.  
- **Columbia, South Carolina**: Location where Dr. Hutto observed the gray Volkswagen.  
- **Marietta, Georgia**: Residence of Charles Vortz, linked to the car described by Hutto.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Mentioned in context of Dr. King’s assassination and Walton’s alleged ties.  
- **London, England; Frankfurt, Germany**: Destinations for flights verified by witnesses and contacts.  
- **First Baptist Church (Atlanta)**: Site of a 1964 sighting described as resembling Raymond.  

Key Events  
- **April 5, 1968**: Observation of an unknown individual on an Eastern Airlines flight from Atlanta; no investigation requested.  
- **April 27–28, 1968**: FBI agents in Atlanta and Memphis pursued leads on JER’s movements, including a cab ride from Atlanta to Chattanooga and a telephone booth investigation in San Antonio.  
- **April 26–28, 1968**: Surveillance efforts included tracking a gray Volkswagen with a Georgia license plate, reviewing flight manifests for Delta Airlines passengers, and monitoring newspaper purchases by an anonymous tipster.  
- **April 25–27, 1968**: FBI reviewed room rental records in Atlanta, noting tenants like Bill Faulkner and William Harper.  
- **April 17, 1968**: Leonard Davis reported encountering a man near rental property listings who claimed to have previously been in Memphis and expressed hostility toward Dr. King.  
- **March 23–April 6, 1968**: Review of newspaper ads for vehicle sales to identify individuals associated with Raymond.  
- **Verification of travel records** for multiple individuals to London, Frankfurt, and other locations.  
- **Interviews at the Varsity Restaurant in Atlanta** to confirm no sightings of James Earl Ray.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations across multiple cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, Memphis, Houston, and San Antonio.  
- **Delta Airlines**: Checked passenger manifests for flights to London and Frankfurt.  
- **West Fair Cab**: Involved in transporting a man resembling JER.  
- **Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Mentioned as an organization allegedly offering money for MLK’s assassination.  
- **U.S. Savings Bonds Program**: Mentioned as a payroll savings initiative unrelated to the investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_159-01-part_4_of_4.pdf

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