</s>FBI ATLANTA FBI WASH DC 300 PM URGENT 4-29-58 JMS TO ATLANTIA 44-2396 FROM WASHINGTON FIELD 44-703 IP MURKIN DANIEL SCHWARTZ, THREE FIVE FOUR THIRTY-NINTH STREET, NORTHWEST, WASHINGTON, D.C ., APARTMENT FIVE ZERO NINE E, ADVISED THAT AT ABOUT TEN THIRITY P.M ., APRIL TWENTY-SEVEN, LAST. HE OBSERVED INDIVIDUAL RESEMBLING JAMES EARL RAY DRIVING AN OFF WHITE MUSTANG, GEORGIA LICENSE 3 Y EIGHT SIX SEVEN THREE, IN WASHINGTON , D. C ., ATLANTA IDENTIFY REGISTERED OWNER AND HAVE OPERATOR OF INSTANT CAR INTERVIEWED. MEMPHIS SENT AIR MAIL COPY. ARMED AND DANGEOOUS. P. END VSC FBI ATLANTIA Sue 1453 44-2386-1452 SEARCHED INCRED. SERIALIZED. FILLED. APR 29 1968 F-ATLANIA 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified FBI documents from April 1968 detail an investigation into James Earl Ray’s movements and potential connections to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4, 1968). The report includes vehicle tracking efforts, witness statements about sightings of a white Mustang linked to Ray, and inquiries into his rental history. Key elements include the red "Rebel" car rented by Heritz Corp. in Atlanta (April 3–6, 1968), which was later found in Birmingham, Alabama, despite no records confirming its absence after April 6. Witnesses such as Mrs. Edna Croke and Mrs. Floyd Medley reported seeing a white Mustang near their homes in 1968, though no direct ties to the assassination were established. The FBI canvassed locations like the Lane-Liggett Drugstore and Shell Service Station for sightings of Ray or associates. Despite extensive tracking, the documents note unresolved issues, including how the red Rebel car reached Birmingham and whether it was used in the crime.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Central figure in the investigation; linked to vehicle sightings and rental records.  
- **Mrs. Edna Croke**: Witness who reported a white Mustang near her home in 1968.  
- **Mrs. Floyd Medley**: Provided conflicting accounts about a car sighting and interactions with reporters.  
- **Heritz Corp.**: Rental company associated with the red Rebel car.  

Key Locations  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Site of vehicle rentals and witness interviews.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Where the red Rebel car was later found.  
- **Jonesboro, Georgia**: Home to witnesses Mrs. Croke and Mrs. Medley.  
- **Lane-Liggett Drugstore** and **Shell Service Station**: Locations canvassed for JER sightings.  

Key Events  
- **April 3–6, 1968**: Red Rebel car rented and returned in Atlanta by Heritz Corp.  
- **April 25–26, 1968**: FBI canvassed Atlanta locations for JER sightings.  
- **April 29, 1968**: Witness reported seeing someone resembling JER near Ashby Street.  
- **1963 and 1968**: White Mustang sightings linked to Ray, though no conclusive connection to the assassination was established.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted surveillance, interviewed informants, and tracked vehicle movements.  
- **Heritz Corp.**: Rental company involved in car rental records.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Assisted in canvassing locations for JER sightings.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_159-05-part_3_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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