</s>1. S. leyartment of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FIL ATLANTA' FEDERAL BUREAU FEDERA BUREAU DO NOT RESERVE, DO NOT RESERY PURSUITMENT FEDERAL BUREAL, SCHMIDT. SEC. 19-08-19-19 STESTIGATION Buree Number 44-3186/ EntIRE FILE REVIEWED Sectile Volume Number: R.B.R. FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION See also Nos. ALL INFORMATION CONTAMINED DO NOT DESTROY PRESERVE FOR SELECT COMMITE ON ASSASSINATIONS #3 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI investigative records spanning 1953–1968, detailing efforts to trace connections between Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination and individuals such as James Earl Ray, Carl Murphy, Jr., and others. Key elements include prison interactions involving Ray in Missouri State Prison, where inmates reported his racist remarks toward Black prisoners and alleged desire to kill MLK. FBI records reference motel stays in New Orleans linked to Ray’s associates, including Eric Galt and Charles Stein. A letter from Alois Bachner in Austria suggested the killer was hiding in Florida under a false name. Investigations also explored ties between Carl Murphy, Jr., a Mississippi bootlegger with KKK associations, and potential involvement in the assassination. Forensic analysis of typewritten documents (Q312/Q313) and fingerprints failed to confirm links to Ray or Eric S. Galt. Testimony from Billy Deik Chumley described Lewie Dowda’s anti-MLK sentiments and travel plans to Mexico, while FBI inquiries in Rome, Georgia, yielded no sightings of Ray. Safe deposit box records in Atlanta connected to Thomas V. Pack were reviewed but not directly tied to the assassination.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** – Suspect in MLK’s assassination; reported racist remarks and escape attempts from Missouri State Prison.  
- **Carl Murphy, Jr.** – Mississippi bootlegger with KKK ties suspected of involvement in the assassination.  
- **Robert Wayne Phillips** – Mississippi bootlegger linked to KKK and murder plots.  
- **Ulysses Lamb** – Individual resembling Ray who allegedly claimed to have killed MLK and hid his body.  
- **Cora Merritt** – Woman potentially aware of Ulysses Lamb’s claims about the assassination.  
- **Alois Bachner** – Austrian individual who communicated with FBI about MLK’s murder, suggesting the killer was in Florida under the name Eric Galt.  
- **Thomas V. Pack** – Subject of safe deposit box investigation; no direct link to the assassination established.  
- **Lewie Dowda** – Alleged associate with anti-MLK sentiments, ties to Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and California.  
- **Billy Deik Chumley** – Testified about Lewie Dowda’s activities and associations.  
- **Johnnie Valenti** – Prisoner in Kansas City who introduced Ray to James V. Brown.  
- **James V. Brown** – Recounted Ray’s anti-Catholic/anti-Black remarks and claims of a contact named “Cooly” offering $10,000 for MLK’s assassination.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Prison** – Site of Ray’s incarceration; inmates reported his racist behavior and alleged plans to kill MLK.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana** – Motel registrations (Provincial Motel, 1024 Chartres Street) linked to Ray’s associates, including Eric Galt and Charles Stein.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia** – Safe deposit box records reviewed for Thomas V. Pack; First National Bank of Atlanta referenced in FBI investigations.  
- **Florida** – Alleged hiding place of the MLK assassin, per Alois Bachner’s letter.  
- **Rome, Georgia** – FBI inquiries for James Earl Ray yielded no sightings.  
- **Oklahoma City, Oklahoma** – Lewie Dowda’s alleged activities and residence.  
- **Marietta, Georgia** – Dowda’s residence and work location.  
- **Los Angeles, California** – Destination of Q312 envelope referenced in forensic analysis.  

Key Events  
- **April–May 1968**: FBI checks of airline manifests for MLK’s travel; no matches found.  
- **Prison interactions (Missouri State Prison)**: Ray’s alleged racist remarks toward Black prisoners and claims of wanting to kill MLK.  
- **Motel registrations in New Orleans (December 1967)**: Names like Eric Galt, Charles Stein, and others linked to Ray’s associates.  
- **Testimony by Billy Deik Chumley**: Details about Lewie Dowda’s anti-MLK sentiments, travel plans to Mexico, and associations with Oklahoma City, Atlanta, and California.  
- **Forensic analysis (May 1968)**: Typewritten documents (Q312/Q313) and fingerprints on a matchbook and rental agreement failed to confirm connections to Ray or Eric S. Galt.  
- **Safe deposit box review in Atlanta**: Connected to Thomas V. Pack, but no direct link to the assassination established.  
- **FBI inquiries in Rome, Georgia (May 1968)**: No sightings of James Earl Ray reported.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** – Conducted investigations into MLK’s assassination, prison records, airline manifests, and forensic analysis.  
- **Ku Klux Klan (KKK)** – Suspected involvement through Carl Murphy, Jr., and other contacts.  
- **Northwest Orient Airlines / Transworld Airlines/TWA** – Flight manifest checks for MLK’s travel.  
- **Gwinnett County Police Department** – Latent fingerprint records referenced in forensic analysis.  
- **Atlanta Federal Savings and Loan Association** – Financial records reviewed as part of the investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_160-04-part_1_of_3.pdf

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