</s>1 SL 44-775 HIRD:paw Relative: JERRY RAYNES, Father AT CLARENCE, MISSOURI JERRYRAYNES, FATHER Company, Mr. LLOYD SMITH, owner of the Smith Clothing Mr. LLoyd SMITH. owner of The Smith Clothing State Bank, advised SA JAMES A. DUFFEY on April 25, 1968, that they were not acquainted with anyone named JAMES GERALD Ralph or they were also acquired with anyone name named JAMES GERALDO no person by those names had resided in the Clarence, Missouri, area for approximately the past twenty years. 228 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s relatives, focusing on locating family members and verifying their connections to Ray, a suspect linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key inquiries include interviews with neighbors in St. Louis and Hannibal, Missouri, about individuals such as Jerry Raynes (Ray’s father), Lucille Ryan (Ray’s mother), Franklin Ray (Ray’s brother), and Carol Pepper (Ray’s sister). The FBI sought information on potential sightings of Ray or his family members, including checks on death records, property ownership, and employment histories. A death certificate for Lucille Mary Ryan is provided, noting her death in 1961 from cirrhosis and liver complications. The documents also reference attempts to contact Carol Pepper, who was reportedly employed in a Head Start program, and mention her father, Jerry Raynes, residing in Missouri. Financial records from the Manufacturers Bank and Trust Company in St. Louis detail accounts held by Albert and Carol Pepper, including large transactions such as a $1,900 check payable to Jerry Rayns for land purchase and a real estate loan for property at 2025 Bellevue, Maplewood, Missouri. FBI inquiries into Albert Pepper’s connections to James Earl Ray included interviews with Pepper and his wife, who denied knowledge of Ray’s whereabouts. Records also mention other individuals like Jerry Rayns and John Ray, with financial transactions tied to their addresses in St. Louis and Chicago. A separate document references an altercation at the Grapevine Tavern in St. Louis on February 20, 1968, involving three suspects arrested for theft, assault, discharging firearms, and public disturbances. The incident involved a fight with bartender Noma Regazzi, damage to the tavern, and a shot fired inside. All suspects denied ownership of a recovered revolver (38-calibre Iver-Johnson, serial #10558). A liquor license application submitted by Pepper-Carden Awn and Ray Neet includes premises details at 2025 Belle Ave, Maplewood, Missouri, and 1982 Arsenal.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** (suspect in MLK’s assassination; investigated by FBI)  
- **Jerry Raynes** (father of James Earl Ray)  
- **Lucille Ryan** (mother of James Earl Ray; died 1961)  
- **Franklin Ray** (brother of James Earl Ray; died in 1963)  
- **Carol Pepper** (sister of James Earl Ray; employed in Head Start program)  
- **Albert Pepper** (husband of Carol Pepper; investigated for ties to James Earl Ray)  
- **Jerry Rayns** (connected to a $1,900 check for land purchase)  
- **John Ray** (financially linked to Albert Pepper via bank accounts)  
- **Noma Regazzi** (bartender at Grapevine Tavern)  
- **James E. VanHorn**, **Jimmy D. VanHorn**, **Eugene B. Vaughn** (arrested suspects in tavern incident)  

Key Locations  
- **St. Louis, Missouri** (central location for most investigations; includes Hickory Street, Shenandoah Avenue, Bellevue, 1982 Arsenal)  
- **Hannibal, Missouri** (Franklin Ray’s death location)  
- **Maplewood, Missouri** (2025 Bellevue property)  
- **Alton, Illinois** (Lucille Ryan’s birthplace)  
- **Godfrey Township, Illinois** (burial site of Lucille Ryan)  
- **Grapevine Tavern, 1982 Arsenal, St. Louis, Missouri** (site of altercation and arrests)  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews with neighbors and officials to verify family connections and sightings of James Earl Ray.  
- Verification of Lucille Ryan’s death certificate and burial details.  
- Investigation into Franklin Ray’s 1963 fatal car accident.  
- Attempts to locate Carol Pepper and her family, including her father Jerry Raynes.  
- Checks on property ownership and employment records for Ray’s relatives.  
- Financial transactions in Albert and Carol Pepper’s bank accounts (1967–1968), including a real estate loan for 2025 Bellevue property.  
- FBI inquiries into Albert Pepper’s connections to James Earl Ray.  
- Altercation at Grapevine Tavern on February 20, 1968, involving theft, assault, discharging firearms, and public disturbances.  
- Arrests and charges against James E. VanHorn, Jimmy D. VanHorn, and Eugene B. Vaughn.  
- Recovery of a revolver (38-calibre Iver-Johnson, serial #10558) from the tavern scene.  
- Submission of liquor license application by Pepper-Carden Awn and Ray Neet for premises at 2025 Belle Ave, Maplewood, Missouri, and 1982 Arsenal.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (conducting investigations into James Earl Ray’s relatives)  
- **Bureau of Vital Statistics** (provided death record information)  
- **Manufacturers Bank and Trust Company** (St. Louis, Missouri; financial records for Albert and Carol Pepper)  
- **Catholic Archdiocesean Board of Education** (mentioned in relation to Head Start program employment checks)  
- **Ninth District, St. Louis Police Department** (police records referencing Albert Pepper’s prior disturbance incident)  
- **St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department** (records from Grapevine Tavern altercation)  
- **Metropolitan Police Department - City of St. Louis** (processed liquor license application)  
- **Excise Division**, **Records and Identification Division** (involved in liquor license application verification)

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_161-03-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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