</s>FED. 245 (HEV. 4.19 (20) A. S. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE RENOVED FROM OR DADDED TO THIS F FEDERAL BUREAUO FEDERAL BUREAUE. DO NOT DESTROY PERSONNANT MATERIAE MUST BE REMOVED FRON OF ADDED TO THIH A.S. DEPARTMENT DO NOT EXTRUCTION PERSONNAMENT MARKLIN SEEL 1884. INVESTIGADION CO. Bureau File Number 44. 3886 ENTIRE FILEREVIEWED Bureau Files Number 44, 3886 FOR HISTORICAL Ventura Nacional. ALL INFORMATION CONTAMENED HEREIN/UNCLASSEATLANTA DECLASSICATION 200 1.2143 DO NOT DESTRY See also No. PRESERVE-FOR SELECT COMMITTLE ON ASSASSINATION #3 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document outlines the federal investigation into James Earl Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23, 1967, and his subsequent activities linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. It details Ray’s unlawful flight, robbery charges, and connection to the murder investigation, including his movements through Montreal, Canada; Birmingham, Alabama; and Memphis, Tennessee. Eric Galt is implicated as a suspect in the assassination, with evidence linking him to the crime via financial transactions, rental records, and handwriting analysis. The FBI conducted forensic examinations of physical evidence, including the Remington Model 760 rifle used in the shooting, documents tied to Galt’s activities, and laundry marks from Memphis. A secret indictment was filed against Ray for first-degree murder, though it remained unpublicized.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Escaped Missouri State Penitentiary (1967), linked to MLK assassination; charged with unlawful flight, robbery, and murder.  
- **Eric Galt**: Suspected accomplice in MLK’s assassination; implicated through financial records, rental agreements, and handwriting analysis.  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Victim of the 1968 assassination at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.  
- **Jimmy Delton Garner**: Rooming house manager in Atlanta who confirmed Galt paid rent for an additional week in March 1968.  
- **John Larry Ray (brother of James Earl Ray)**: Visited James Earl Ray at Missouri State Penitentiary prior to his escape; claimed no involvement in the assassination.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City)**: Ray’s escape from this facility in 1967.  
- **Montreal, Canada**: Galt resided here briefly before moving to Alabama and later Mexico.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Site of Ray’s rifle purchase and Galt’s residence; key location for the murder investigation.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Lorraine Motel where MLK was assassinated; scene of the shooting and subsequent police investigation.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Laundromat using a Thermo Seal marking machine (SN 3145A) linked to laundry marks associated with Galt’s activities.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot and killed at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis by a rifle fired from a bathroom window.  
- **April 23, 1967**: James Earl Ray escaped Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **July 1967–October 1967**: Eric Galt’s activities tracked via Canadian money orders, rental records, and purchases in Alabama and Mexico.  
- **May 7, 1968**: Shelby County Grand Jury returned a secret indictment against Ray for first-degree murder.  
- **April 5, 1968**: An abandoned Mustang was found near the Lorraine Motel; items recovered included the Remington rifle, Bushnell binoculars (SN DQ4086664), and personal effects such as a Schlitz beer can and a Channel Master radio (Model #6502).  
- **FBI Analysis**: Handwriting, handprinting, and fingerprint comparisons confirmed connections between Galt’s documents and James Earl Ray.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted laboratory analysis of evidence, including the Remington rifle, documents tied to Ray and Galt, and Thermo Seal laundry marks.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Oversaw federal charges against Ray and Galt.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama Police Department**: Involved in tracking Galt’s movements and investigating the murder.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Linked to James Earl Ray via inmate records and visits by his brother John Larry Ray.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_163-01-part_1_of_3.pdf

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