</s>FD . 245 (REV. 4.19.40) H. S. D.partment of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE' FATLANTA FEDERAL BUREAU FEDERAL BUREAUE NOT SEPT.19,19.99.1 INVESTIGATION ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED Bureau-File Number 44-3886/ FOR HISTORICAL ESTloc DECLASSIFICATION Volume Number: Sedul, 2/4-2/4 - 2/8/85 ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN US/UNCLASSIFIED DATE/U/S/U2/2/3/4/5/6/7/8 See also No. DO. NOT DESTROY PRESER' COMMILIE CN /ASSINATION DO NOT DESTRY NO.3 PRESERVE FOR SEIET COMMITE ON ASSASSINAT 4-4-7-66. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department records spanning 1967–1968, focusing on investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities, including his escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967, alleged connections to a 1959 Alton, Illinois bank robbery, and subsequent burglaries in St. Louis, Missouri. References link Ray to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with mentions of his flight routes, financial transactions, and interactions with informants. The FBI investigated Ray’s movements, including potential involvement in a prison truck operation for supply transport, and tracked his associates such as Jack Gawron and James Henry Ramsey. Legal proceedings involving Ray’s 1959 armed robbery conviction and parole violations are noted, alongside court interactions with St. Louis Circuit Judge John C. Casey. The documents also reference phone number inquiries, laundromat locations in Portageville, Missouri, and media attention to judicial decisions.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central figure; implicated in the 1959 Alton bank robbery, 1967 St. Louis burglary, and MLK assassination investigation.  
- **Jimmie Lee Horn (JIMMIE)**: Alleged accomplice to Ray’s 1967 Alton bank robbery; mentioned as having financial ties to Ray.  
- **Jack Gawron**: Arrested for burglary at 1801 S. 11th St., St. Louis, Missouri, on June 6, 1967; released on bond June 22, 1967.  
- **James Henry Ramsey**: Fugitive with physical description (black and gray hair, brown eyes, slender build); linked to the GRAVINE TAVERN sale.  
- **John C. Casey**: St. Louis Circuit Judge involved in Ray’s legal proceedings.  
- **Harold R. Dobson, Albert J. Rushing, William F. Martini, SA Albert A. Brandley**: FBI agents conducting investigations.  
- **R.B. Johnson**: Assistant Superintendent of Paroles, Springfield, Illinois; associated with parole records and fugitive warrants.  

Key Locations  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Central to police reports, court proceedings, and FBI investigations.  
- **Alton, Illinois**: Site of the 1959 bank robbery linked to Ray and Jimmie Lee Horn.  
- **Portageville, Missouri**: Mentioned in phone number inquiries and laundromat locations.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Site of Ray’s incarceration and escape in 1967.  
- **Jefferson City, Missouri**: Associated with prison truck operations for supply transport.  
- **Reno Farm**: Reference to a stop during the prison truck’s route.  

Key Events  
- **May–June 1967**: FBI investigation into Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary, involving a prison truck operation for supply transport.  
- **June 6, 1967**: Jack Gawron arrested for burglary at 1801 S. 11th St., St. Louis; released on bond June 22, 1967.  
- **May 23, 1968**: FBI investigation into James Henry Ramsey and Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **1959 Alton bank robbery**: Linked to Ray and Jimmie Lee Horn; details include use of a shotgun and pistol, loot amounts, and potential accomplices.  
- **1967 St. Louis burglary**: Involving Jack Gawron and James Henry Ramsey; evidence included blood-stained items, broken glass, and latent prints.  
- **Legal proceedings**: Including motions to vacate Ray’s 1959 armed robbery conviction and court hearings involving Judge John C. Casey.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Ray’s escape, bank robberies, and associations with fugitives.  
- **St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department**: Involved in burglary investigations and fugitive tracking.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Site of Ray’s incarceration and escape.  
- **Illinois Department of Public Safety**: Issued parole violation warrants related to fugitives.  
- **Southwestern Bell Telephone Company**: Mentioned in phone number inquiries.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_163-03-part_1_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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