</s>MURKIN Evans advised that he thought about this matter for quite some time and decided to notify the FBI of Peetee and this bartender. On October 11, 1977, Special Agent George Waldrop, United States Secret Service, 100 Peachtree Street, Atlanta, Georgia, advised that this office has a file regarding a John Crain Peteet, who was arrested by the United States Treasury Department for illegal possession of firearms. Walltop advised that Peetees not the building manager of the 1776 PeachtREE Street building and he was not arrested by the 1766 Peachtrees Street Building for threats against the President. Walltop Secret Service for office has no record of a Jack Peetée. A review of the files of the Atlanta Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation have no record identifiable with a Mason Evans or a Jack Peteet. nor a John Grain Peteet." -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The document contains a collection of fragmented FBI records and internal communications related to investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (April 4, 1968) and associated cases. It references James Earl Ray as the official suspect in MLK’s murder but also includes claims about organized crime or businessmen offering money for his assassination. These allegations are tied to figures like Russell G. Byers, who allegedly reported offers to kill MLK to a House committee, and Sergeant Robert Thomas Wehunt Jr., whose father claimed to have overheard convicts discussing such plots. The text mentions FBI field offices in Tampa, Atlanta, and Memphis, internal communications via "airtel" (airmail telegrams), and latent fingerprint evidence. It also includes inmate claims about Ray’s escape attempts from Missouri State Penitentiary and a laundry slip dated April 1, 1968, linked to Ray under the name *Eric Galt*. The document appears to be a mix of real FBI records, speculative claims, and repurposed text with formatting errors.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (official suspect in MLK’s assassination)  
- Russell G. Byers (alleged witness to conspiracy offers)  
- Sergeant Robert Thomas Wehunt Jr. (father allegedly overheard plot discussions)  
- Jerry Stewart (inmate claiming knowledge of Ray’s escape attempts and activities)  
- Mrs. Estellie Peters (testified about Ray’s movements or identity)  

Key Locations:  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Ray’s incarceration, escape attempts)  
- Atlanta, Memphis, Tampa (FBI field offices referenced in communications)  
- Fulton County Jail (Wehunt Jr.’s father worked as a deputy sheriff)  

Key Events:  
- MLK’s assassination on April 4, 1968  
- FBI investigations into Ray’s activities and potential conspiracies  
- Inmate claims about Ray’s escape attempts and racial motivations  
- Testimonies from witnesses like Byers and Wehunt Jr. regarding alleged conspiracy offers  
- Use of latent fingerprint evidence and laundry slips in tracking Ray’s movements  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – central to the investigation, with internal communications and file management noted  
- U.S. Senate Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities (referenced in context of historical conspiracy theories)  
- Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) – mentioned as a potential reporting entity for Wehunt Jr.’s father  

The document reflects both real FBI records and speculative claims, with some details likely fictionalized or exaggerated. It highlights the complexity of accessing and interpreting historical government files on sensitive cases.

MLK Declassified Files

44-at-2386_hs1-852715321_164-04-part_7_of_8.pdf

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