</s>PAGE THREE WATERFRONT AND RIVER EMPLOYMENT : INQUIRY AT THE MAJOR WATERFRONT AND RIVERS EMPLOVERS IN THE MEMPHIS DIVISION CONCERNING GALT, LOWMEYER, AND WILLARD HAVE BEEN NEGATIVE TO DATE. KING'S ITINERARY PRECEDING MURDER : INVESTIGATION TO SCERTAIN WHETHER UNSUB APPEARED IN THE VICTINITY OF ANY OF KINGS' APPEARRANCES IN THE MONTH PRECEDINY HIS DEATH OUTSIDE OF THE MEMPHS AREA IS DESIRABLE AND WILL BE UNDERTAKEN WHEN THE ARTIST'S CONCEPTION IS AVAILABLE. THIS STAFF EMAIL MAKING DIRECT INQUIRIES OF MEMBERS OF KING'S STAFF CONCERNG GALT AND DISPLAYING THE ARTIST's CONCEPTIONS. THIS ACTION WILL NECESSARILY DISCLOSE TO INDIVIDUALS WHO WILL BE PRONE TO TALK TO THE PRESS THE FACT THAT WE HAVE THE ARTISTS'S CONCERNER AND ARE INTERESTED IN THE PERSON BY THE NAME OF GALT. IN VIEW OF THIS POTENTIAL, WE ARE WITHOLDING THIS LINE OF INQUiry PENDING A BUREAU DECISION AS TO WHEN WE MAY OPENLY CONDUCT THIS TYPE OF INVESTIGATIONAL. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document outlines an FBI investigation into potential suspects linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on Eric Starvo Galt, George Griffith, and other individuals. On April 10–12, 1968, multiple FBI offices coordinated efforts to locate Galt, described as a white male driving a 1966 white Mustang with Alabama license plate 1-38-993. The Bureau sought employment history, family connections, and movement details, including interviews with relatives in Alabama and Minnesota. Laundry comparison analysis suggested potential links between evidence from the assassination scene and items from Galt’s residence. Separate inquiries addressed unrelated cases, such as bombing suspects and vehicle registration checks, but all documents emphasize the central focus on locating Galt and his possible involvement. The FBI also investigated George Griffith, a relative of Ronald Griffith (a KKK member who expressed intent to kill MLK), and pursued leads through contacts at the Sterlings Brewery in Birmingham. Interviews with Carolyn Apartments residents in Birmingham and verification of suspect descriptions against records were conducted. A murder warrant for an unidentified suspect (UNSUB) was pending but delayed under Executive Order 14176. The investigation included checks at motels, hotels, and service stations along routes between Birmingham and Memphis, as well as coordination with FBI divisions in Jackson, Mobile, Birmingham, and New Orleans.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; described as a white male, 5'11"–6'1", with brown hair/blue eyes or a full beard.  
- **Francis E. Galt**: Brother of Eric Starvo Galt, interviewed in Minnesota; stated no knowledge of his involvement.  
- **Rev. Ralph Palt**: Father of Eric Starvo Galt, residing in Fairfield, Alabama; associated with Miles College.  
- **Ronald Griffith**: KKK member who expressed intent to kill MLK.  
- **George Griffith**: Relative of Ronald Griffith, described as 6'0" tall with red hair; last known to reside in Decatur, Alabama.  
- **Myrtle King, Beverly Parsons**: Residents of the Carolyn Apartments in Birmingham interviewed for potential witness/suspect information.  
- **Howard Strickland**: Informant in Memphis with contact to Jay Fisher, possibly connected to the case.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central hub for vehicle registration checks and FBI coordination; local authorities confirmed cooperation.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Site of interviews with Galt’s family, Sterlings Brewery contacts, and Carolyn Apartments residents.  
- **Minneapolis, Minnesota**: Interview with Lester Paul Galt (brother of Eric Starvo Galt).  
- **Decatur, Alabama**: Last known address of George Griffith.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Mentioned in context of KKK ties and informants.  

Key Events  
- **April 10–12, 1968**: FBI offices across the U.S. conducted interviews, checked vehicle records, and reviewed employment histories to track Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Laundry Evidence Analysis**: Comparison of laundry markings from a dry cleaner in Hollywood, California, with evidence recovered post-assassination suggested potential links to Galt’s residence.  
- **Vehicle Registration Checks**: FBI sought to identify the 1966 Mustang linked to Galt and verify its movements.  
- **Carolyn Apartments Interviews**: Residents interviewed to identify suspects or witnesses.  
- **KKK Affiliation Investigation**: Focus on George Griffith’s alleged ties to the KKK and Ronald Griffith’s expressed intent to kill MLK.  
- **Informant Network**: Howard Strickland’s contact with Jay Fisher, potentially connected to the case.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Central agency coordinating investigations across regional offices (Birmingham, Memphis, Washington, D.C., etc.).  
- **KKK (Ku Klux Klan)**: Linked to Ronald Griffith’s past affiliations and George Griffith’s alleged ties.  
- **Sterlings Brewery**: Contact point for Galt-related leads in Birmingham.  
- **Veterans Administration Regional Offices**: Checked for records related to Eric Starvo Galt’s potential benefits applications.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_03-04-part_2_of_5.pdf

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