</s>FBI BIRMGHAM FBI NEW ORLS 824PM URGENT 4-12-68 CDC TO DIRECTOR 44-38861, MEMPHIS 44-1987, LOS ANGELES AND BIRMINGHAM FROM NEW ORLEANS . 157-10673 MURKIN RE BIRMINGHAM TEL CALL TO NEW ORLANS AND NEW ORLES TEL CALL TO LOS ANGELES FOUR TWELVE SIXTEIGHT. RE: ERIC STARVO GALT FOR INFO LOS ANGLES REL CALL ADVISED THAT GALT ON SEPTEMBER TWELVES ONE NINE SIXTYSEVEN ANSWERED AD IN BIRMMINGHAM NEWSPAPER BY CONTINENTAL DANCE STUDIOS, BIRMBINGHAM, ALABAMA. GALT WENT TO DANCE STUDIO IN BERMINGHAM. CONTACTED MARLIN MYERS AND SIGNED UP FOR DANCE LESSONS. AT THIS TIME MYERS RECOGNIZED GALT AS HAVING BEEN A FORMER STUDENT AT THE CONTINENTIAL DANGE STUDIO SEVEN TWO NINE COMMON ST. NEW ORléANS IN NINETEEN SIXTEN Sixty FIVE. ACCORDING TO MYERS, GALT TOOK THREE MONTHS OF DANCE LEESSONS IN NEW ORleans. ACCORDING IN MYERS. MYERS HAD A PARTNER OF OPERATING THE DANCE STUDIO IN NEW OREANS BY THE NAME OF LOUELIA LUTZ AND THE DANCE Studio WENT OUT OF BUSINESS IN OCTOBER NINTEEN SIXTYFIVE. LUZS SUBSEQUENTLY MOVED TO CALIFORNIA TOOK ALL THE RECORDS. 44-140.501 END PAGE ONE. SCRACED INEXEDED SURALIZED FILED APR 1 1968 FBI-BIRMINGTONHAN 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail an extensive FBI investigation into Eric Starvo Galt, a suspect linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., conducted in 1968. The inquiry focused on tracking Galt’s movements, associations, and potential connections to the crime. Key aspects include his alleged residency in Birmingham, Alabama, from August 1967 to October 1967, where he shared a residence with Billy Cleveland (later identified as Wilson L. Cleveland, a U.S. Army private stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia). The FBI coordinated efforts across multiple locations, including New Orleans, Miami, Atlanta, Hollywood, and Memphis, to gather evidence such as flight records, mail addresses, witness statements, and tire analysis from an abandoned car near the assassination site. Galt’s activities in California included interactions with a laundromat worker, hotel stays at the St. Francis Hotel, and associations with individuals like Ginger Nance and Anita Katzwinkel, who were linked to separate cases involving stolen vehicles and prostitution allegations. The investigation also examined potential suspects such as Marvin Raymond Dewese (a Navy veteran) and Reyes, whose connections to Otis Elevator Company and Marvin Gaut were explored.  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect in MLK assassination; described as a white male between 35–45 years old with light brown hair.  
- **Billy Cleveland** (later identified as **Wilson L. Cleveland**): Roommate of Galt; U.S. Army private stationed at Fort Benning, Georgia.  
- **Marlin Myers**: Dance studio operator in Birmingham, Alabama, associated with Louella Lutz and Galt.  
- **Louella Lutz**: Former business partner of Marlin Myers; moved to California with records from the Continental Dance Studio.  
- **Wayne McAffee**: Alabamian linked to John Petronella, who reported derogatory remarks about King.  
- **Charles Stephens**: Driver who picked up an individual matching Galt’s description near the assassination site.  
- **Jay Vernon**: Hollywood laundromat worker who interacted with Galt.  
- **Ginger Nance** (née Cunningham): Linked to a stolen car case involving Anita Katzwinkel and a Mustang.  
- **Anita Katzwinkel**: Associated with prostitution allegations and connections to Galt.  
- **Marvin Gaut**: Otis Elevator Company employee linked to Reyes, who was pursued in San Francisco.  
- **Marvin Raymond Dewese**: Navy veteran from Jacksonville, Florida; suspect due to resemblance to the artist’s conception of the assassin.  
- **Reyes**: Man described as matching the artist’s conception of the assassin; linked to Otis Elevator Company and Marvin Gaut.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Galt’s alleged residency (2608 Highland Avenue); Continental Dance Studio operations.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Louella Lutz’s former residence; FBI investigation into Galt’s movements.  
- **Miami, Florida**: Potential Galt residence and witness interviews.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Car abandonment near assassination site; Delta Airlines travel records.  
- **Hollywood, California**: St. Francis Hotel (Galt’s forwarding address); laundromat interactions.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of clothing found in Galt’s apartment; FBI office.  
- **San Francisco, California**: Investigation into Reyes and Otis Elevator Company connections.  
- **Jacksonville, Florida**: Marvin Raymond Dewese’s residence.  
- **Newport News, Virginia**: Dewese’s movement stop; Norfolk YMCA manager noted his resemblance to the artist’s conception.  
- **Fort Benning, Georgia**: Wilson L. Cleveland’s military base.  

Key Events  
- FBI investigation into Galt’s residency history and connections to Billy Cleveland (Wilson L. Cleveland).  
- Search for Louella Lutz to obtain Continental Dance Studio records linked to Galt.  
- Examination of flight tickets, airline reservations, and mail addresses for Galt.  
- Inquiry into car abandonment near the assassination site involving Charles Stephens.  
- Interviews with Wayne McAffee and John Petronella regarding derogatory remarks about King.  
- Tracking Galt’s movements in California, including laundromat visits, hotel stays, and associations with Ginger Nance and Anita Katzwinkel.  
- Tire analysis of an abandoned car linked to Galt revealed Firestone Deluxe tires with Mexican manufacturing details.  
- Pursuit of Reyes in San Francisco, linked to Otis Elevator Company and Marvin Gaut.  
- Monitoring Marvin Raymond Dewese’s movements between March–April 1968, including stops in Baltimore and Newport News.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted nationwide investigation across multiple locations.  
- **Otis Elevator Company** (Brooklyn, New York): Linked to Reyes and Marvin Gaut.  
- **U.S. Army** (Fort Benning, Georgia): Wilson L. Cleveland’s military service.  
- **Samsonite Corporation** (Denver, Colorado): Mentioned in payroll records referenced during the investigation.  
- **U.S. Post Office**: Provided forwarding address and travel records for Galt.  
- **Delta Airlines**: Traced Galt’s travel to Atlanta in March 1968.  
- **Local police departments**: Assisted with tire analysis, witness interviews, and tracking suspect movements.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_04-02-part_2_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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