</s>FBI BIRMGHAM FBI TAMPA 3:02PM URGENT A+19-68 BLW TO DIRECTOR, BIRMINGHAM, JACKSONVILLE AND MEMPHIS FROM TAMPA (157-32311) 2P MURKIN. RE LOOK-ALIKE EASTERN AIRLINES FLIGHT-ONE EIGHT ZERO Ys APRIL SIX LAST. HOWARD NOYES. THREE ZERO SIX-NINETEENTH AVE ., N.E ., ST. PETERSBURG, FLA ., AN EMPLOYEE OF ST. PETERBURG TIMES, A DAILY NEWSPAPER. ADVISED APRIL ONE EIGHT, LAST HE WAS ABOARD EASTERN AIRLINESS FLGT. ONE EIGHY ZERO Y LEAVING TAMPA NINE FIFTEEN A.M. APRIL Six LAST TO WASHINGTON, D.C ., AND NE NOTED A PARTY OF THREE MEN SAT IN FRONT OF HIM IN REAR SECTION OF PLANE. ONE OF THE THREE MEN LOOKED SIMILAR TO HIM TO ERIC STARVO GALT. BASED ON INFORMATION FURNISHED THROUGH NEWS MEDIA. PHOTOS OF GALT EXHIBITED TO NOYES APRIL EIGHTEENTHE LAST AND HE ADVISED THERE WERE SIMILARIITIES BUT NO POSITIVE I DENITIFICATION COULD BE MADE. THE INDIVIDUAL BELIEVED SIMILAR POSSESSED A CASE THAT LOOKED LIKE A MUSICAL 44-1740-1034 END PAGE ONE SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED FIELD 1:2:1968 Full - BIRMMIGH 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., which occurred on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. Key focus areas include witness accounts from residents of a rooming house at 422 South Main Street, descriptions of individuals observed near the scene, and potential connections to the crime. John Willard is noted as a tenant who rented Room 5-B during the critical period, with Mrs. Bessie Ruth Brewer providing detailed observations of his behavior and appearance. Witness statements describe gunfire, confusion about the shooter’s identity, and chaotic scenes at the Lorraine Hotel. While no conclusive evidence links Willard to the assassination, the FBI sought to establish potential ties due to his presence in Memphis around the time of the event.  

Key People:  
- **John Willard**: Rented Room 5-B at 422 South Main Street in Memphis on April 4–8, 1968; described as a white male in his early 30s with specific physical traits.  
- **Mrs. Bessie Ruth Brewer**: Manager of the rooming house who provided detailed descriptions of Willard and observed unusual behavior.  
- **Frank H. Marley, J.L. Messer, Harold Carter, Alfred W. Eaton, Mrs. Jessie L. Ledetter**: Witnesses interviewed by the FBI regarding events around the assassination.  
- **Marrrell McCullough**: Witness at the Lorraine Motel who described observing Dr. King on the balcony and the gunshot incident.  
- **Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Ralph B. Abernathy**: SCLC figures associated with MLK’s activities in Memphis.  

Key Locations:  
- **Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination.  
- **422 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee**: Rooming house where John Willard rented a room and where witnesses provided accounts.  
- **Claytown Temple AME Church, Memphis, Tennessee**: Mentioned in Marrrell McCullough’s account.  
- **Fire station near Mulberry Street, Memphis, Tennessee**: Described as a location where individuals fled after the shooting.  

Key Events:  
- **Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968**, at the Lorraine Motel.  
- **Witness accounts of gunfire** near the hotel, including descriptions of the shooter’s appearance and actions.  
- **Mrs. Brewer’s testimony** about John Willard’s behavior and his presence in the rooming house.  
- **FBI investigation into potential connections** between Willard and the assassination, though no conclusive evidence was found.  
- **Law enforcement response** to the shooting, including police and firefighters at the scene.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Organization associated with Dr. King’s activities in Memphis.  
- **Community on the Move for Equality (COME)**: Mentioned in witness statements.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Involved in responding to the assassination and subsequent events.  
- **Shelby County Sheriff's Office**: Part of the law enforcement response.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_05-02-part_3_of_7.pdf

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