</s>Routing Slip. 4/30/68 FD-4 (RV). 4-28(7) Date To: Director FILE BU 444-374 Att: Title MURKIN XSAC BIRMINGHAM ASAC (44-1740) Supp. Agent SE IC RE: Steno CC Clerk Rotor #: ACTION DESIRED Acknowledge Open Case Assign Reassign Prepare lead cards Bring file Prepare tickler Call me Return assignment card Correct Return file Deadline Search and return Deadline passed See me Delinquent Serial # Discontinue Post Recharge Return Expedite Send to File Submit new to charge out Submit report by Handle Initial & return Type Leads need attention Attached for information as to action taken. by reporter LOUIS LOMAX, affiliated affiliated with North American Newspaper Alliance, which story is self-explanatory. Copies furnished Bureau, KC, ME, CG SAC NEIL J. WELCH See reverse side Office BUFFALO 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray’s movements, alibi inconsistencies, and connections to potential accomplices. Key elements include discrepancies in Ray’s timeline, such as his alleged presence in Birmingham, Alabama, and Los Angeles, California, alongside contradictions in fingerprint records and vehicle ownership (e.g., a 1966 white Mustang). The FBI examined documents, photographs, and typewritten letters linked to Ray, including inquiries into his associations with Louis Lomax, the "Los Angeles Free Press," and individuals like Eric S. Galt. Administrative actions, case assignments, and interoffice communications are also referenced. A separate investigation tracked Harold J. Thome’s financial activities, credit card transactions, and alleged attempts to contact MLK, linking him to Ray through shared addresses and mental health records. The FBI conducted field operations in Mississippi and California, focusing on locating Ray and verifying details about a white Mustang with an Alabama license. In April 1968, the FBI interviewed motel and store owners in Mississippi and Tennessee regarding Schlitz beer cans and paper bags tied to the assassination, confirming via laboratory analysis that a can found at the Southern Minnow Shop matched March 15, 1968, shipments.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Alleged assassin of MLK; investigated for contradictions in alibi, vehicle ownership (1966 Mustang), and connections to Louis Lomax, Eric S. Galt, and the "Los Angeles Free Press."  
- **Louis Lomax**: Reporter affiliated with the North American Newspaper Alliance; linked to Ray via FBI inquiries.  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Individual connected to Ray through fingerprints and documents.  
- **Harold J. Thome**: Subject of credit account investigations, alleged attempts to contact MLK, and ties to Ray; classified as "armed and dangerous."  
- **Donald Dickson**: Informed of MLK’s assassination by an employee in Mississippi; linked to Schlitz beer can investigation.  
- **Bill Sevell**: Southern Minnow Shop store manager; provided details on beer deliveries and customer interactions.  
- **SA Lloyd D. Johnson**: FBI special agent involved in case file documentation.  
- **Paul Zander, Donald Parnell, Stephen Hill**: Credit bureau and bank officials providing information on Thome’s financial activities.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Site of gas station transactions, fingerprint discrepancies, and Ray’s alleged weapon purchase.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Central to Ray’s alleged activities, "Los Angeles Free Press" connections, and credit account investigations.  
- **Toledo, Ohio**: Marie Payne’s residence; potential prior associations with Ray.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: FBI case files and investigative leads related to MLK’s assassination.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned in context of Ray’s alleged interactions with a girlfriend.  
- **Thrift Courts Motel, Senatobia, Mississippi**: Site where Donald Dickson learned of MLK’s assassination.  
- **Southern Minnow Shop, Southaven, Mississippi**: Linked to Schlitz beer can investigation.  
- **Camarillo State Hospital, California**: Thome’s mental health records (1964–1965).  

Key Events  
- FBI investigation into Ray’s movements, alibi contradictions, and connections to Lomax, the "Los Angeles Free Press," and Galt.  
- Contradictions in Ray’s timeline, including alleged presence in Birmingham and Los Angeles, and discrepancies in fingerprint records and vehicle ownership.  
- Credit account investigations tracking Thome’s transactions across Arizona, New Jersey, Georgia, Texas, and California.  
- Thome’s alleged attempts to contact MLK in Atlanta, leading to FBI scrutiny.  
- Car repossession of a 1966 Buick purchased by Thome in Atlanta, linked to his financial activities.  
- FBI field operations in Mississippi to locate Ray and investigate Thome’s movements.  
- Laboratory confirmation that a Schlitz can found at the Southern Minnow Shop matched March 15, 1968, shipments.  
- Reporting of a white Mustang with an Alabama license associated with suspect activity.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central to all investigations, managing case files, coordinating with credit bureaus, and conducting field operations.  
- **North American Newspaper Alliance**: Affiliated with Louis Lomax; linked to Ray via FBI inquiries.  
- **Union Bank of Los Angeles**: Provided details on Thome’s car purchase and repossession.  
- **Shell Oil Company, Credit Department**: Involved in tracking Thome’s credit card activity.  
- **Barnett Buick Company**: Sold the 1966 Buick to Thome, later sought for information on his whereabouts.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)**: Documented Thome’s arrests for threatening a neighbor and drunk driving.  
- **Service Beverage Company**: Beer distributor linked to Schlitz can investigation.  
- **Pettis Cigar Company**: Paper bag supplier tied to paper bag evidence in the assassination inquiry.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_07-01-part_4_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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