</s>FD. 245 - REV. 413-460 H. S. Department of Justice MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED DO NOT DESTROY PENDING LITIGATION 1790 FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL of DECLASSIFICATION INVESTIGATION ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLASSIFIED DATE: BY Volume Number: Bureau File Number Volume Number. DO ROT DESTROY PENDIND LITigation See also Nos. DO NOT DISTROY HISTORICIAL VALUE A LAHATIONAL ARCHIVES 2023 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 1476

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities in 1968 focusing on James Earl Ray as a suspect in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include interviews with individuals linked to Ray, such as Hilliard Allen Sanders, a former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary who denied knowing Ray. The Bureau also tracked license plate information for a Cadillac De Ville associated with Roger Broussard and Frank W. Pruett, both under surveillance due to potential connections to Ray. Investigations in Birmingham, Memphis, and Los Angeles focused on monitoring suspects’ movements, employment history, and associations. References to "ARMED AND DANGEROUS" alerts indicate heightened scrutiny of individuals linked to Ray’s activities. Additional records from May 1968 include interviews with inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP) regarding Ray’s interactions during 1967, hotel/motel registration checks in New Orleans and Memphis, fingerprint comparisons with unidentified deceased individuals, and inquiries into potential connections to bank robberies or other crimes.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; investigated for movements, employment, and connections.  
- **Hilliard Allen Sanders**: Former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; interviewed regarding potential ties to Ray.  
- **Frank W. Pruett**: Subject of surveillance due to possible links to Ray; described as a 5'9" man with grey hair and blue eyes.  
- **Roger Broussard**: Associated with a stolen Cadillac De Ville license plate; investigated for potential connections to Ray.  
- **James W. Brown** (MSP #00432): Inmate incarcerated from March 25, 1966, to June 15, 1967; reported multiple cell changes.  
- **James Carpenter** (MSP #LERO1761): Inmate at MSP from December 21, 1966, to January 1, 1967; worked in the vegetable room.  
- **James D. Wallace** (MSP #75352): Inmate who claimed to have seen Ray with James L. Owens in St. Louis during summer 1967.  
- **Eric S. Galt**: Guest at Provincial Motel, New Orleans; no direct link to Ray confirmed.  
- **Gene Barnes** (MSP #72271): Inmate in the same hall as Ray but provided no information about him.  

Key Locations  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Central hub for FBI investigations, including interviews and surveillance of suspects.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Involved in tracking Roger Broussard and Frank W. Pruett.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Mentioned as a location where Ray took a bartending course and made employment calls.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP)**: Site of inmate interviews and records about Ray’s interactions.  
- **Provincial Motel, New Orleans**: Hotel where Eric S. Galt stayed; investigated for potential connections to Ray.  
- **New Orleans French Quarter**: Hotels and motels checked for Ray’s registration during March 17–24, 1968.  

Key Events  
- **Interviews with inmates**: FBI interviewed Hilliard Allen Sanders in 1968, confirming he had no prior contact with Ray during his imprisonment; conducted interviews at MSP to verify Ray’s associations and movements.  
- **License plate tracking**: Investigation into a stolen Cadillac De Ville linked to Roger Broussard and Frank W. Pruett.  
- **Surveillance efforts**: Monitoring of suspects’ movements, including visits to whiskey stores in Birmingham and potential connections to Ray’s activities.  
- **ARMED AND DANGEROUS alerts**: Issued for individuals under investigation due to their association with Ray or suspicious behavior.  
- **Hotel/motel registration checks**: Efforts to track Ray’s whereabouts by checking registrations in New Orleans, Memphis, and other locations.  
- **Fingerprint comparisons**: With unidentified deceased individuals to confirm Ray’s identity.  
- **Investigation into bank robberies**: Latent fingerprints linked to potential connections to Ray.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted the primary investigation, coordinating with local law enforcement and agencies.  
- **Local police departments**: Collaborated with FBI on investigations in Birmingham, Memphis, and other cities.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP)**: Relevant to Ray’s criminal history and inmate associations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_08-01-part_1_of_9.pdf

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