</s>SI 44-561 A review of the Springfield files regarding PAUL ALVIN LAIL, JR. reflected him as subject of a 1963 Unlawful Flight to Avoid Confinement case in which he was described as follows: Name PAUL ARTHUR LAIL. JR. ,, Alaska Paul Alyvin LAIL ,, Jr. Paul Lail, Jr ., Jr .. Paul Arthur Carter FBI # Paul Lall, Jr." Race Paul A.A. Sex Male American POB POB Marion, North Carolina Height Height Marion. Height Pounds Hair Red Blue Occupation Eyes Sign painter Sign civilian truck driver Social Security # Radio repair man Teeth Scars No upper Scar on left knee - 116 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail investigative efforts related to James Earl Ray’s incarceration history, associations with individuals in Illinois and Missouri during 1968, and inquiries into potential suspects linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Records include prison records from Missouri State Penitentiary and Illinois State Penitentiary, interviews with former inmates and associates, and administrative notes on FBI case files. Key figures such as Hilliard Allen Sanders, Walter Terry Riffe, Laura Conners, Arthur Conners, Joseph Adams, and Billy Ray King are referenced. Interviews with these individuals generally denied direct ties to Ray or the assassination. The documents also reference anonymous calls about potential threats against MLK, prior investigations into alleged anti-King rhetoric, and composite drawings of suspects. No confirmed connections between Ray or other named individuals and the assassination were established in the records reviewed.  

Key People  
- **Hilliard Allen Sanders**: Incarcerated at Missouri State Penitentiary (1952–1963), denied prior knowledge of James Earl Ray during imprisonment; later resided in Alabama, South Carolina, and Illinois.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Subject of investigation; incarcerated at Illinois State Penitentiary (1952–1958) as a model prisoner; alleged associations with Walter Terry Riffe and the Virginia Hotel in Quincy, Illinois.  
- **Walter Terry Riffe**: Employed at the Virginia Hotel in Quincy, Illinois, from March 27 to April 6, 1968; no direct ties to Ray confirmed.  
- **Laura Conners**: Owner of the Virginia Hotel in Quincy, Illinois; provided details about Riffe’s employment.  
- **Arthur Conners**: Husband of Laura Conners; corroborated Riffe’s work history and denied knowledge of Ray’s activities.  
- **Joseph Adams**: Inmate at Menard Branch, Illinois State Penitentiary; claimed to have encountered Ray in 1967 but provided no evidence.  
- **Billy Ray King**: Interviewed in Rock Island, Illinois; stated he was in Memphis during the assassination but denied involvement.  
- **Kenneth D. Fosdyck**: Interviewed regarding potential ties to Ray; had a criminal record and worked at Pontiac Honor Farm.  
- **David Lansden**: Attorney who mentioned Benny K. Pinkston’s alleged anti-King rhetoric but noted no confirmed threats.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City)**: Site of Hilliard Allen Sanders’ incarceration and alleged interactions with James Earl Ray.  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary (Pontiac Branch)**: Recorded details about James Earl Ray’s incarceration as a model prisoner (1952–1958) and inmate interactions.  
- **Menard Branch, Illinois State Penitentiary**: Where Joseph Adams was incarcerated and claimed to have met Ray.  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Home of the Virginia Hotel; location of interviews with Laura Conners and Arthur Conners.  
- **Rock Island, Illinois**: Interview location for Billy Ray King.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Reported presence of Billy Ray King during the assassination.  

Key Events  
- **Interviews with Hilliard Allen Sanders (1968)**: Confirmed no prior association between Sanders and James Earl Ray during imprisonment.  
- **Employment of Walter Terry Riffe at the Virginia Hotel (March 27–April 6, 1968)**: Documented through statements from Laura Conners and Arthur Conners.  
- **Ray’s incarceration at Illinois State Penitentiary (1952–1958)**: Detailed records of his time as a model prisoner and interactions with other inmates such as Lee Miller, Edward Paul Rivera, Gus Marzahin, Charles Reed, Fred Petrakis, and Dwight Rowe.  
- **Interviews with former inmates**: Including Norman Dean, Charles Redd, and Kenneth D. Fosdyck, who did not identify Ray or confirm ties to the assassination.  
- **Anonymous calls about potential threats against MLK**: Included claims of a Chicago police officer planning an assassination in Memphis and references to the Minutemen group.  
- **Billy Ray King’s interview (April 1968)**: Claims he was in Memphis during the assassination but denied involvement.  
- **Prior threats investigation**: David Lansden’s account of Benny K. Pinkston’s alleged anti-King activities, though no direct threats were confirmed.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews and maintained case files on individuals associated with James Earl Ray and potential suspects.  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary**: Provided records on Ray’s incarceration, inmate interactions, and parole history.  
- **Minutemen**: Mentioned in an anonymous call as a possible group involved in the assassination plot.

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_08-03-part_5_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search