</s>BU 44-3774 PAGE POUR IN LOWER CLASS NEIGHBORHOODS INHABITED PRIMARILY BY FIRST GENERATION ETHNIC GROUPS INCLUDING CHINESE, PORTUGESE, POLISH AND HUNGARIAN NATIONALISTS, WHERE VERY LITTLE ENGLISH SPOKEN. ANCC TO KANSAS CITY, BIRMINGHAM AND ATLANTA. SUBJECT ARMED AND DANGEROUS. P. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into the procurement and movement of a .38-caliber revolver linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. James Earl Ray is identified as the individual who purchased the weapon from Aeromarine Supply Company in December 1966. Walter E. Spain, an intermediary, sold the gun to an unknown buyer described as a white male aged 40–45, matching Ray’s physical description. The FBI tracked the sale to Walter Leon Spain’s residence in Birmingham, Alabama, approximately half a mile from Ray’s known address at the time. Spain later identified the buyer as resembling Ray after viewing FBI-provided photographs. The investigation involved multiple locations, including Alabama, Georgia, and California, with records of gun transactions, witness statements, and follow-up actions by federal agents. A Birmingham News editorial acknowledged the FBI’s efforts in the case.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspected assassin; purchased revolver from Aeromarine Supply Company)  
- Walter E. Spain (intermediary who sold the weapon to an unknown buyer)  
- Walter Leon Spain (father of Walter E. Spain; residence linked to gun sale)  
- Robert Tatum (gun dealer in Atlanta, Georgia)  
- Jerry Mosley (individual checked against Ray’s description)  
- James W. Brown (prisoner who provided information about Ray’s prison contacts)  
- John Edgar Hoover (FBI Director overseeing the investigation)  

Key Locations  
- Birmingham, Alabama (residence of Walter Leon Spain and James Earl Ray; location of gun sale)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (gun dealer location; Aeromarine Supply Company)  
- Huntsville, Alabama (hospital where Walter Leon Spain was confined)  
- Kansas City, Missouri (noted in context of FBI operations but without specific details)  
- California (general reference to locations without specifics)  

Key Events  
- Purchase of the .38-caliber revolver by James Earl Ray from Aeromarine Supply Company in December 1966.  
- Sale of the weapon by Walter E. Spain to an unknown buyer in late 1967, described as matching Ray’s physical profile.  
- FBI investigation into the gun’s movement and connection to King’s assassination, including contact with witnesses like James W. Brown.  
- Spain’s identification of the buyer as resembling Ray after viewing FBI-provided photographs on April 7, 1968.  
- FBI request to cancel outstanding leads related to Ray following his apprehension.  
- Birmingham News editorial acknowledging the FBI’s role in the investigation.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Birmingham Police Department  
- Aeromarine Supply Company (gun dealer)  
- Solinger Cutlery Co. (manufacturer/distributor of firearms)  
- U.S. Department of Justice

MLK Declassified Files

44-bh-1740_729219_09-01-part_6_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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