</s>AL 44-493 NEBRASKA Evans Model Laundry, 201 S. 11th St ., Omaha -23- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail a 1968 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on forensic evidence such as laundry tags linked to vehicle records and inquiries into textile marking machines. A red laundry tag with black lettering (code #0-26-8 and ID-28-6-6) was associated with a 1962 Rambler owned by Monnie Mathis, registered in Clinton, NC, and produced by the Textile Marking Machine Co. The investigation examined laundries across North Carolina, including Charlotte, Raleigh, and Asheville, to trace the origin of the tags. Records from police departments, credit bureaus, and banking institutions were checked for individuals like Eric Starvo Galt, whose records showed no connections. A vehicle title with a lien held by First Union National Bank in Clinton, NC, was referenced. Additionally, FBI agents conducted inquiries into claims made by Fredrick Dunston, who alleged he killed MLK and described an unknown white male with a tattoo (heart with "Born to Lose") as the perpetrator. The investigation also included administrative details about FBI memos, interagency communications, and contact with textile marking machine manufacturers in Syracuse, NY.  

Key People  
- **Monnie Mathis**: Registered owner of the 1962 Rambler linked to a laundry tag associated with the assassination investigation.  
- **Textile Marking Machine Co.**: Manufacturer of the machine producing the laundry tag with specific codes.  
- **First Union National Bank**: Holder of a lien on the vehicle registered in Clinton, NC.  
- **Fredrick Dunston**: Claimed to have killed MLK; described an unknown white male with a tattoo as the assassin.  
- **John Louis Champagne**: Registered owner of license DY-7074 linked to Fairfax, Virginia.  
- **Richard James Dayhoff**: Army veteran with mental instability and suicide attempts, associated with a 15-year-old girl.  
- **Henry Bennett**: Allegedly present with Dunston during the sighting of the assassin near Smith’s Restaurant in Whiterville, NC.  

Key Locations  
- **Clinton, NC**: Vehicle registration and lien details for Monnie Mathis’s Rambler.  
- **Charlotte, NC**: FBI SAC office involved in the investigation.  
- **Raleigh, NC**: North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) and police records checked.  
- **Syracuse, NY**: Location of Textile Marking Machine Co. headquarters.  
- **Whitville, NC**: Site of Dunston’s interactions with the unknown man and police reports.  
- **Murfreesboro, NC**: Location where Richard James Dayhoff was found attempting suicide.  
- **Fairfax, Virginia**: Address linked to John Louis Champagne’s license registration.  

Key Events  
- **April 8, 1968**: Fredrick Dunston claimed he killed MLK and described an unknown white male with a tattoo as the perpetrator.  
- **April 7–12, 1968**: FBI agents contacted informants and PCI sources without success in identifying suspects.  
- **April 10, 1965**: Richard James Dayhoff was found attempting suicide in Murfreesboro, NC, with erratic behavior noted.  
- **April 11, 1965**: North Carolina DMV confirmed license DY-7074 belonged to John Louis Champagne, who owned a 1960 Volkswagen.  
- **Forensic analysis of laundry tags**: Examination of textile marking machine codes and printing processes linked to the assassination investigation.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Dunston, Dayhoff, Champagne, and the Textile Marking Machine Co.  
- **North Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)**: Provided license registration details for vehicles involved in the case.  
- **Textile Marking Machine Co.**: Manufacturer of the machine producing the laundry tag with specific codes.  
- **First Union National Bank**: Holder of a lien on the vehicle registered in Clinton, NC.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ce-1365_738554_04-01-part_6_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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