</s>FBI CHICAGO FBI SPRINGFIELD 74OPM URGENT 4-24-68 DJK TO DIRECTOR, CHICACO, BALTIMORE AND ST. LOUIS FROM SPRINGFIELD (444-561) 6PP MURKIN MEDICAL RECORDS, QUINCY, ILLINOIS, INDICATE JAMES RAY, AGE TEN IN MINETEEN THIRTY EIGHT, IILLINOISI, TREATED FOR AN EPILEPTIC SEIZURE. ADDRESS AT THAT ONE AND OTHER RECORD INFORMATION INDICATES THIS IS PROBALY SUBJECT. RUBY CARPENTER, EX-SECOND WIFE OF SUBJECT'S FATHER, LOCATED, INTERVIEWED, EX QUINCIVIDATED FATHER'S TRUE NAME IS JAMES GERALD RAY. AKA JERRY, AND RESIDED AUGUST, NINETEENT SIXTYONE TO AUGUST, NINEETEAN SIXTEEN SIXTY THREE AT RURAL ROUTE ONE, CLARENCE, MISSOURI, AFTER WHICH HE MOVED AT PRESENT RESIDENCE CENTER, MISSOURT, HE RESIDID IN ST. Louis FROM NINTEENTE FIFTY TWO THROUGH NINEENTEEN Sixty ONE AT FOUR ONE FOUR FOUR NINE WEST PINE. SUBJECT RESIDEND WITH FATHER APPROXIMATELY NI NEETEEM FIFTY FIFTEEN FIFTHY NINE AT FOURE ONE FOURIE WITH FOUR OUNTINE PINE STREET DURING WHICH TIME HE WORKED AS BAKER AT UNKNOWN COMMERCIAL END PAGE ONE 1.F.D. SEARCHED SEARCHEO FILLED Chauge T.AVERY OR ARVEY SERIALIZED CORN. FER-CHICAGA. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified FBI records from the 1960s detail investigations into individuals linked to James Earl Ray, including his alleged involvement in the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The documents focus on tracking Ray’s movements, associations, and criminal history across multiple states. Key suspects include Ray, Joseph Clayton Montagne, Harold Ward, and others. Investigations involved surveillance, interviews with relatives, employment checks, and cross-referencing military records, VA claims, and phone logs. The records reflect Cold War-era FBI efforts to monitor domestic threats and criminal networks.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; linked to Chicago, Memphis, and Camden, NJ. Military service (SN: 161-312-045 [SSN REDACTED]), VA education claims, and addresses in Chicago.  
- **Jerry William Ray**: Brother of James Earl Ray; interviewed by FBI regarding family background.  
- **Carol Pepper**: Sister of James Earl Ray; mentioned in FBI records.  
- **Joseph Clayton Montagne**: Suspect in an unspecified case; reported to have visited HILBURN HASSEY’s home in Montgomery, AL.  
- **Harold Ward**: Linked to Camden, NJ via his wife and son; owned a grey 1962 Cadillac.  
- **Walter Rife**, **Lonnie Rife**, **Ralph Davis** (deceased), **Joseph "Blackie" Austin**, **Kenneth K. Landess**, **Buddy Batchelder**, **Charlie Gunn**: Associates or relatives of Ray; some arrested for burglary, prostitution, or other offenses.  
- **Jerry Ray** (father of James Earl Ray): Provided conflicting accounts about his son’s family background, including possible aliases like "Raynes" or "Rayne."  

Key Locations  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Central to Ray’s addresses and VA records; linked to Bill’s Standard Station.  
- **Camden, NJ**: Key location for Ray’s movements and Ward family connections.  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Mentioned in car sales and interactions with Buddy Batchelder.  
- **Hannibal, Missouri**: Tied to Buddy Batchelder’s arrests for burglary and prostitution.  
- **Menard State Prison (Illinois)**: Ray was incarcerated here; associates like Joseph Austin were also detained.  
- **St. Louis**, **Detroit**, **Minneapolis**, **Los Angeles**: Secondary locations referenced in searches for Ray or associates.  

Key Events  
- FBI tracked James Earl Ray’s movements, including a visit to Camden, NJ (April 1968).  
- Investigations into Ray’s military service, VA education claims, and employment history (e.g., Continental Gin Company in Prattville, AL).  
- Arrests of Ray and associates for burglary, prostitution, and other offenses.  
- Surveillance efforts involving telegraph records, interviews with relatives, and cross-referencing with federal databases.  
- Conflicting accounts from Jerry Ray about his son’s family background and potential aliases.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Conducted surveillance, interviews, and investigations using code systems (e.g., "JER" for James Earl Ray).  
- **VA (Department of Veterans Affairs)**: Involved in verifying education claims linked to Ray.  
- **Chicago Federal Records Center**: Stored VA records related to Ray’s education claims.  

Contextual Notes  
The documents reflect Cold War-era FBI focus on domestic threats, criminal networks, and surveillance tactics. While James Earl Ray is central to the MLK Jr. assassination investigation, the records do not explicitly confirm his guilt but detail his movements and associations. Some cases may overlap with broader historical events or unsolved crimes. The records include telegraph logs from multiple FBI offices (Chicago, St. Louis, Memphis, etc.) and reference searches across states.

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_02-02-part_3_of_7.pdf

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