</s>SL: 44-775 JAMES DAVID DAILEY 171 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail an FBI investigation into James D. Daily’s potential connections to James Earl Ray, a fugitive implicated in the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Conducted between April 1968 and April 1969, the inquiry focused on surveillance, interviews, and verification of Daily’s activities. Key findings include no evidence linking Daily to Ray or the assassination, with witnesses confirming his lack of criminal history, farm ownership, or direct ties to Ray. The investigation aimed to rule out Daily’s involvement in the crime, emphasizing his business operations (LaFont’s Cafe in Portageville, Missouri) and personal relationships. While Ray was later convicted of MLK’s murder, these records do not provide direct evidence connecting Daily to the assassination.  

Key People  
- **James D. Daily**: Bar owner in St. Louis, Missouri; operated LaFont’s Cafe in Portageville. No ties to farming or criminal activities confirmed.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Fugitive implicated in MLK’s assassination; investigated for alleged connections to Daily.  
- **Homer Townsley**: Former bar owner in St. Louis who claimed Ray sought help from Daily after escaping prison in 1967.  
- **Bonnie Daily**: Wife of James D. Daily, close to family members in Missouri and Illinois.  
- **Junior Ray Conway**: Allegedly shot by Daily in September 1965, resulting in paralysis.  
- **Jerry Raynes**: Claimed not to have seen James Earl Ray for 17 years and denied knowledge of his whereabouts.  

Key Locations  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Primary location for interviews and surveillance; home to LaFont’s Cafe and the Neighborhood Bar.  
- **Portageville, Missouri**: Where Daily operated LaFont’s Cafe.  
- **Jefferson Avenue, St. Louis**: Associated with Daily’s past activities.  
- **Salem, Missouri**: Residence of Junior Ray Conway.  
- **Center, Missouri**: Location of Jerry Raynes’ property.  

Key Events  
- **Surveillance and interviews** conducted on Daily’s residences (e.g., 2708 St. Vincent Ave.) and business locations.  
- **Alleged shooting incident** involving Daily and Junior Ray Conway in September 1965.  
- **Financial disputes** between Daily and Siegfried over electrical wiring repairs at the Half-Way Cafe.  
- **Investigation into Ray’s movements** post-escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in April 1967.  
- **Verification of Daily’s lack of criminal history**, including statements from relatives and neighbors denying farm ownership or ties to Ray.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, surveillance, and investigative efforts into Daily and Ray’s associations.  
- **St. Louis City Hall**: Referenced in records regarding electrical wiring violations at the Half-Way Cafe.

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_05-02-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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