</s>F.D. 2.49 (NEV. 4:19:00) H. S. L. Gartment of Juntice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED) FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number 79-1-4-1/2-4/4-2/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44/45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64/65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/73/74/75/76/77/78/79/80/81/82/83/84/85/86/87/88/89/90/91/92/93/94/95/96/97/98/99/100/101/102/104/105/106/107/108/109/110/111/112/113/114/115/116/117/118/119/130/116. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The text details FBI investigative reports from the late 1960s focusing on James Earl Ray’s connection to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Key elements include forensic analysis of a 1966 Ford Mustang, latent fingerprints on a rifle linked to Ray, and fiber matches between Ray’s clothing and a bedspread from the assassination scene. Investigators tracked Ray across multiple cities (Atlanta, Memphis, New Orleans) without conclusive evidence of his whereabouts. Landlord interviews and laundry records were examined, with references to a figure named "Galt" operating a service used by Ray. Witness accounts included former inmates describing Ray’s behavior, racial attitudes, and alleged ties to extremist groups like the Black Muslims. The documents highlight FBI efforts to connect Ray to the assassination through physical evidence, witness testimony, and cross-referencing public records, though no definitive proof of his guilt was established.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK’s assassination)  
- Joseph G. Shea (former Missouri State Prison inmate)  
- Jack T. Dowda (prison official or informant)  
- Raymond Louis Curtis (former jailmate of Ray)  
- Mrs. Estelle Peters (laundry worker interviewed by FBI)  
- "Galt" (landlord and laundry operator linked to Ray)  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee (assassination site)  
- Atlanta, Georgia  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  
- Missouri State Prison (Ray’s incarceration)  
- Lake of the Ozarks (area speculated for Ray’s potential location)  

Key Events:  
- Forensic analysis of Ray’s clothing and a bedspread linked to the assassination scene  
- FBI investigations into Ray’s movements across multiple cities  
- Reinterviews of witnesses, including former inmates and laundry workers  
- Claims by inmates about Ray’s racial attitudes and possible extremist affiliations  
- Speculation about Ray’s escape from Missouri State Prison and plans to visit Lake of the Ozarks  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Government Painting Office (referenced in connection with photographic evidence)  
- Missouri State Prison (institution where Ray was incarcerated)

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_06-01-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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