</s>FID-2343 (Rev. 38-67) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION REPORTING OFFICE OFFICE OF ORIGIN DATE INVESTIGATIVE.PERIOD SPRINGFIELD MEMPHIS 5/24/68 3/25/68 - 5/22/68 TITLE OF CASE REPORT MADE BY TYPEED BY JAMES BARL RAY, Aka - SA WILLIAM ROBERTS, III. FUGHTIVITY: SJ8 CHARACTER OF CASE 10 4852 WF 442-A TYP 442.A TO MAN FUGITIVE; DOCTOR MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR .- CR - CONSPIRACY; UFAC - ROBBERY VICTIM VICTIN REFERENCES: Bureau airtel to All Offices, dated 5/7/68. - P - LEADS : SPRINCFIELD DIVISION At Springfield, Illinois. ACCOMPLISHMENTS CLAIMED Accomplishments CLAIMING None ACQUIT TALLS CONVIC AUTO. FUG. PINKES AVINGS RECOVERIES CASE HAS DEEN! CASES OVER ONE YEAR AVINGS TALS PENDING PERFORCECTION YES XNO PENDINO OVER ONE YEAR OVER SIX MON THS. YES XHO APPROVED SPECIAL AGENT COPIES MADE: IN CHARGE DO NOT WRITE IN SPACES BELOW COPIIES MACH. SI 44-561 See Cover, Page B 8/1/1-1/2/2 A/44-11/14-15

Summary  
This document compiles FBI investigative records from April 1968 regarding James Earl Ray (FBI #306434A), a fugitive linked to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The reports detail efforts by the Springfield Division of the FBI to locate Ray, including interviews with his family and associates in Quincy and Alton, Illinois. References are made to prior threats against MLK, such as those allegedly made by John C. Medizer, and notes on Ray’s surveillance. Administrative case management records include copies sent to FBI divisions in Atlanta, Birmingham, Chicago, Houston, and others. Unrelated investigations into individuals like Harvey Edward Lohmeyer and Eric Starvo Galt are also noted. The documents further outline Ray’s employment history, military service, family connections, and legal issues, including arrests for traffic violations, vagrancy, and an armed robbery in 1951. Family members such as LUCILLE RAY (his mother), Melba Marie Ray, Franklin D. Ray, and others are documented with legal custody transfers, hospitalizations, and incarceration records. The file also references name variations used by the family (RAY, RAYN, BERNES) and includes addresses in Quincy, St. Louis, Alton, and other Illinois locations.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Fugitive suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; investigated for movements, employment history, and associations.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Associated with Ray; co-defendant in an unrelated 1951 case.  
- **John C. Medizer**: Alleged to have made prior threats against MLK.  
- **LUCILLE RAY** (mother of James Earl Ray): Involved in prostitution; legal custody transfers noted.  
- **Melba Marie Ray**: Sister of James Earl Ray; placed in Catholic orphanage.  
- **Franklin D. Ray**: Brother of James Earl Ray; died in an automobile accident around 1962–1963.  
- **Harvey Edward Lohmeyer**: Investigated for burglary and other offenses; family members (Walter, Donald, Thomas) interviewed regarding his whereabouts.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Mentioned in connection with Ray’s investigation but no direct link established.  
- **Jack Ray** (brother of James Earl Ray): Incarcerated at Mt. Prospect Prison.  

Key Locations  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Central location for interviews and records; Ray’s family and associates reside here.  
- **Alton, Illinois**: Ray’s last known residence; Alton Police Department maintained arrest records.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Employment history with Dryden Rubber Company, Arby Corporation, and Neo Produce Company.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination (implied through context).  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Ray’s alleged military service and education at American Television School.  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary (Pontiac)**: Mentioned in Ray’s criminal history.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary** and **Menard State Penitentiary**: Sites of incarceration for family members.  

Key Events  
- **April 1968**: FBI interviews with residents of Quincy and Alton to locate James Earl Ray following MLK’s assassination.  
- **1949–1959**: Ray arrested by the Alton Police Department for traffic violations and vagrancy.  
- **1951**: Ray involved in an armed robbery at Wagner’s Foodliner in Alton, Illinois.  
- **1945–1946**: Ray’s military service with the U.S. Army, First Division, 16th Infantry Regiment.  
- **Legal custody transfers**: Family members (e.g., Melba Marie Ray, Franklin D. Ray) placed under court or Catholic Charities care.  
- **Hospitalizations**: Records of Jacksonville State Hospital admissions for family members.  
- **Deaths**: Franklin D. Ray died in an automobile accident around 1962–1963; LUCILLE RAY’s death is noted as possibly occurring during this period.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted the investigation; Springfield Division managed case records.  
- **Alton Police Department**: Maintained arrest and employment records for Ray.  
- **Catholic Charities** (Springfield and Quincy branches): Involved in placing family members in foster care.  
- **Selective Service System**: Investigated Ray’s draft status and military service.  
- **Illinois Youth Commission**: Administered legal custody transfers for minors.  
- **Jacksonville State Hospital**: Recorded hospitalizations of family members.  
- **Missouri Department of Corrections** and **Quincy Credit Bureau**: Documented incarceration and financial records.  

Note: Social security numbers are present in the documents but have been redacted as [SSN REDACTED].

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_06-02-part_1_of_5.pdf

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