</s>MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE ENTIRE FILE REVIBEO FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION FEDER ALO BUREAU HnHULA. ATTORNEY. PASTORICAL VALUE. NATIONAL ARCHIVES" INVESTIGATION Volume Number: Bureau Fila-34- 3886/ Sculpts DO NOT DESTROY - PENDING LITIGATION COMMUNTEE C.A. ASOULATIONS See also No. A)4/4/11 Field Report DO NOT DISTROY -PENDING LICATION (9/4-11/11) newspaper/clipping 177-4 out A A2-1605. DO NOT DESTRIY. (9-4-1/2-11) E.R.L.K. ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED B)4-4/14/11 Theat to Meate Loode King of ald-XXX DATE S/AMC/C/D/C.C/S/S. (2)4+4/19 3021 (4) 49-11y bnstigtien littat, rest Regatet ASSC www.18-37072 Ducan-14/68 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative efforts from May 1968 focusing on James Earl Ray (JER) and his alleged involvement in the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Key activities include tracking phone calls linked to JER’s movements, examining laundry records for potential connections to the crime scene, reviewing union membership data, interviewing witnesses at hotels and restaurants, and analyzing flight records from United Air Lines (UAL) and Eastern Airlines. The investigation also explores alibis, such as JER’s alleged visit to St. Louis in 1961, and checks employment histories of associates like Art Conners and Blackie De Corre. Clerical errors in documents, including misrecorded names and unresolved flight ticket discrepancies, are noted. While JER was later convicted in 1969, the records highlight ambiguities in evidence and witness accounts, underscoring the case’s Cold Case complexity.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Central figure accused of MLK’s assassination; later convicted but remains controversial due to lack of direct evidence.  
- **Art Conners**: Trucking company owner linked to JER through phone call records.  
- **Melba Marie Ryan**: JER’s sister, mentioned in phone call investigations.  
- **JERRY RAYNES**: JER’s brother, interviewed about his sibling’s activities and denied involvement in MLK’s murder.  
- **Joseph Elmer Austin**: Claims to have known JER briefly in the 1950s–60s but denies criminal ties.  
- **John Hudson**: UAL ticket control employee; noted employment records for JER were destroyed in 1949.  
- **Blackie De Corre**: Chicago gambler with connections to organized crime figures like Tony Gallas and Dominic Di Donato.  

Key Locations  
- **Virginia Hotel, Quincy, Illinois**: Site of phone calls linked to JER’s alleged activities.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Focus of laundry records checks (e.g., Leader Cleaners, Rainbow Laundry) and interviews with witnesses.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Flight origin/destination for UAL tickets reviewed in April 1968.  
- **Denver, Las Vegas, Los Angeles**: Cities mentioned in flight routes analyzed by agents.  
- **Midlothian, Illinois**: Residence of Blackie De Corre.  
- **79th Street & Halsted, Chicago**: Discount appliance store associated with Blackie De Corre.  

Key Events  
- Tracking phone calls from hotels and laundries to establish JER’s movements.  
- Examination of laundry records for evidence linking JER to the assassination scene.  
- Review of union membership data (e.g., Bakery Workers Union #1) to verify JER’s employment history.  
- Interviews with witnesses at restaurants and airports, including employees at the Pancake House and O’Hare Airport.  
- Analysis of UAL flight records for passengers traveling between Chicago, Atlanta, and other cities in April 1968.  
- Investigation into Blackie De Corre’s criminal associations and employment history at International Harvester Company.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted phone call tracking, witness interviews, and flight record reviews.  
- **United Air Lines (UAL)**: Provided ticket data for flights analyzed in April 1968.  
- **Chicago Police Department**: Involved in criminal intelligence programs and gambling unit investigations.  
- **Cook County Sheriff’s Office**: Major Investigation Division checked employment records.  
- **International Harvester Company**: Employment records for "Marshall" were reviewed.  
- **Bureau of Records (Chicago Police Department)**: Maintained personnel data accessed during the investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-cg-1114_738662_10-03-part_1_of_2.pdf

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