</s>H-22449 3 Volume Number CLASSIFIC NO 3246-550 SERIALS DO NOT DESTROY FORA # 1126244 ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR: D.E. D.F. OF JUSTICE PRICAL VALUE DINAL ARCHIVES D.C. OF DESTROY D.L. - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER D.D. - DALLAS DL-8999-03MB: DL Class/ Case # Sub Vol. Serial # Serial # DO44 2649 3 326 550 SE LAST VOLUME INVESTIGATION Bureau File Number 7/10/765389 RRP0025US ALL INFORMATION CONTINUATED ALL RIGHTS RESERVED SEE LAST VOLUME OF DALLA SEE LAS VOUME D.S.A.T. -D. See the No. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary: The documents detail FBI investigations into potential connections between individuals and Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, focusing on telephone communications, witness accounts, and travel records. Key elements include phone calls traced to Texas and Louisiana, sightings of a man matching James Earl Ray’s physical description in locations such as Abilene, Grand Prairie, and Memphis, and coordination among FBI field offices to track license plates, rental cars, and toll numbers. Witness statements describe individuals resembling Ray with specific traits (e.g., scars, eye patch, blond hair), while administrative notes reference unrelated entities like the U.S. Savings Bonds Program. Investigations also include analysis of flight itineraries, such as an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Philadelphia, and inquiries into passengers potentially linked to Ray.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; described by witnesses and linked to telephone activity and travel records.  
- **Gregory Sepeda**: Interviewed regarding phone calls from Uvalde, Texas, on December 17, 1967.  
- **Mr. Trinkle**: Witness who reported a man with scars near Abilene, Texas, traveling east toward Memphis.  
- **B.J. Griffin**: Observer in Grand Prairie, Texas, who identified an individual matching Ray’s description.  
- **Leon Wilson**: High school graduate from Selma, Alabama; linked to MLK’s likeness in media and civil rights marches.  
- **Mrs. Schleimer**: Reported sighting of an individual resembling "Ray" with physical descriptors (eye patch, blond hair).  
- **Donald James Nissen**: Released on bond after check fraud charges; no further prosecution anticipated.  
- **R.B. Harrell**: Mentioned in a teletype as potentially connected to FBI inquiries.  
- **Norman Lowery / Burtis Hoppson**: Passengers on an American Airlines flight under investigation for potential identity matches with "Ray."  

Key Locations:  
- **Uvalde, Texas** (December 17, 1967): Origin of phone calls traced to Gregory Sepeda.  
- **Abilene, Texas** (March 29, 1968): Mobil gas station where Mr. Trinkle encountered the suspect.  
- **Grand Prairie, Texas**: Location of B.J. Griffin’s sighting of an individual matching Ray’s description.  
- **San Antonio, Dallas, Houston, Baton Rouge, Louisiana**: Locations tied to telephone investigations and car rental records.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: St. Francis Hotel, where Ray’s alleged phone activity was monitored.  
- **Selma, Alabama**: Wilson’s hometown; site of Selma-Montgomery march.  
- **Mountain Creek Lake, Dallas County, Texas**: Location of Mrs. Schleimer’s sighting.  
- **Sherman, Texas**: Nissen’s case file location; Grayson County Sheriff’s Office involved.  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Brownie's Restaurant where an anonymous tip about MLK connection was reported.  
- **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**: Destination of a flight from Dallas on April 6, 1968.  

Key Events:  
- FBI investigation into toll calls from coin-operated phones in Texas and Louisiana, linked to potential threats against MLK.  
- Surveillance of individuals matching Ray’s description, including sightings in Grand Prairie and Abilene.  
- Coordination between FBI divisions (Dallas, San Antonio, Houston) to track license plates, rental cars, and telephone records.  
- Witness statements describing an individual resembling James Earl Ray with specific physical traits (e.g., scars, eye patch, blond hair).  
- Analysis of phone records and travel itineraries, including American Airlines Flight 38 from Dallas to Philadelphia.  
- Mention of a composite drawing linking Leon Wilson to MLK’s likeness in media.  
- Anonymous tip about a man seen at Brownie's Restaurant in Dallas linked to MLK’s assassination.  
- Passenger investigations on an American Airlines flight for potential identity matches with "Ray."  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations, coordinated with local authorities, and analyzed telephone and vehicle records.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies** (e.g., Dallas, San Antonio, Sherman, Texas): Provided information on license plate registrations, witness accounts, and case file management.  
- **American Airlines**: Mentioned in flight itinerary investigations for potential "Ray" matches.  
- **Southern Bell Telephone Company**: Referenced in telephone record analysis.  
- **U.S. Savings Bonds Payroll Savings Plan**: Mentioned in administrative footers but unrelated to the main content.

MLK Declassified Files

44-dl-2649_sec_003_ser_326-550-part_01_of_10.pdf

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