</s>1.2.4B (NLV 4:13:40) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential suspects linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Key figures include Richard Galt, Don Tanner, and Claude Chester McLaren, with connections to Chicago, Houston, Mexico City, and other locations. The FBI tracked individuals through hotel records, flight manifests, and witness accounts, focusing on their movements around April 4-5, 1968, the date of MLK’s assassination. Don Tanner was identified as a suspect based on a composite sketch and reported sightings in Arizona and Texas. Claude Chester McLaren, an American arriving in Mexico City from Honduras, was questioned due to his resemblance to police sketches of MLK’s assassin. The FBI also investigated John A. Gault, Harvey Lowmeyer, and Eric Starvo Galt, with checks on their backgrounds, residences, and travel histories. Multiple teletypes between FBI offices (e.g., Houston, Memphis, New York) document coordination in these inquiries.  

Key People  
- **Don Tanner**: Suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; reported in Arizona and Texas around April 1968.  
- **Claude Chester McLaren**: American male arriving in Mexico City from Honduras; resembled police sketches of MLK’s assassin.  
- **John A. Gault**: Investigated for potential ties to the assassination, with checks on his residences and travel.  
- **Harvey Lowmeyer**: Mentioned alongside John A. Gault in FBI tracking efforts.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect profiled in connection to MLK’s assassination investigation.  
- **Donnie Leon Harden**: Background checked by FBI, including military service (U.S. Army Security Agency) and employment history.  

Key Locations  
- **Chicago**: Mentioned in initial tracking efforts for Richard Galt.  
- **Houston**: Central hub for FBI investigations; Don Tanner was last seen in Texas.  
- **Mexico City**: Site of Claude Chester McLaren’s arrival and questioning by Mexican authorities.  
- **Arizona (Benson)**: Don Tanner was picked up as a hitchhiker here.  
- **Texas (Conroe, Austin)**: Locations where Don Tanner was reported to have stayed.  
- **New York**: FBI office involved in tracking suspects like John A. Gault.  

Key Events  
- **April 4-5, 1968**: Timeline of interest for MLK’s assassination investigation; FBI tracked suspects’ movements during this period.  
- **April 8, 1968**: Claude Chester McLaren arrived in Mexico City from Honduras and was questioned by police due to his resemblance to the assassin’s sketch.  
- **April 12-16, 1968**: FBI coordinated teletypes between offices (e.g., Houston, Memphis, New York) to investigate suspects like Don Tanner, John A. Gault, and others.  
- **April 15, 1968**: FBI requested photographs of suspects for comparison with police sketches of MLK’s assassin.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Central agency conducting investigations across multiple offices (e.g., Houston, Memphis, New York).  
- **Mexican Authorities**: Questioned Claude Chester McLaren due to his physical resemblance to the suspect in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Hotel Chains and Airlines**: Used for tracking suspects’ movements (e.g., hotel records, flight manifests).

MLK Declassified Files

44-ho-1509_sec_002_ser_61-170-part_1_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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