</s>HO 44-1509 Services is a license of Hertz Rent-A-Car, Alexandria, Louisiana. Inquiry at Hertz Rent-A Car-A car determined that the aforementioned automobile had been turned back to the Hertz Main Office at Brian, Texas, approximately three months ago. Inquiry at Hertz Rent-a-Car. Brian, Texans on April 2h, 1968 revealed that the aforementioned automobile bearing 1968 Louisiana license 29290 is maintained by Capps Car Rental, 3717 Dnwood Road, Dallas, Texas. 10. TOM ROSELL Information furnished by the FEL, San Francisco Office, made TOM ROSELI a possible suspect. A Miss TRUDE WALMARK, San TOM ROSELSEL a possible suspected. A missed ATTENDED a study group at the First Baptist Church, Market and Octavia Streets on April 22, 1968. While she had attended a shot, and the first Baptist Church. The car came from Beaumont, Texas was on location that he came from Resembled photographs of JAMES EARLRAY. ROSELLE closely On April 24, 1968 inquiry made at H05 Threadneedle Street, Beaumont. Texas determined that TOM ROSELY is a resident at that address, ROSELL'S mother stated that her son was at that Address, ROSELL'S was probably in that city by now, now at the station, and was probably at that barber at Beaumount, Texas as a beaumont street and telephone directories confirm that ROSELII is a barber with residence at 405 Threadneedlede Street, Baumont. 11. GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH Information furnished the San Francisco Office of the FBI was as follows: the FBI were were left ANGEL STICKE GAULT regarding Deputy Sheriff furnished the SAN Francisco office of passengers who left ANGEL Laredo on April 6, 1968 around to Monterey, Mexico made SMITH a possible suspects, SMITH was described as age 22, and a British subject studying at Rice University, Houston, Texas." On April 29, 1968 Mr. ATKINSON, Secretary, Office of the Dean of Men, Rice University, advised GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH, is an Abraham Scholar and a British exchange student studying economics at Rice University. Rice University -9- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI and law enforcement investigations into potential suspects linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on individuals with ties to Texas, California, and other states between 1966 and 1969. The inquiries involved tracking car rentals, license plates, witness accounts, and employment records for figures such as TOM ROSELL, GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH, EARL RAY (JAMES EARL RAY), CHARLES RAY JOHNSON, JAMES HAMMONS, and others. Investigations included verifying movements of suspects through hotels, motels, and travel patterns, with some entries referencing physical descriptions, employment details, and interactions with informants. While many records were incomplete or unrelated to MLK’s assassination, the FBI conducted extensive checks on individuals associated with James Earl Ray, including his incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary, escape attempts, and alleged connections to labor unions. U.S. Customs and credit bureaus also reviewed shipping records, airline manifests, voter databases, and law enforcement files for names like ERIC STARVARD, GALL, HARVEY LOWERWEY, JOHN WILLARD, and others, though most yielded negative results.  

Key People:  
- **TOM ROSELL**: Suspected based on his presence in Beaumont, Texas; described as a barber residing at 405 Threadneedle Street with ties to a car rental company and a photograph resembling James Earl Ray.  
- **GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH**: British student at Rice University, Houston, Texas; tracked by the FBI for travel to Mexico around April 1968.  
- **EARL RAY (JAMES EARL RAY)**: Central suspect in multiple entries; linked to Missouri State Prison, alleged associations with Ray Eugene Warren, and connections to California’s Spring Valley.  
- **CHARLES RAY JOHNSON**: Suspected as an employee of Heart of America Shows but no employment records confirmed.  
- **JAMES HAMMONS**: Linked to a 1961 Chevrolet Impala purchased in Louisiana; associated with Gulf Service Station in Bartow, West Virginia, and later tied to a reward for information on MLK’s killer.  
- **LOU (various descriptions)**: Waitress or individual connected to Nassau Bay Hotel, Houston, Texas; described by witnesses with physical traits.  
- **NEAL EDGAR AEDY**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary with James Earl Ray; divorced wife Carol Aeby also mentioned.  
- **CHARLES STEIN**: Alleged witness to James Earl Ray’s activities; associated with Louis Lomax (TV personality).  
- **JAMES R. ELLIS**: NASA employee investigated by the FBI for employment records.  
- **ELEANN LUCRETTAN GAAT**: Arrested in Kemah, Texas, in 1966; name discrepancies noted (e.g., "GALT" vs. "GAIT").  

Key Locations:  
- **Beaumont, Texas**: Home to TOM ROSELL and a car rental company; referenced in April 1968 inquiries.  
- **Houston, Texas**: Center for investigations involving GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH, JAMES HAMMONS, LOU, and the Nassau Bay Hotel.  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Associated with Capps Car Rental and a Louisiana license plate linked to April 1968 activity.  
- **California (Spring Valley, Jamaica Boulevard)**: Residence of EARL RAY (JAMES EARL RAY) per a 1969 report.  
- **Puerto Vallarta, Mexico**: Hotel stays linked to James Earl Ray’s movements in October–November 1967.  
- **Kemah, Texas**: Site of ELEANN LUCRETTAN GAAT’s 1966 arrest.  
- **Galveston, Texas**: Mentioned in U.S. Customs records and as a location for motel registrations.  

Key Events:  
- **April 22, 1968**: TOM ROSELL identified in Beaumont, Texas, with ties to a car rental company and a photograph resembling James Earl Ray.  
- **April 4–5, 1968**: GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH left Houston for Mexico as part of a climbing trip; his absence from Rice University noted.  
- **May 4, 1969**: Photographs of GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH sent to San Antonio to eliminate him as a suspect.  
- **April 1968–May 1969**: FBI inquiries into car rentals, license plates, and witness accounts involving multiple suspects, including JAMES HAMMONS and LOU.  
- **December 15–17, 1967**: Southwest Bell Telephone Company provided records of calls to cities linked to James Earl Ray’s movements.  
- **April 1968–May 1968**: U.S. Customs and law enforcement agencies reviewed shipping records, airline manifests, voter databases, and credit reports for names like ERIC STARVARD, GALL, and JOHN WILLARD; all checks yielded negative results.  

Key Organizations:  
- **FBI (via SAS, SA, and other agents)**: Conducted inquiries into suspects, car rentals, witness interviews, and telephone records.  
- **Hertz Rent-A-Car, Capps Car Rental**: Involved in tracking vehicles linked to potential suspects.  
- **Nassau Bay Hotel, Houston, Texas**: Center for interviews and descriptions of individuals like LOU and Mrs. Louise Casey.  
- **Rice University, Houston, Texas**: Associated with GRAHAM ROBERT SMITH’s academic background.  
- **NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration)**: Checked employment records for JAMES R. ELLIS.  
- **U.S. Customs**: Reviewed ship departure records from Corpus Christi and Galveston.  
- **Texas Department of Public Safety, local police departments (e.g., Seabrook, Kemah, Webster)**: Conducted investigations into individuals’ residency, employment, and arrest histories.  
- **Credit bureaus and tax assessor offices in Texas**: Reviewed financial records for verification purposes.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ho-1509_sec_005_ser_366-401-part_7_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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