</s>SI 44-561 RCH:1skt 1 The following investigation was conducted by SA ROBERT C. HAINES: At Edwardsville, Illinois States Attorney LION D. SCROGGINS, Madison County Court House, reviewed files maintained in his office and stated that a warrant for neglect and refusal was issued for CECIL PAY on complaint of his wife JUDITHI in Madison County Court at Edwardsville. He stated that the infor- numerous court cases were filed in the following court proceedings were issued disclosed that the CECL was the complaint and warrant were Illinois, and according to the CCCC, certified copies of the warrant were forwarded to authorities at Joliett. He indicated that he had no knowledge of the current whereabouts of CECIIL RAY and that nothing in file indicated anything except that he was in Joliet. - 210 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s access to safety deposit boxes in Houston, Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, and other cities during April 1968. Agents reviewed bank records for individuals who may have accessed boxes linked to Ray, contacting institutions such as First State Bank of Clear Lake, Nassau Bay National Bank, and others. Interviews with bank employees and custodians found no matches to Ray’s photograph or confirmed access. The investigation also included inquiries into the RAY family members, including Cecil Ray, Larry Ray (jailed for threatening his wife), and Richard Risley (half-brother of Ray). Sheriff Leonard Kelly of Fayette County noted the RAY family’s lack of intelligence and difficulty locating them. Additional memos from June 1968 reference unrelated investigations into Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand, including credit bureau checks and interviews in San Francisco, Memphis, Kansas City, and Oakland. These inquiries focused on their movements during April 5, 1988, involving Delta Airlines Flight 157 and hotel stays in Houston, Memphis, and Kansas City. FBI agents requested verification of hotel reservations, payment methods for accommodations, vehicle rentals, and interviews with a limousine operator named Lucy Delano, who reported dropping off individuals at hotels such as the Sheraton-Lincoln Hotel and Downtown Hotel. No records linked Ray to safe deposit box activity in April 1968, though some entries contained errors or unclear text.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Subject of investigation; alleged assassin of Martin Luther King Jr.  
- **Cecil Ray**: Family member sought by authorities; no confirmed ties to MLK assassination.  
- **Larry Ray**: Employee in Vandalia, Illinois; jailed for threatening his wife.  
- **Richard Risley**: Half-brother of Ray; resided in Joliett, Illinois.  
- **Sheriff Leonard Kelly**: Fayette County official noted RAY family’s behavior and difficulty tracking them.  
- **Wesley T. Whalley**: FBI SAC overseeing Houston field office safety deposit box checks.  
- **David W. Hedgcock**: FBI agent involved in reviewing bank records.  
- **Vincent Walker, Lawrence Rand**: Investigated for potential ties to MLK assassination; no confirmed connections.  
- **Lucy Delano**: Limousine operator reported dropping off individuals at Houston hotels.  
- **SA James S. Wair**: FBI special agent coordinating investigations into suspects.  

Key Locations  
- **Houston, Texas**: Primary focus of safety deposit box checks and hotel inquiries; banks include Gulf Coast National Bank, Highland Village State Bank, Mercantile Bank, First City National Bank, Southern National Bank, Houston National Bank, Central National Bank, Fidelity Bank and Trust Company.  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Mentioned in initial safety deposit box investigation.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Referenced in both safety deposit box checks and unrelated investigations.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Included in initial bank record review.  
- **San Francisco, California**: Inquiries into Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand via Metro Credit Bureau and local interviews.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Address verification for Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand.  
- **Oakland, California**: Mrs. Thelma Duncan provided information about Vincent Walker.  
- **Sheraton-Lincoln Hotel (Houston)**: Reported as a drop-off location by Lucy Delano.  
- **Downtown Hotel (Houston)**: Mentioned in limousine operator’s reports.  
- **Rice Hotel (Houston)**: Noted in hotel reservation checks.  

Key Events  
- **April 1968**: FBI reviewed bank records and interviewed personnel to check for James Earl Ray’s access to safe deposit boxes in Houston, Dallas, Memphis, New Orleans, and other cities.  
- **June 1–4, 1968**: Requests sent to multiple banks in Houston for record checks on April 1968 activity.  
- **May 29, 1968**: FBI memos from San Francisco and Kansas City detail investigations into Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand, including credit bureau checks and interviews with residents.  
- **April 5, 1988**: Inquiry into movements of suspects linked to MLK assassination involving Delta Airlines Flight 157 and hotel stays in Houston, Memphis, and Kansas City.  
- **Verification efforts**: Requests for confirmation of hotel reservations, payment methods, vehicle rentals, and interviews with limousine operators.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into James Earl Ray, Vincent Walker, Lawrence Rand, and other suspects; memos reference Houston, San Francisco, Memphis, and Kansas City field offices.  
- **Various Banks**: Including Gulf Coast National Bank, First City National Bank, Southern National Bank, Fidelity Bank and Trust Company, and others in Houston.  
- **Metro Credit Bureau (San Jose, California)**: Used for credit checks on Vincent Walker and Lawrence Rand.  
- **Delta Airlines**: Records requested for flight 157 to verify suspect movements.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ho-1509_sec_006_ser_402-430-part_8_of_8.pdf

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