</s>STORIGAL ATTENTION BEFORE CHANGING CLASSIFICATION OR PROCESSING ANY DOCUMENT FROM THIS FILE FOR RELEASE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, CONTACT FO/IPA SECTION UNIT D, EXT. 5767. #P/U/00/ 2005 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

The declassified documents detail the investigation into James Earl Ray’s alleged involvement in Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. Key elements include Ray’s travel history, hotel stays in London (May–June 1968), and forensic evidence linking him to a .38 revolver used in the murder. Ray was arrested at Heathrow Airport on June 8, 1968, after arriving from Brussels via Lisbon. He had previously visited Lisbon in May 1966 and used forged documents to travel between Canada and the UK. Police searched hotels, hire car firms, and luggage lockers but found no direct evidence of his connection to MLK’s assassination, though he was identified by staff and residents. A Japanese-made .38 revolver seized from Ray matched bullets recovered from the assassination scene, and forensic analysis confirmed its condition. Ray expressed interest in mercenary activities in Africa, particularly during conversations with journalists and contacts like Major Wicks, who had ties to African conflicts. His movements were tracked via South African Airlines timetables, and an "All Ports" warning was issued for him. The U.S. Legal Attache collaborated with British authorities on his extradition, which was finalized in 1969. Witness statements from the 1960s mention a man identified as Ramon George Sneyd (linked to Ray) staying at Heathfield House Hotel in May 1966 and New Barls Court Hotel in May–June 1968. A .38 revolver found at Heathfield House was later linked to Ray, though its connection to the April 4, 1968 assassination remains debated due to timing discrepancies. Witness accounts include conflicting dates and name variations (Sneyd/Snyder/Sneezel), complicating the investigation. The documents also reference interactions between Sneyd and journalists like Ian Colvin, who discussed mercenary contacts, and hotel staff member A.B. Thomas, who noted Sneyd’s behavior and departure from the Pax Hotel on June 7, 1968.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (linked to Ramon George Sneyd/Snyder/Sneezel)  
- Major Wicks (mercenary contact in Africa)  
- Ian Colvin (journalist at *The Daily Telegraph*)  
- A.B. Thomas (hotel staff member)  
- Mrs. Anna Thomas (hotel proprietor)  

Key Locations:  
- Heathfield House Hotel (May 17–28, 1968)  
- New Barls Court Hotel (May–June 1968)  
- Pax Hotel (Warwick Way, London)  
- London Heathrow Airport  
- Lisbon, Portugal  
- Toronto, Canada  

Key Events:  
- Ray’s arrest at Heathrow Airport on June 8, 1968  
- Hotel stays in London (May–June 1968) and May 1966  
- Forensic analysis of the .38 revolver linking it to MLK’s assassination  
- Telephone conversations between Colvin and Sneyd regarding mercenary contacts  
- Extradition process to the United States for trial  
- Discrepancies in witness statements about dates and names  

Key Organizations:  
- Scotland Yard (via Chief Inspector Thompson)  
- British Foreign Office  
- B.O.A.C. (British Overseas Airways Corporation)  
- BEA (British European Airways)  
- CRISP (Centre de Recherches et Informations Socioles et Politiques)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861-bulky_hs1-233652821_79-03-part_1_of_2.pdf

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