</s>4-12-68 airtel air mail special delivery TO: BAC, IMPED (44-1987) FROM: DIRECTOR, FBI (44+38861) Bourritel 4-8-68. SUBmitted major case prints of suspect RICHARD KIRBY RAGAN not identical latent fingerprints and palm prints this case. Submitted major case prints retained. DAB/IVO E (7) airtel AMSD from Div 1, 4-12.68 1/6 REC 13 V-2X61-43) 19 APR 12 1968 Tiden Delcoch Pleach Pleacher Pleache Canteen Canten Gale Gale Sullivans Sullivan 54 APR1 81968 Gandy Gandy MAIL ROOM TELETYPE UNIT 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative efforts into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on forensic evidence, suspect identification, and travel monitoring. A 30-06 caliber rifle purchased under the name "Harvey Lawyer" in Memphis on April 4, 1968, was recovered from a zip-line bag near the crime scene. Fingerprints found on the weapon matched latent prints collected from items at the scene, including beer cans, newspapers, and aftershave. A pair of pliers, linked to the suspect, were traced to a Los Angeles hardware store purchased in October 1966. The FBI investigated Lynn Ray Cleveland, arrested in Missouri on April 9, 1968, and individuals with names similar to "Lawyer" or "Lowmyer." A white Mustang automobile and a bedspread-like cloth wrapped around the rifle were sought. Textile marking codes on laundry items found at the scene, such as shirts and shorts with red tape markings, were analyzed for origin. The investigation involved multiple FBI field offices, fingerprint comparisons, and checks of suspects with prior associations to violent crimes.  

Administrative notes referenced telegraphy codes, case numbers, and document redactions under Executive Order 14176. Flight reservations for twelve FBI agents on Delta Airlines flight D. Bradles 830 from St. Louis Mid-Continent Airport (SLMO) to Memphis were recorded, though no agents appeared at the airport. Background checks were conducted in Minnesota and North Dakota for individuals with surnames Loweyer/Lowyer without success. Interviews with Lester Paul Galt, a teaching assistant at the University of Minnesota, included details about his employment and family background.  

An anonymous letter postmarked April 5, 1968, referenced a car registration (White Mustang, serial number 17-528) potentially tied to the assassination. FBI inquiries sought Harold Willard Wilson, described as 28 years old, six feet one, with copper-colored hair and a criminal record. The investigation also included monitoring a Volkswagen vehicle observed in Fairfax, Virginia, and tracking movements of William J. Lehmeier and Richard Evans between March 26-27, 1968, involving Southern Airlines and Delta Airlines flights.  

Key People  
- Lester Paul Galt (Cleveland, Ohio; teaching assistant at University of Minnesota)  
- Harold Willard Wilson (suspect in MLK’s assassination; described as 28 years old, six feet one, copper-colored hair, criminal record)  
- Lynn Ray Cleveland (arrested in Missouri on 4/9/68; under investigation for potential link to case)  
- William J. Lehmeier (traveler with flight reservations and client contacts in Atlanta, Birmingham)  
- Richard Evans (traveled with Lehmeier; associated with Brotherhood of Railway Carmen)  
- Aline Blaisdell (reported information about Wilson to FBI)  
- Bobby Ray Graves (FBI agent; referenced in handwriting comparison)  
- Exalted Cyclops (Klan-related individual in South Carolina)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (crime scene, rifle purchase, zip-line bag discovery)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (address linked to "Harvey Lawyer")  
- Minneapolis, Minnesota (Lester Paul Galt’s employment location)  
- Cleveland, Ohio (Galt’s residence)  
- Fairfax, Virginia (Volkswagen vehicle observed)  
- St. Louis Mid-Continent Airport (SLMO; flight reservations for FBI agents)  
- Richmond, Virginia (Lehmeier’s travel stop)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (Lehmeier’s client contacts)  
- Tunica, Mississippi (anonymous letter postmarked April 5, 1968)  
- Los Angeles, California (pliers purchase location)  
- Joplin, Missouri (Cleveland’s arrest)  

Key Events  
- Purchase of a 30-06 caliber rifle in Memphis on 4/4/68 under the name "Harvey Lawyer"  
- Discovery of a zip-line bag containing items including binoculars, pliers, and a bedspread-like cloth near the crime scene  
- Arrest of Lynn Ray Cleveland in Missouri on 4/9/68; his potential link to the case is under investigation  
- Tracing of pliers purchased in Los Angeles in October 1966  
- Analysis of textile marking codes on laundry items found at the scene (e.g., shirts, shorts with red tape markings)  
- FBI fingerprint comparisons linking suspects to latent prints recovered from the crime scene  
- Flight reservations made by Lehmeier for Southern Airlines (flight 55 to Memphis) and Delta Airlines (flight 932)  
- FBI investigation into Harold Willard Wilson as a suspect in MLK’s assassination  
- Anonymous letter referencing a car registration (White Mustang, serial number 17-528) potentially tied to the murder  
- Monitoring of a Volkswagen vehicle observed in Fairfax, Virginia  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted investigations into suspects, flight records, and vehicle registrations; coordinated fingerprint comparisons and forensic analysis  
- Department of Justice: Involved in coordinating federal inquiries and legal actions  
- Brotherhood of Railway Carmen: Mentioned as an organization associated with Richard Evans and J.B. Miller  
- Textile Marking Machine Company: Analyzed for code markings on laundry items found at the scene  
- Local law enforcement agencies in Memphis, Birmingham, Missouri, and Los Angeles

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_01-04-part_05_of_10.pdf

Document Summary

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