</s>FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION Mr. Tolpo. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Mr. Deloish 6-75P Mr. B.B.P. 6-737P COMMUNICATIONS SECTION Mr. Bishop Mr ., B.C. APR 26 1968 Mr. Cillianan Mr. G. Galo. Mr. Col. TELETYPE Mr. Galo. Mr. Sullivan Mr. Salisbury Mr. Trower. Mr. Trotter. FBI WASH DC Mr. Room. Mr. R. Rood FBI ST LOUIS Tele Room. Miss Candy. 443PM URGENT 4-26-68 SMK to DIRECTOR, MEMPHIS AND KANSAS CITY FROM ST. Louis (44-775) 1P MURKIN OFFICER RONALD BOCKENKAMP, INTELLIGENCE UNIT, ADVISED ME RECALLED GOSSIP AT TIME OF SUBJECT'S ESCAPE THAT A FELLOW PRISONER, RICH RENO, MAY HAVE BEEN DRIVER OF TRUCK IN WHICH SUBJECT HID DURING ESCAPE. KANSAS CITV DETERMINE IDENTIFYING DATA AND LAST WHEREABOUTS e OF RENOS FROM RECORDS MSP, JEFFERSON CITY, AND SET LEAD FOR INTERVIEW. P END CAB FBI WASH DO REC-9 44. 3861-2313 EX-100 A.59 1959 66MAY2 1968 ee-doy 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI teletype messages and investigative notes from April 1968 detailing efforts to track James Earl Ray’s activities following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Key elements include: requests for information on Rich Reno, a fellow prisoner of Ray potentially involved in his escape; details about a battery found in Atlanta linked to Sears and ReoBuck, with manufacturing and shipment records from Louisville, Kentucky, in March 1968; inquiries into Donald Lawrence Stout’s criminal history and alleged involvement in the assassination; investigation of Robert C. Buxton’s 1965 threats against MLK (later deemed unsubstantiated); FBI tracking of Ray and suspects via hospital records, witness interviews, and monitoring of individuals associated with MLK’s security. Additional communications reference Eric Galt’s typewritten letter linked to Maryland, handwriting analysis suggesting potential connections between "Galt" and Ray, and long-distance call records from Ray’s 1967 trip to New Orleans. The FBI also tracked Guy E. Ray, a suspect tied to Mid-South Construction Co., and his wife Diane, while reviewing prison inmate associations at Pontiac Prison (Illinois) and Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP).  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of MLK; linked to the battery found in Atlanta and investigations into his escape.  
- **Rich Reno**: Fellow prisoner of Ray, possibly involved in his escape.  
- **Donald Lawrence Stout**: Suspect connected to MLK’s assassination; investigated for criminal history and alleged involvement.  
- **Robert C. Buxton**: Made threats against MLK in 1965 but was eliminated as a suspect.  
- **Larry Amateis**: Field service manager at Globe Union, Inc., provided battery manufacturing details.  
- **John Gayhart & Darnell**: Contact persons at Louisville plant for battery inquiries.  
- **Eric Galt**: Linked to a typewritten letter with unclear connections to MLK’s case.  
- **Guy E. Ray**: Suspect tied to Mid-South Construction Co.; married to Diane Ray.  
- **Diane Ray**: Wife of Guy E. Ray, provided details about his background.  
- **Jimmy Carpenter**: MSP inmate associated with Ray.  
- **Lee Miller, Edward Rivera, Gus Marazin, Charles Reed, Fred M. Petrakis, Dwight Rowe**: Former inmates at Pontiac Prison/MSP linked to Ray’s associations.  
- **Ben R. Walls**: Assistant Business Manager at American Council on Education, provided details about Charles Leroy Sell.  
- **Paul Alvin Lail**: Former Missouri state penitentiary inmate who provided information about Ray’s movements.  
- **Neil Abeys**: Resided in Houston area; linked to Ray in FBI inquiries.  

Key Locations  
- **Louisville, Kentucky**: Battery manufacturing plant; linked to Sears store shipments.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Location where the battery was found; part of Ray’s activity investigation.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central location for MLK’s assassination and FBI investigations.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Involved in tracking suspects like Buxton and monitoring conspirators.  
- **Texas (El Paso, San Antonio, Houston)**: Routes of long-distance calls made by Ray during his 1967 trip to New Orleans.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: Site of Sell’s employment and FBI investigation into his potential ties to Ray.  
- **Hyattsville, Maryland**: Mentioned in telephone contact logs.  
- **Huntsville, Alabama**: Local police department involved in tracking suspects.  
- **St. Louis County Jail**: Reference in inmate records.  

Key Events  
- **April 26, 1968**: FBI teletype messages detailing investigations into Ray, Stout, and other suspects; requests for battery origin details and suspect whereabouts.  
- **March 1968**: Battery shipment from Louisville to Sears stores linked to Ray’s activities in Atlanta.  
- **1965 Threats**: Robert Buxton’s alleged threats against MLK were investigated but found unsubstantiated.  
- **Hospital Records**: FBI reviewed medical records for Ray and others to gather identifying data.  
- **Handwriting Analysis**: Suggested potential connection between "Galt" and James Earl Ray.  
- **Long-Distance Calls**: FBI examined calls made by Ray during his 1967 trip from Los Angeles to New Orleans, focusing on Texas routes.  
- **April 26–May 3, 1968**: FBI communications between Memphis, Miami, and Houston offices regarding Neil Abeys and Ray’s potential connections.  
- **FBI Tracking Efforts**: Included monitoring of "hippies" and individuals associated with MLK’s security.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into MLK’s assassination, tracking suspects like Ray, Stout, Buxton, and Guy E. Ray.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Coordinated legal and investigative efforts with the FBI.  
- **Globe Union, Inc.**: Provided information about battery manufacturing and shipment details.  
- **American Council on Education**: Employed Charles Leroy Sell, whose employment history was reviewed.  
- **Chicago Police Department (CPD)**: Assisted in tracking suspects and reviewing records related to potential conspirators.  
- **Southwest Bell Telephone Company**: Cooperated with FBI on call records for Ray’s 1967 trip.  
- **FBI Field Offices**: Washington, Memphis, Houston, and Miami involved in communications and investigations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_06-02-part_6_of_7.pdf

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