Summary  
The documents detail FBI and law enforcement investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) following his assassination on April 4, 1968. On April 25, 1968, Mrs. Jessie Kilgras of Penfield, NY, reported a dream about MLK’s life being in danger after hearing of his speech in Buffalo, NY, and contacted Chicago PD. She volunteered her psychiatric history but stated she had no information on the assassination. The FBI noted “Ray” as armed and dangerous. On April 26, agents requested checks on motor vehicle licenses issued since March 27, 1968, in Alabama and Georgia to identify potential suspects, comparing license numbers with photographic evidence of James Earl Ray. An interview with Dolores Evans confirmed her close relationship with MLK but noted she had no knowledge of assassination plots. Investigations into Angie Ray’s address in Los Angeles revealed discrepancies in street names, while Debbie Ray’s address could not be verified. Donald Cramer (Fremont, OH) claimed his brother Thomas E. Cramer allegedly joked about killing MLK in 1968; Thomas was described as an alcoholic with a history of fabricating stories, including claims of strangling his wife. Dyrell Dennis (Los Angeles) reported meeting Eric Clune (possibly James Earl Ray) at the Sultan Room, describing him as nervous and violent. The FBI sought to locate Ray Fernandel for verification. Herbert F. Greenberg’s purchase of handcuffs from Tiffany Enterprises was noted, with payment via a money order. Calls between Rita and Charles Stein in New Orleans and Los Angeles were reviewed. Fragmented records also include arrest records for Rita Rosa Steino (Stein) and her brother Charles Stein, linked to gambling charges in Los Angeles. Keith Dwayne Gilbert is mentioned as a convicted felon with a history of receiving stolen dynamite, incarcerated at San Quentin Prison. Howard Willard’s son, George Willard, is described as a law student no longer associated with John Birch members. William Howard Jamison, a former arsonist, relocated to Kansas after serving time in California. Dennis is identified through bar and hotel associations, with links to Ray observed at the Sultan Room. Scott Nordal’s school records were checked but showed no attendance at specified institutions. FBI communications reference ongoing investigations into potential conspirators, including interviews with individuals like Billy Brown Abby and ABBY’s interactions with inmates in Dallas who may have known Ray. Earl Harris, a drug dealer connected to Ray, is noted alongside activities related to the American Nazi Party. Additional records include telegraph transmissions about Joseph Gaffney (alleged Minutemen associate) reporting plans to sabotage MLK, though he denied involvement. Orville Brettman of Elgin, Illinois, was identified as a potential associate due to receiving Minutemen literature. A payphone call from Yuma, Arizona, to Shreveport, Louisiana, on December 15, 1967, was reviewed with corrected phone numbers. Administrative notes reference document handling procedures under Executive Order 14176.  

Key People  
- Mrs. Jessie Kilgras (Penfield, NY)  
- James Earl Ray (suspected assassin)  
- Dolores Evans (MLK’s acquaintance)  
- Donald Cramer (Fremont, OH)  
- Thomas E. Cramer (brother of Donald Cramer)  
- Dyrell Dennis (Los Angeles)  
- Eric Clune (possibly James Earl Ray)  
- Ray Fernandel (Los Angeles)  
- Herbert F. Greenberg (Los Angeles)  
- Rita Rosa Steino (Stein)  
- Charles Stein  
- Louis Lomax  
- Keith Dwayne Gilbert  
- Howard Willard (father of George Willard)  
- William Howard Jamison  
- Dennis  
- Scott Nordal  
- Billy Brown Abby  
- Earl Harris  
- Joseph Gaffney (alleged Minutemen associate)  
- Orville Brettman (Elgin, Illinois)  
- Mr. Gramm (security official at Mountain States Telephone Co.)  
- SAC Chicago and SAC Louisville (FBI Special Agents in Charge)  

Key Locations  
- Penfield, NY  
- Chicago, IL  
- Buffalo, NY  
- Fremont, OH  
- Los Angeles, CA  
- New Orleans, LA  
- San Quentin Prison, California  
- Kansas (specific locations not detailed)  
- Yuma, Arizona  
- Shreveport, Louisiana  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- Washington, D.C. (FBI headquarters)  

Key Events  
- Mrs. Kilgras’s telegram to NAACP about MLK’s safety (April 25, 1968)  
- FBI request for motor vehicle license checks (April 26, 1968)  
- Interview with Dolores Evans (April 26, 1968)  
- Investigation into Angie Ray’s address and Debbie Ray’s whereabouts  
- Donald Cramer’s claims about Thomas E. Cramer’s threats against MLK  
- Dyrell Dennis’s encounter with Eric Clune at the Sultan Room  
- Herbert F. Greenberg’s purchase of handcuffs from Tiffany Enterprises  
- FBI investigations into potential conspirators linked to MLK threats  
- Arrest records for Rita Rosa Steino and Charles Stein (1967)  
- Keith Dwayne Gilbert’s conviction for receiving stolen dynamite (1966–1968)  
- George Willard’s disassociation from John Birch members  
- William Howard Jamison’s arson conviction (1965) and relocation to Kansas  
- Dennis’s associations with Ray at the Sultan Room in Los Angeles  
- FBI reference to a payphone call from Yuma, Arizona, to Shreveport, Louisiana (December 15, 1967)  
- Correction of phone number details for a December 15, 1967, payphone call  
- Administrative handling of FBI documents under Executive Order 14176  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP)  
- Tiffany Enterprises (Los Angeles)  
- Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD)  
- California Criminal Identification and Investigation Bureau  
- Probation Department of Los Angeles County  
- John Birch Society  
- American Nazi Party (AND)  
- Mountain States Telephone Co.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_06-03-part_5_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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