</s>PD-350 (Rev. 7-16-643) (Mount Clipping in Space Below) King to Lead More Memphis Marches' MEMPHIS (UPP)- Negro leaders announced Monday that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. will return to this troubled city Tuesday and lead demonstrations day" King's lieu. tenant met, with local Negro leaders Monday and Tuesday, may 1, 2018. that we are going to, evaluate, our pressure on this city. (indicate page, name of newspaper, city and state.) Page 1 The Atlanta Journal Atlanta, Ga. Date: 4-1-68 Edition: Final Author Editor: Jack Spalding Title: MURKIN Character: CR or Classification: Submitting Offices: ATLANTA (X) Being Investigated 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative efforts from April 1968 to May 1968 focused on tracking James Earl Ray as a suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. Key elements include FBI records of threats against King, including an alleged plot involving explosives and hand grenades by Earl Smith, a former Air Force explosives technician. A $20,000 reward for killing King was linked to a radio caller’s claim that Adam Clayton Powell offered funds. James Earl Ray, previously incarcerated at Leavenworth Penitentiary, was pursued by the FBI with descriptions of him as armed and dangerous. Carlos Billings, a fugitive tied to a 1965 plot against King, was apprehended in Arkansas. FBI communications reference distributing photographs of Ray, interviews with witnesses such as Judy Carol Peters (who provided information on her ex-husband Neal Edgar Aebey), and investigations into phone calls from Houston to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Delta Airlines records were examined for a rifle box observed on a flight, and Charles Stein’s movements in New Orleans were tracked alongside Eric S. Galt. Administrative updates include case file management, telecommunication logs, and verification of Rita Rekhopf’s identity as a Delta Airlines stewardess.  

Key People  
- Martin Luther King Jr. (subject of assassination investigation)  
- James Earl Ray (suspected assassin; tracked by FBI)  
- Earl Smith (alleged plot participant; former Air Force explosives technician)  
- Adam Clayton Powell (allegedly offered $20,000 for killing King per radio caller)  
- Carlos Billings (fugitive linked to 1965 assassination plot; apprehended in Arkansas)  
- Judy Carol Peters (ex-wife of Neal Edgar Aebey; provided information on Ray)  
- Neal Edgar Aebey (Peters’ ex-husband, associated with Ray)  
- Charles Stein (individual with ties to Eric S. Galt)  
- Eric S. Galt (alleged driver for Stein)  
- Rita Rekhopf (Delta Airlines stewardess; verified identity by FBI)  
- Harry (former parole officer in Belleville, Illinois; did not recall Ray as a parolee)  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (King’s planned marches and assassination site; FBI information forwarding destination)  
- Atlanta, Georgia (newspaper clippings and FBI office)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (Charles Stein’s movements)  
- Dallas, Texas (radio station KNEW with alleged talk show recording)  
- Leavenworth Penitentiary (Ray’s prior incarceration)  
- Arkansas (Billings’ apprehension)  
- Springfield, Ohio (Ray’s alleged sighting)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (Harry’s employment and parole records)  
- Kansas City, Missouri (FBI investigation reference)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (parole record checks for former inmates)  
- Lake Charles, Louisiana (phone call inquiry)  

Key Events  
- FBI investigation into threats against Martin Luther King Jr., including explosives plots and reward offers  
- Tracking James Earl Ray as a suspect; FBI efforts to locate him and verify his identity  
- Apprehension of Carlos Billings in Arkansas for ties to a 1965 assassination plot  
- Examination of Delta Airlines flight records for a rifle box observed on a flight  
- Interviews with witnesses regarding Charles Stein, Eric S. Galt, and Rita Rekhopf  
- Verification of Rita Rekhopf’s identity by FBI  
- Administrative updates on case files, telecommunication logs, and parole record checks  
- Forwarding of information to FBI offices in Memphis, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Washington, D.C.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- Delta Airlines  
- Louisiana State Parole and Probation Office  
- Alabama Parole and Probation Executive  
- Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (Springfield, Missouri)  
- Social Security Administration (linked to Eric Galt’s inquiries; SSN redacted in records)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_07-03-part_2_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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