</s>4/11/18m FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION 4/12/18M FEDERAL BUREA OF INVESIGATION Mr. Tulson. Mr. DeLoch. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE Mr. Mohr. M. Casper. COMMUNICATION SECTION Mr. Cohr. APR 2'1988 Mr. Corrall Mr. Cornra Mr. Feli TELETTYPE Mr. Felt. Mr. Pelt. FBI WASH DC Mr. Trotter Mr. Traval Mr. Trötter Mr. Troller FBI LOS ANG. Miss Holmes. Miss Gandy 12/9/9Pf URGENT 4-27-68 NCH Miss Gaddy /70 DIRECTOR (44-38861), ST. LOUIS, SAN FRANCISCO, AND INDIANAPOLIS FROM LOS ANGELES (44+1574) 1P MURKIN RE INDIANAPOLOGIS TELETTYPE APRIL TWENTY-SIX LASES WILLIAM BURGESS, ADJUSTOR, FORD MOTOR CREDIT COMPANY. (FMC), ONE THREE SEVEN ZERO ONE RIVERSIDE DRIVE, SHERMAN e OAKS, CALIFORNIA, ADVISED THIS DATE HIS OFFICE IS CLOSED FOR WEEKEND; HOWEVER, HE SEARCHED FILES AVAILABLE TO HIM IN THE OFFICE BUT COULD FIND NO MENTION OF STOUT. OFFICE MANAGER IS OUT OF TOWN FOR WEEKEND. FMC WILL BE RECONCTACTED APRIL TWENTY-NINE NEXT FOR REQUESTED INFORMATION. END GFH REC-44 44-38861-2419 FBI WISH DC 1 APR 30 1968 REX-1073 IT L.H. 62 MAY 7 1968 CC-Long 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI and DOJ communications from April 1968 regarding investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Key activities include tracking James Earl Ray, the primary suspect, through flight records, rental boxes, financial data, and fingerprint analysis. The FBI sought to verify Ray’s movements, including a December 1967 trip to Memphis, and examined his connections to individuals like Gerald B. Kerlit, whose stepson allegedly made statements about targeting MLK. Investigations also involved checking for Australian visa applications by Ray and reviewing rental records, financial loans, and potential conspiracies. The FBI coordinated with field offices in Los Angeles, Memphis, and other locations to gather evidence and assess risks associated with suspects. Additional telegraphic messages from April 29, 1968, highlight forensic analysis of laundry tapes and markings, including specimens from Rogers Laundry (Savannah, Georgia), Famous Cleaners (Miami, Florida), and White Way Laundry (Fort Wentworth, Georgia). Laboratory reports noted discrepancies between examined specimens and those linked to the subject. The FBI emphasized that the suspect was “ARMED AND DANGEROUS” and requested coordination with local authorities in Savannah, Georgia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A fragmented complaint from April 14, 1968, references concerns about the FBI’s perceived indifference to identifying MLK’s assassin, with a Xerox copy of the letter sent to J. Harold Flannery of the Civil Rights Division. An artist’s drawing of MLK’s reconstructed features appeared in Memphis newspapers, noting his hair color as black, and news reports described the assassin as having a dark complexion.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (primary suspect)  
- Gerald B. Kerlit (suspected associate)  
- Richard Werner (stepson of Kerlit, alleged to have made statements about MLK)  
- William Burgess (Ford Motor Credit Company contact)  
- Raymond R. Lutz (investigated for potential involvement in the assassination)  
- Robert Berman (proprietor of Famous Cleaners, Miami)  
- Mr. Rogers (Rogers Laundry, Savannah)  
- Betty Lassister (White Way Laundry, Fort Wentworth)  
- William McKinstry (National Car Rental President)  
- Robert Gundy (individual sought for investigation)  
- Complaintant (name unspecified)  
- J. Harold Flannery (Civil Rights Division, FBI)  
- President Lyndon B. Johnson (White House)  
- FBI Director (referred to as "Director, FBI")  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (center of investigation, FBI headquarters)  
- Los Angeles, California (FBI field office)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (flight tracking and witness reports)  
- Louisville, Kentucky (vehicle theft investigation)  
- Indianapolis, Indiana (mentioned in teletype headers)  
- Savannah, Georgia (Rogers Laundry)  
- Miami, Florida (Famous Cleaners)  
- Fort Wentworth, Georgia (White Way Laundry)  
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  
- New York City  
- Little Rock, Arkansas  
- Washington, D.C. (White House, Bureau of Civil Rights)  

Key Events  
- Flight tracking of Ray on April 27, 1968, from Los Angeles to St. Louis  
- Investigation into a 1964 Chevrolet Impala linked to Ray’s movements  
- Review of rental box records and financial loans tied to Kerlit  
- Australian visa inquiry for Ray (no record found)  
- Fingerprint analysis comparing latent prints to known suspects  
- FBI requested assistance from car rental agencies (Avis, Hertz) to track suspect movements  
- Forensic analysis of laundry tapes and markings conducted by FBI Laboratory  
- Investigation into potential connections between the subject and individuals in Savannah, Georgia, and Philadelphia  
- Identification of “ARMED AND DANGEROUS” status for the suspect  
- Coordination with local authorities to locate Robert Gundy  
- Submission of a complaint to the President regarding MLK’s assassination and FBI involvement (April 14, 1968)  
- FBI investigation into the identity of MLK’s assassin, including verification of witness descriptions  
- Publication of an artist’s drawing reconstructing MLK’s appearance in Memphis newspapers  
- News reports describing the assassin as having a dark complexion  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- FBI Field Offices (Los Angeles, Memphis, Louisville, etc.)  
- Civil Rights Division (involved in tracking and evidence collection)  
- FBI Laboratory  
- National Car Rental (mentioned in context of car rental agency contacts)  
- Avis and Hertz car rental agencies (involved in tracking efforts)  
- Bureau of Civil Rights Division  
- White House (President Lyndon B. Johnson)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_07-03-part_3_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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