</s>PAGE TWO NEAT , WELL DRESSED AND PRESENTS CLEAN NEAT APPEARANCE. HE APPARENTLY IS VERY METICULOUS ABOUT HIS PERSONAL APPEANANCE AND CLOTHING AND POSSIBBLY HAS A FIXATION ABOUT HIS CLEANLINESS. IN VIEW OF THIS, IT WOULD APPEAK THAT A FIXATION WILL CONTINUE TO UTILIZE THE SERVICES OF LAUNDRIES AND CLEANERS AS HE HAS IN THE PAST AND, THEREFORE, THE BUREAU MAY WISH TO GIVE CONSIDERATION TO CONTACTING ALL LAUNDRIDES AND CLEANING ESTABLISHMENTS WITHIN EACH DIVISION TO APPRISE APPROPRI ATE PERSONNEL OF SUBJECT'S FUGITIVE STATUS AS WELL AS THE PURPORTED REWARD BEING OFFERED FOR RAY'S APPREHENSION. BIRMINGHAM IS INSTITUITUING CONTACTS OF ALL LAUNCHERIES AND DRY CLEANER/S/ END. GFH FBI WASH DC 2013 RELEASE UNDEREO. 14176

Summary  
The document details FBI investigations into two separate cases related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The first case involves an April 14, 1968, note predicting King’s death found in a package from A.L. Garber Company Printing in Ashland, Ohio. The note was written by George Charles Gray, a 19-year-old employee at the company, who admitted it was a prank targeting coworker Roger Dove. Gray denied sending the note and claimed no prior knowledge of King’s assassination. The FBI investigated potential connections between suspects like "Ray" and individuals in Mexico City, including Jim Gibson and Harlan Leslie, while tracing laundries and cleaners in Birmingham, Alabama, for a fugitive named Ray. Telephone records from Texas and Canada were examined to track movements of "Ray."  

The second case focuses on James Earl Ray as the primary suspect in King’s assassination. The FBI cross-checked Ray’s alibi during critical periods, noting his absence from Joliet, Illinois, and Pontiac, Illinois. Investigations explored Ray’s alleged smuggling activities in Mexico, including interactions with Mateo Lopez Garcia and Campeche (near Yucatan Peninsula), as well as connections to Torreon, a town linked to low-cost prostitution. Communications with Mexican authorities were initiated via cablegrams to verify Ray’s movements and smuggling operations through fishing boats. The FBI also examined Ray’s alleged associations with Cecil Clayton Lillibridge and Margaret Rab, while dismissing other individuals like Jerry Ray and Robert G. Ray as irrelevant.  

Key People  
- **George Charles Gray**: 19-year-old employee at A.L. Garber Company Printing; admitted writing the note as a prank.  
- **Roger Dove**: Coworker of Gray at the bindery department.  
- **Kathrin Hobson**: Found the note in stationery supplies from A.L. Garber Company.  
- **Dean Stewart**: VP of Administration at A.L. Garber Corporation; provided packaging slip details.  
- **Sergeant Donald Mullin**: Mansfield, Ohio PD officer; noted Gray’s prior arrests.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; investigated for smuggling and connections to Mexico.  
- **Cecil Clayton Lillibridge**: Former inmate and cellmate of Ray.  
- **Margaret Rab**: Alleged associate of Ray.  
- **Mateo Lopez Garcia**: Smuggling contact linked to Ray.  
- **Jim Gibson** and **Harlan Leslie**: Individuals in Mexico City with potential information on MLK’s assassination.  

Key Locations  
- **Ashland, Ohio**: A.L. Garber Company Printing where the note was found.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Laundries and cleaners contacted for a fugitive named Ray.  
- **Mexico City, Mexico**: Contacts involving Gibson and Leslie; smuggling operations linked to Ray.  
- **Campeche, Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico**: Smuggling activities associated with Ray.  
- **Torreon, Mexico**: Alleged Red Light District contact for Ray.  
- **Joliet, Illinois** and **Pontiac, Illinois**: Locations where Ray was absent during critical periods.  
- **Brownsville, Texas**: Fishing boat smuggling operations referenced in communications.  

Key Events  
- **April 5, 1968**: George Gray wrote the note predicting MLK’s death as a prank.  
- **April 14, 1968**: Assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. occurred.  
- **April 29–30, 1968**: FBI coordinated investigations into telephone records, film equipment, and suspect locations.  
- **April 11, 1968**: A note was found by Kathrin Hobson in stationery supplies from Ashland, Ohio.  
- **April 25–26, 1968**: Telephone calls and movements of "Ray" were tracked via records from Texas and Canada.  
- FBI investigation into Ray’s movements and associations post-assassination.  
- Cross-checking of leads involving Ray’s alleged smuggling in Mexico.  
- Communications with Mexican authorities to verify Ray’s whereabouts and smuggling operations.  
- Examination of Ray’s alleged interactions with Lillibridge, Margaret Rab, and other associates.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into the note, telephone records, suspect locations, and smuggling activities.  
- **A.L. Garber Company Printing**: Provided packaging slip details linked to the note.  
- **Mansfield, Ohio Police Department**: Noted Gray’s prior arrests.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Involved in administrative document releases under Executive Order 14176.  
- **Mexican authorities**: Engaged via cablegrams for verification of Ray’s movements and smuggling operations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_08-04-part_3_of_5.pdf

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