</s>REQUE-INLSON APR 30 5 23PH'03 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray's activities, including alleged plans to rob in Mexico, smuggling operations via Brownsville, Texas, and interactions with inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP). A former MSP inmate provided information about Ray's financial ambitions, connections to smuggler Mateo Lopez Garcia or Mateo Garcica Lopez, and trips to Mexico. The inmate noted Ray's disdain for Black individuals but no specific animosity toward Martin Luther King Jr. Financial transactions involving Albert J. Pepper, a St. Louis stationery company owner, are linked to Ray's activities. References to Campbell Bay (Mexico), Acapulco, and Campeche appear in smuggling route contexts. The documents include multiple entries from 1968 and 1969, highlighting Ray's alleged investment in Mexican property and involvement in illegal activities.  

A fragmented record mentions an individual (STRADER) allegedly receiving a note warning of threats against Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., with plans to kill him in Tennessee. STRADER’s connections include Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Miami residents Charles and Lillian Shapiro. The text references passport applications, FBI inquiries into Nigerian companies like Wilder Oil, and unrelated investigations into individuals such as Joe Musgrov[e]. Locations mentioned include Lebanon, Tennessee; New Orleans; Memphis, Tennessee; and Nigeria. Redacted or unclear sections note potential SSNs but exclude them from the summary.  

Another document references FBI investigations in 1968 involving individuals linked to MLK’s assassination. Susan Donian Cooper and her husband were scrutinized for ties to Chicago associates, with direct contact avoided pending further review. Jerry Ray is noted as having limited social circles, including two employees at an Illinois country club. Interviews in Texas and Mexico explored stays at the Hotel Rio in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, during 1967, questioning potential encounters with James Earl Ray or Eric Galt (an alias for Ray). Travel records include Frontier Airlines tickets and credit cards left at a Texas airport, linked to activity around May 1965.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (alleged perpetrator of MLK Jr.’s assassination)  
- Former Missouri State Penitentiary inmate (source of information about Ray)  
- Albert J. Pepper (St. Louis stationery company owner linked to financial transactions)  
- Kenny Hurt/Kenneth Hurtt (inmate associated with Ray’s activities)  
- Mateo Lopez Garcia/Mateo Garcica Lopez (smuggler allegedly connected to Ray)  
- STRADER (individual involved in alleged assassination plot against MLK)  
- Charles and Lillian Shapiro (Miami residents linked to STRADER)  
- Susan Donian Cooper and her husband (under scrutiny for potential connections)  
- Jerry Ray (suspect with limited social circles)  
- Eric Galt (alias of James Earl Ray)  

Key Locations  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, MO)  
- Mexico (Campeche, Torreon, Brownsville, Texas, Acapulco, Campbell Bay, Puerto Vallarta)  
- St. Louis, Missouri  
- Lebanon, Tennessee  
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana  
- New Orleans, Louisiana  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- Nigeria (Wilder Oil Company inquiries)  
- Chicago, Illinois  
- Houston, Texas  
- San Leon, Texas  
- Galveston, Texas  
- Frontier Airlines offices (Texas, Tennessee, Colorado, Nevada, Missouri)  

Key Events  
- Ray’s alleged plans to rob in Mexico and retire there with stolen wealth  
- Smuggling operations via Brownsville, Texas, and Campbell Bay  
- Financial transactions involving Albert J. Pepper and Ray’s associates  
- Inmate accounts of Ray’s hypochondria, drug use, and interactions with other prisoners  
- FBI SAC Kansas City investigations into Ray’s movements and activities  
- Alleged plan to assassinate MLK Jr., discussed by STRADER in Tennessee  
- STRADER’s interactions with FBI agents, including a note warning of threats against MLK  
- FBI inquiries into Nigerian companies like Wilder Oil and passport applications  
- Investigation into Susan Donian Cooper’s potential ties to Chicago associates  
- Interviews regarding Hotel Rio stays in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, during 1967  
- Examination of travel records involving Frontier Airlines tickets and credit cards from May 1965  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP)  
- U.S. Postal Service (references to money orders)  
- U.S. Department of State (Nigeria desk inquiries)  
- Passport Office (JOE MUSGROVE passport records)  
- Frontier Airlines  
- Ebaco Construction Company (Texas)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_09-05-part_6_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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