</s>1 SL: JDD:Jmb 44-775 PRISON ASSOCIATES OF JAMES EARL RAY D. DYER, JR .: The following investigation was conducted by IC JOHN The April 30, 1968, a review of the records at the Metropolitan St. Louis Police Department, St.Louis, Missouri, discclosed RAY EUGENE WARREN St. Louisville Police Department #7081, was arrested on August 5, 1954, for robbery and was sentenced was arrested 9, 1994 to sever several years in the Missouri State Penitentiary and several years on the February State 1955, to serve an additional 10 years in Missouri State Penitentiaries. The records of the Metropolitan St. Louisiana Police Department contained the following descriptive and background data concerning WARRENN: Sex Male Date of birth White Place of birth Palmer, Missouri Height Half feet, seven and one Height Half inches 152 Hair Blow Bald Bulld Medium Complexion Ruddy Tattoos Loudy hand; on fingers of right hand; Ray on fingers of left hand; chain of right hand; on left flowers right of left hand; numerous underscribed tattoos on both arms 169 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The declassified documents primarily focus on investigations into James Earl Ray’s associates, particularly J.D. Daily, during the period following Ray’s escape from the Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967. Records from the St. Louis Police Department and FBI detail Ray’s prior arrests, movements in Missouri, and interactions with individuals such as Thomas B. Crews, Homer Townsley, Jack Allison, and Kermith Segfrid. Surveillance activities, property ownership, and financial transactions linked to Ray and associates are referenced, though no direct connection to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination is established. Interviews with DAILY and his associates indicate denial of knowledge regarding Ray’s whereabouts or involvement in crimes. The documents also include FBI inquiries into DAILY’s family members, residences, and potential ties to criminal activities, including allegations of gambling and property disputes.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (subject of investigation)  
- J.D. Daily (alleged associate of Ray; tavern operator in Portageville, Missouri)  
- Thomas B. Crews (individual with ties to Ray’s escape)  
- Homer Townsley (bar owner and bondman associated with Ray)  
- Jack Allison (individual with criminal history linked to Ray)  
- Kermith Segfrid (landlord of premises where DAILY operated a restaurant)  
- Jason Ray Conway (alleged victim of shooting by Daily in 1965)  
- Mrs. Hazel Terrell (sister of J.D. Daily; resident of Wardell, Missouri)  
- Bonnie DAILY (wife of J.D. Daily)  
- William RAY (childhood friend of DAILY; post office clerk)  

Key Locations  
- St. Louis, Missouri (police department, cafes, residences)  
- Jefferson City, Missouri (Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Portageville, Missouri (DAILY’s restaurant operations)  
- Wardell, Missouri (DAILY’s childhood home area; residence of Mrs. Hazel Terrell)  
- Poplar Bluff, Missouri (alleged gambling location associated with DAILY)  
- Lafayette, Illinois (Haven Bar linked to DAILY)  
- Center, Missouri (property owned by Jerry Raynes, relative of Ray)  

Key Events  
- Ray’s escape from the Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967  
- FBI surveillance and interviews targeting J.D. Daily’s residences and businesses in Missouri  
- Allegations of financial transactions, property disputes, and electrical code violations involving DAILY’s restaurant premises  
- Investigation into DAILY’s alleged gambling activities and associations with establishments in Missouri and Illinois  
- Interview records detailing DAILY’s family relationships and background, including his absence from Wardell for years prior to returning to Portageville  
- Alleged 1965 shooting of Jason Ray Conway by J.D. Daily, resulting in paralysis  

Key Organizations  
- St. Louis Police Department (intelligence unit)  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Ray’s former incarceration)  
- City of St. Louis Electrical Inspection Division (involved in wiring code violations at DAILY’s premises)  
- White Realty Company (landlord for DAILY’s residence)  
- Commercial Credit Rating Company (credit records referenced in investigations)

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_10-05-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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