</s>ME 44-1987 WILLIAM E. MAHER and his wife, MILDRED Uncle MAHER, 712 Brown Street, Alton, Illinois, claim to have last seen the subject 10 of the subject has not been in Alton. that the subject was not in Alston, Illinois, since 1959 they he was involved that the suspect was not not in alton, in the armed circumstances. They do not believe the subject will make known any attempt uncle on his part they will make know any attempt EARL E. RAY (MAHER) is reported to have died May 2, Aunt 1959, at Buffalo, New York. Mrs. FRANK (MAHLE) FULLER, 2601 Chestnut Street, Quincy, Illinois; telephone number 1955 when her mother, subject's grandmother, died. She stated she has not seen since 1955 she stated she was not seen her of years and has had no close contact with him. She said that she had no subject was him. He said that while she subject her a number of occasions and occasionally sent him small amounts of money. She Said and this was the only contact she had with him. she said these Christmas cards were him. The subject said these cards were had this was on the only contract she had written she claims to have had no contact with the she claims that she has no contact within the of his present whereabouts. She has offered her cooperation in the event she does contact her. Both maternal and paternal grandparents are Grandparents reported to be deceased. 45 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail James Earl Ray’s incarceration at multiple state penitentiaries between 1956 and 1968, including Missouri State Penitentiary, Leavenworth Prison, and California State Prison. Inmates described Ray as a loner with drug use habits (amphetamines, asphaltane), involvement in prison crimes such as tunneling, theft of locks, and alleged stabbing incidents. Multiple inmates reported Ray’s interest in assassinating Martin Luther King Jr., including discussions about a $100,000 bounty on his head and plans to kill him if released. Ray’s potential escape routes were mentioned, including connections to New Orleans, Mexico, and Oregon. While some accounts reference his familiarity with Alabama (Walker County) and alleged racist attitudes toward Black individuals, no direct evidence of involvement in MLK’s assassination is provided. The documents also include fragmented details about prison drug trafficking, financial dealings within facilities, and interactions with Mexican military structures.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected in MLK’s assassination; described as a loner with drug use habits, involvement in prison crimes, and alleged interest in killing MLK.  
- **Billy Brown**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; reported Ray’s knowledge of MLK-related bounty information.  
- **Richard Beaman**: Inmate who worked in the prison hospital; noted Ray’s quiet demeanor and lack of close associates.  
- **Julius Maurice Block**: Former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; mentioned Ray’s alleged stabbing of another inmate and theft activities.  
- **Frank Joseph Guinan**: Inmate who recalled Ray receiving amphetamines and associating with other inmates like Neal Abby.  
- **Floyd Evans Hill**: California State Prison inmate who claimed to have known Ray but had no further information on his whereabouts.  
- **Walter Nolan**: FBI informant, St. Louis Division; stated he knew Ray for ten years but had no information about his escape plans or involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Howard Hannon**: Inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; confirmed Ray’s presence in 1967 but denied knowledge of his escape or connection to MLK’s death.  
- **James Owens**: Inmate who described Ray as a loner traveling extensively and discussing potential bounties for MLK’s assassination, though emphasized these were speculative.  
- **Kenneth Lee Wade**: Incarcerated at San Quentin; associated with Ray in prison drug activities; mentioned Ray’s potential for violence.  
- **Milton Zavalcovsky**: Served time at Missouri State Penitentiary; knew Ray and described his escape attempts.  
- **Charles Calvin Bookman**: FBI number 9393525; met Ray at Leavenworth Prison; claimed to have received a phone call from Ray in 1968 about being “hotter than a cow marshal’s pistol.”  
- **Rita Stein**: Met Eric Starvo Galt in 1967; accompanied him to New Orleans to retrieve her children.  
- **Marie Martin**: Interacted with Galt at the St. Francis Hotel; facilitated his trip to New Orleans.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary** (Jefferson City, Missouri): Central location for Ray’s incarceration and interactions with inmates.  
- **Leavenworth Prison** (Kansas): Site of Ray’s time with Bookman and others.  
- **Jackson County Jail** (Kansas City, Missouri): Site of Ray’s 1965 incarceration with Curtis Cowis.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Mentioned as a location Ray frequented; associated with his alleged knowledge of MLK-related bounty information.  
- **Mexico**: Discussed in context of Ray’s potential escape plans and residence post-release; specific cities mentioned include Acapulco, Nogales, and Mexico City.  
- **Oregon**: Referenced in Ray’s conversations about Rogue River and saw mill work.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Mentioned as a location for Ray’s alleged 1967 trip with Stein and Martin.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Galt’s associations with Stein, Martin, and the St. Francis Hotel.  

Key Events  
- **Prison drug trafficking**: Ray allegedly involved in smuggling drugs (amphetamines, asphaltane) within penitentiaries; inmates like Wade estimated earnings from sales at $1,500 monthly.  
- **Alleged MLK assassination plot**: Multiple inmates reported Ray discussing a $100,000 bounty on MLK’s head and his intent to kill him if released; however, these claims were noted as speculative or uncorroborated.  
- **Prison crimes**: Ray implicated in tunneling attempts, theft of locks, and alleged stabbing incidents within Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **Escape planning**: Inmates noted Ray’s interest in escaping prison, including potential connections to New Orleans and Mexico for hiding.  
- **Galt’s 1967 trip**: Galt traveled with Stein to New Orleans, where he paid for expenses and discussed political activities linked to George Wallace’s party.  
- **Inconsistent testimonies**: Bookman’s claims about a phone call from Ray were disputed; Galt’s associations with multiple individuals raised questions about his movements.  

Key Organizations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Central facility where Ray was incarcerated; described as a hub for drug trafficking and inmate interactions.  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: St. Louis Division, which included Walter Nolan as an informant; also referenced in connection to Galt’s activities.  
- **Black Muslims**: Mentioned in context of prison riots involving white inmates.  
- **Mexican Army**: Discussed by Rigger as a potential escape route for Ray.  
- **George Wallace’s Political Party**: Mentioned in connection to Galt’s political activities.  
- **U.S. Postal Service**: Referenced in legal cases involving forgery and theft of postal stamps.

MLK Declassified Files

44-hq-38861_hs1-233652821_15-04-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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