</s>FD-4545 (REV. 4:13-60) H. S. Department of Jusirir Cindyfriks Cond. 4g (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED CUSTOMIZED IN THE USA ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED FOR HISTORICAL HEID IN US UNCLASSIFIED DATE/VIBES UY SPICERDES DECLASSIFICATION FEDERAL BUREAU of INVESTIGATION Vulture Number: Sardle. Bureau File Number 44-3816/ Sep 19. Vol. 52-2-00 See also No. ROTOR No.4 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray (also known as Eric Starvo Galt) as a suspect. Ray’s military record includes service in the U.S. Army from February 1946 to December 1948, with a general discharge due to ineptness and lack of adaptability. He was convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon in 1966 and is described as armed and dangerous. The FBI compared latent fingerprints from the King assassination case with Ray’s prints, confirming his identity. Investigations also involved David L. Wilson, who claimed Ray had connections to ex-convicts planning the assassination but denied direct involvement. Walter Terry Rife was mentioned as a potential suspect due to fingerprint similarities. The FBI added Ray to its "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list to aid in locating him.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of Dr. King, with aliases including Eric Starvo Galt, Harvey Lawyer, John Willard, etc.  
- **David L. Wilson**: Interviewed regarding potential connections between Ray and ex-convicts involved in the assassination plot.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Mentioned as a suspect due to fingerprint comparisons; described as a white male, 44 years old, with blue-gray eyes and brown hair.  

Key Locations:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of Dr. King’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Ray’s birthplace (implied); location of his military service records.  
- **Jefferson City, Missouri**: Location of a Federal warrant for Ray’s armed robbery conviction.  
- **Phoenix, Arizona**: Where Wilson was interviewed and provided details about Ray’s alleged activities.  

Key Events:  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **April 17, 1968**: Federal warrant issued charging Ray with consorting to interfere with civil rights and unlawful interstate flight.  
- **April 20, 1968**: FBI added Ray to its "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" list.  
- **Fingerprint comparisons**: Confirmed Ray’s identity as Eric Starvo Galt, linking him to the King assassination case.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted fingerprint searches, interviews, and issued warrants for Ray.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Where Ray was incarcerated from 1960–1966 for armed robbery.  
- **United States Department of Justice**: Issued the "Ten Most Wanted Fugitives" program to locate Ray.

MLK Declassified Files

44-jk-769_739798_01-03-part_1_of_3.pdf

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