</s>FD-245 (REV. 415-80) H. E. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) CLUSTRATION NO. FEDERAL BUREAU 269 of INVESTIGATION ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED Bureau File Number FOR HISTICICAL Series: Volume Number DECLASSIFICATION 200-289 See also No. ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN IS UNCLABBIFED DATE/L/L.S BY SACR/T/A 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI records and telegrams from April 1968 concerning James Earl Ray, a fugitive linked to multiple criminal charges in Missouri and Illinois, including burglary, forgery, and vehicle theft. Ray was identified as a suspect in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., with the FBI tracking his movements and aliases such as Eric Starvo Galt. The records include fingerprint data, investigative leads, and coordination between federal agencies to locate Ray, who was described as "armed and dangerous." References to other individuals, such as John Willard and Bertram Smith, suggest broader investigations into potential associates or witnesses. The FBI sought to confirm Ray's identity through comparisons with known handwriting samples and vehicle records, while also monitoring his alleged connections to civil rights activities.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Fugitive linked to multiple crimes in Missouri and Illinois; central figure in the MLK assassination investigation.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Alias associated with Ray; mentioned in FBI records as a suspect.  
- **John Willard**: Identified by Bertram Smith as resembling Ray; possibly connected to Ray’s activities.  
- **Bertram Smith**: Individual who claimed to have knowledge of Ray’s whereabouts and his association with Don Maddox.  
- **Don Maddox**: Allegedly associated with Ray through the HUT restaurant in Costa Mesa, California.  
- **Clifford Stiles**: Hotel owner in Birmingham, Alabama, who denied recognizing Ray’s photograph.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central to the MLK assassination and subsequent FBI investigations.  
- **Jacksonville, Florida**: Hub for tracking Ray’s movements and coordinating with local law enforcement.  
- **Panama City, Florida**: Mentioned in connection with a fishing trip involving Ray’s alleged associates.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Site of vehicle theft investigations and hotel-related leads.  
- **Costa Mesa, California**: Linked to the HUT restaurant and potential connections between Ray, Maddox, and Willard.  

Key Events  
- **Criminal History of James Earl Ray**: Multiple charges in Missouri (burglary, forgery) and Illinois (vehicle theft).  
- **FBI Tracking Operations**: Efforts to locate Ray through vehicle records, witness statements, and fingerprint comparisons.  
- **Alias Investigations**: Verification of Eric Starvo Galt as a potential identity for Ray.  
- **Civil Rights Connections**: Monitoring of Ray’s alleged ties to civil rights activities and associates like John Willard.  
- **Witness Testimonies**: Statements from Bertram Smith and Clifford Stiles regarding Ray’s possible whereabouts and associations.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central agency coordinating the investigation, including fingerprint analysis, witness interviews, and inter-agency communication.  
- **U.S. Postal Inspection Service**: Involved in tracking a government form linked to Eric Starvo Galt.  
- **Local Law Enforcement Agencies**: Including Memphis Police Department, Birmingham police, and Florida authorities, collaborating with the FBI on Ray’s case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-jk-769_739798_01-04-part_1_of_8.pdf

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