</s>F-D-36 (Rev. 5-22-64) F-B1 Date: Transmit the following in (Type in plainest or code) Via (Priority) KC 44-760 PAGE THREE SUBJECT ARMED AND DANGEROUS; ESCAPE PROPENSITIES. Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities related to James Earl Ray's movements and potential connections to criminal activities, including alleged plots against Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include interviews with David L. Wilson in Phoenix, who claimed to have encountered Ray in Missouri during the summer of 1967. The FBI sought to verify Wilson’s account by investigating Gene Brisindine, a truck driver associated with Willis Shaw in Elmspring, Arkansas, and locating records of Ray's prior incarceration. References include prison transfers, travel patterns, and efforts to track Ray’s whereabouts. The documents also mention inquiries into Ruby Carpenter’s family ties to Ray and Carl Benton Drake, as well as administrative details about FBI communication protocols and document classifications under Executive Order 14176.  

Key People:  
- James Earl Ray (fugitive, subject of investigation)  
- David L. Wilson (interviewed in Phoenix, alleged contact with Ray)  
- Gene Brisindine (truck driver linked to Willis Shaw)  
- Willis Shaw (associated with Elmspring, Arkansas)  
- Ruby Carpenter (Ray’s mother, mentioned in prison records)  
- Carl Benton Drake (individual connected to Ray’s family)  

Key Locations:  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- St. Louis, Missouri  
- Kansas City, Missouri  
- Phoenix, Arizona  
- Dallas, Texas  
- Elmspring, Arkansas  
- Quincy, Illinois  
- Springfield, Missouri  

Key Events:  
- FBI interviews of David L. Wilson regarding potential plot against Dr. King  
- Investigation into Gene Brisindine’s connection to Ray and Willis Shaw  
- Verification of Ray’s prior incarceration and prison transfers  
- Search for records of Ray’s movements in Missouri and Arkansas  
- Coordination between FBI offices for tracking fugitive activities  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Missouri  
- Federal Correctional Institutions (FCI)  
- Memphis Police Department (implied through references to local law enforcement)

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_169-04-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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