</s>AT 44-2386 At Jefferson City, Missouri: agn) 1) Will, at Missouri State Penitentiary, determine from medical records by type JAMES EARL RAY had on side of head and medication prescribed for. RAY. 2) Check correspondence file to determine if RAY has any appropriate correspondence which may identify girl friends RAY talked about. 3) Attempt to determine supplier of narcotics to RAY while RAY in prison to attempt to develop information concerning RAY's outside source of income, as RAY may now attempt to contact these persons. 4) Ascertain present whereabouts of inmate JERRY WHITE, 5) Furnished by DONDA. Through sources at prison, evaluate information At Kansas City, Missouri: Agrson Attempt to locate bar known as Gaslight, to determine If subject RAY is to know there there and attempt to determine identity ty of girl RAY not there. At Columbia, Missouri; agra subject RAY knows as well as attempt to learn identity of girl ray had not known as area. Contact bars in vicinity of college and determine if at Lake Oak, Missouri! Weaver Will, through sources, attempt to identify narcotics pushers and through them determine if subject has been in this area. SAN DIEGO At Palos Verdes, California: Wall locate BOB GRAHAM and interview on morning DOWDA'S visit Thanksgiving 1967; determine if DONDA made any remarks concerning contact with RAY or anyone else in California. -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities between 1964–1968, focusing on his escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967, financial transactions, psychiatric evaluations, and alleged connections to smuggling operations. Ray is described as having traveled to Mexico via Texas, where he allegedly engaged in armed robberies and expressed hostility toward "Negroes," though no direct link to Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination is stated. The FBI sought to track his whereabouts, including potential ties to a fishing boat in Brownsville, Texas, and interactions with individuals like Mateo Lopez/Garcia. Ray’s psychiatric records note obsessive-compulsive tendencies, fears of illness, and a history of mental health evaluations. Financial records show payments to his brother, Jerry Ray, and mention of a Cadillac purchased in 1967. The FBI also investigated other cases, including an attempted assassination plot against President Johnson and Martin Luther King involving William Jacobs.  

The documents include fragmented entries from the FBI’s broader investigations, such as a Canadian money order (#C31,600,668) linked to "Eric Galt," interviews with Paul Alvin LAIL regarding Ray’s prison associations and alleged plans for escape or violence, and searches for individuals like Jerry White, Bob Graham, Gerald B. Gerlit, and Richard Werner, who were allegedly connected to Ray or had expressed intentions to harm King. The FBI also examined correspondence, financial records, and hotel interactions in Kansas City, Memphis, Los Angeles, and New Orleans, seeking connections between suspects and potential threats against civil rights leaders.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Subject of investigation; escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary in 1967, alleged ties to smuggling, armed robbery, and threats against "Negroes."  
- **Jerry White**: Inmate whose whereabouts were sought by the FBI.  
- **Paul Alvin LAIL**: Inmate who provided information on Ray’s prison associations, possible escape plans, and views on the MLK assassination.  
- **Bob Graham**: Person in San Diego linked to Ray.  
- **Gerald B. Gerlit**: Allegedly connected to Ray and expressed intentions to harm King.  
- **Richard Werner**: Stepson of Gerlit, mentioned as having discussed targeting King.  
- **William Jacobs**: Individual who claimed he was approached to assassinate King and President Johnson.  
- **Rita Stein** (aka "Rita Rosa"): Linked to New Orleans and Los Angeles with a criminal record.  
- **Charles Stein**: Brother of Rita Stein, associated with the same cases.  
- **Dennis**: Addict and prostitute with ties to Los Angeles and FBI records.  
- **Carl V. Krepsinger**: Hotel patron who reported an individual resembling J.E.R.  
- **Herbert F. Greenberg**: Owner of International Police Equipment Co., involved in a handcuff purchase case.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Leavenworth)**: Ray’s incarceration from 1960–1967; escape attempt noted.  
- **Brownsville, Texas**: Site of smuggling operations involving a fishing boat.  
- **Mexico City, Acapulco, Campeche**: Locations mentioned in Ray’s alleged travel routes and activities.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Central location for hotel interactions and suspect sightings.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: FBI file references and investigative coordination.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Involves Rita Stein, Dennis, and the Tiffany Enterprises case.  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Linked to Rita Stein’s background and phone calls.  

Key Events  
- **Ray’s Escape from Missouri State Penitentiary (1967)**: Investigated through bread truck routes and prison staff accounts.  
- **Psychiatric Evaluations (December 1966)**: Highlighted obsessive-compulsive behaviors, fears of illness, and potential parole considerations.  
- **Smuggling Operations**: Involving appliances smuggled from Brownsville, Texas, via a fishing boat.  
- **FBI Investigations**: Focus on Ray’s financial transactions, travel patterns, and alleged threats against "Negroes."  
- **Canadian Money Order Case**: Analysis of #C31,600,668 linked to Eric Galt and a correspondence course.  
- **Surveillance of an Individual Resembling J.E.R. in Kansas City Hotels**: Reported by Carl V. Krepsinger.  
- **Purchase of Handcuffs by Greenberg**: Subsequent FBI tracking of the transaction.  
- **Arrest Records for Rita Stein and Charles Stein**: Including gambling charges.  
- **Ongoing FBI Efforts to Verify J.E.R.’s Involvement in Threats Against MLK**: Interviews with witnesses, hotel staff, and law enforcement.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Ray’s activities, including fingerprint comparisons and interoffice communications.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Institutional records detailing Ray’s incarceration and escape.  
- **Los Angeles Police Department**: Involved in tracking phone calls and suspect movements.  
- **Metropolitan Bank (Kansas City, Missouri)**: Mentioned in financial records related to Ray’s activities.  
- **U.S. Secret Service**: Referenced in investigations involving threats against public figures.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_169-08-part_2_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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