</s>F.D .- 245 (DEV. w/3.60) H. S. department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED DO NOT DESTROY FEDERAL BUREAU' of DO NOT STRIP INVESTIGATION ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN US UNCLASSIIFIED Bureau File Number DATE 3/4/19 BY 5/4-19/18/18 Volume Number: EntIRE FILE REVIEWED DO NOT RESTROY FOR HISTORICAL PRESERVE FOR SELECT DECLASSIFICATION PRESERVÉE FOR SELECT See also No. COMMITTEE ON ASSINATIO DO NOT ESTROY COMMITTEEON ASSINATION PENDING LITIGATION 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative records concerning James Earl Ray, a fugitive who escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23, 1967. Ray was serving a 20-year sentence for robbery and operating a motor vehicle without permission, with prior arrests for forgery, burglary, and robbery between 1949 and 1967. His criminal history includes multiple escapes from confinement, described as a "wide out guy" who frequently evaded capture. The FBI sought assistance in locating him, issuing a federal warrant on July 20, 1967, for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution. Records include fingerprint data, investigative leads, and correspondence between agencies. A separate document links Ray to the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., noting his military service (February 1, 1946–December 23, 1948) and incarceration at U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas (July 7, 1955–April 1, 1959). Family members, including his mother LUCILLE RAY and brother JERRY RAY, were investigated for potential connections to his whereabouts. The case remained pending as of October 1967, with ongoing efforts to locate him.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (fugitive suspect linked to MLK assassination)  
- LUCILLE RAY (mother/aunt)  
- JERRY RAY (brother)  
- Harold Stevenson (Missouri State Penitentiary Warden)  
- William A. Kitchen (Assistant U.S. Attorney)  
- Leonard L. Ayres (FBI Special Agent)  
- George Ray (father, deceased)  
- William MAIER (former address listed in military records)  

Key Locations  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, Missouri)  
- U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas  
- Quincy, Illinois  
- St. Louis, Missouri  
- Alton, Illinois  
- Kansas City, Missouri  
- Federal Records Center, Kansas City, Missouri  

Key Events  
- Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23, 1967  
- FBI investigation into his criminal history and whereabouts (April–July 1967)  
- Warrant issued for unlawful flight to avoid prosecution (July 20, 1967)  
- Ray’s military service (February 1, 1946–December 23, 1948) and incarceration at Leavenworth Penitentiary (1955–1959)  
- FBI investigation into family connections (October 1967)  
- Ongoing efforts to locate Ray as of October 1967  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary  
- U.S. Army  
- U.S. Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas  
- United States Marshals Service  
- U.S. Department of Justice  
- General Services Administration (GSA) Federal Records Center  
- Kansas City Division (FBI)

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_170-02-part_1_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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