</s>KC 88-9449 KANSAS CITY AT KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI Wall continue to contact logical informants for any information which might lead to the location of the subject. ADMINISTRATIVE: On November 16, 1967, DOROTHY WALKER, Clerk, U. S. Post Office, Alton, Illinois, advised SA ROBERT C. HAINES that records of that office contain no removal notice on file for WILLIAM MAHER. INFORMANTS: The following were contacted on the dates indicated by SA JOSEPH L. KISSHAH in a negative effort to develop information regarding the subject: PCI JAMES C. BOYD, on 10/24 and 11/21/67. KC 473-C, on 11/17, 12/24 & 12/21 /67. PCI j. W. JONES, 11/27 and 12/12/67, PCI HENRY C. HC FAD, 11 /17 and 12 /11/67 ., PCI HELEN GRAYSON, 11//21/57. PCI JOE F. ROSS, 11./21 and 12//5/67 .. KC 601-C-11/24and 12/18/67." (COVER PAGE) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray (JER) from 1967–1968, focusing on his fugitive status following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include reviews of prison records indicating Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary in 1952, his release in 1954, and subsequent criminal activity involving robbery with a deadly weapon. The FBI sought information on his associates, such as Walter Perry Rife, who shared a prison cell with Ray and was also convicted of postal fraud. Investigations included checking credit bureaus, police records, telephone directories, and parole files to locate Ray or his relatives, including his mother Lucille Ryan and brother Jerry Ray. Efforts to track him involved multiple FBI field offices in Kansas City, Springfield, Chicago, and St. Louis. The documents note Ray’s status as armed and dangerous due to prior convictions involving deadly weapons. Post-assassination investigations in 1968 expanded to include fingerprint analysis of items linked to Ray, interviews with individuals connected to his associates, and reviews of military records from his service in the 16th Infantry Regiment (1945–1948). Leads included potential sightings of Jerry Ray in Camden, New Jersey, and inquiries into Carlos Lee Willings, a Florida trailer park operator linked to JER’s associates.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Fugitive convicted of robbery with a deadly weapon; accused of assassinating MLK.  
- **Walter Perry Rife**: Convicted of postal fraud; shared prison cell with Ray at Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **Lucille Ryan**: Ray’s mother, listed as his only known correspondent during incarceration.  
- **Jerry Ray**: Claimed to be Ray’s brother; interviewed in Northbrook, Illinois, and later reported resigning from a Chicago position.  
- **Michael St. Pierre**: Linked to JER through rental agreements and contracts; subject of fingerprint analysis.  
- **Carlos Lee Willings**: Trailer park operator in Florida; investigated as potential associate of JER.  
- **Jack Barber**: Connected to JER’s associates; interviewed in Ft. Myers, Florida.  
- **John Richard Keller**: Denied any connection to JER after being contacted by FBI in Phoenix.  
- **Noel Gray**: Alleged to have made inflammatory remarks about civil rights leaders at Southern University.  
- **Sergeant Major Britti**: Compiled military records for JER’s service in the 16th Infantry Regiment.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City)**: Site of Ray’s 1952–1954 incarceration and escape.  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Address linked to Ray’s past residence (1948).  
- **Wheeling, Illinois**: Police and credit bureau records checked for Ray’s presence.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Focus of FBI investigations, parole records review, and field office coordination.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Mentioned as a potential location for Ray’s movements; Blackstone Hotel and Shenandoah address referenced.  
- **Northbrook, Illinois**: Address linked to Jerry Ray’s residence prior to 1967.  
- **Lone Elm Road, Missouri**: Area where Burton Arnold claimed to have seen a suspect resembling Ray.  
- **Ft. Myers, Florida**: Location of inquiries into Carlos Lee Willings and the Barber family.  
- **Camden, New Jersey**: Reported as potential location for sightings of Jerry Ray.  
- **Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana**: Site of inquiry into Noel Gray’s alleged remarks about civil rights leaders.  

Key Events  
- **Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary (1952)**: Investigated through inmate accounts and prison records.  
- **Conviction for robbery with a deadly weapon (1955)**: Highlighted as contributing to Ray’s designation as armed and dangerous.  
- **FBI interviews with family members** (e.g., Carol Pepper, Jerry Ray) to trace Ray’s connections.  
- **Review of parole records**: U.S. Parole and Probation Office files indicated Ray’s movements post-release in 1965.  
- **Searches for Ray in Missouri and Illinois**: Including checks at hotels, motels, and public locations like the Kansas City Airport.  
- **Burton Arnold’s tip (April 1968)**: Claimed to have seen Ray near Lone Elm Road but provided no specific details.  
- **FBI fingerprint analysis of items linked to JER** (May 1968): Included rental agreements and contracts signed by Michael St. Pierre.  
- **Investigation into Carlos Lee Willings and the Barber family in Ft. Myers**: Pursued as potential associates of Ray.  
- **Review of military records for JER’s service in the 16th Infantry Regiment (1945–1948)**: Compiled by Sergeant Major Britti.  
- **Inquiry into Noel Gray’s alleged remarks about civil rights leaders at Southern University**: No direct link to MLK’s assassination confirmed.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations across multiple states; agents included Joseph L. Kissiah, Homer E. Schwarz, and Robert W. Hicham.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Provided records on Ray’s incarceration and escape; inmates like William Sockle and PCI Lawrence Wray provided accounts.  
- **U.S. Parole and Probation Office**: Provided records on Ray’s post-release activities in Kansas City, Missouri.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Including St. Louis Police Department, Kansas City Police Department, and Missouri Highway Patrol, involved in tracking Ray.  
- **Southern University**: Subject of inquiry into Noel Gray’s alleged remarks about civil rights leaders.  
- **Florida Mobile Home Association**: Mentioned in context of Carlos Lee Willings’ operations.  
- **Lee County Courthouse, Florida**: Reference to records related to Carlos Lee Willings.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_170-02-part_2_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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