</s>5 SL: 44-775 that RAY acknowledged a 1951 robbery at Chicago, Illinois, for which he was sentenced to twenty-one months in the Pontiac Reformatory and a 1955 arrest for transportation of forged documents, for which he received a sentence of thirty-four months to the Federal Penitentiary at Fort Leavenworth. 11 3 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI investigative records from April to May 1968 detailing James Earl Ray’s criminal history, residences in St. Louis, Missouri, during the late 1950s and early 1960s, and his associations with other individuals. Ray’s prior convictions for robbery (1951 Chicago, Illinois; 1955 transportation of forged documents) and a 1959 arrest for Kroger robbery at 2023 Park Avenue are noted. Investigations into his 1967 stay at the Rio Hotel in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, found no evidence linking him to incidents. TWA airline records from April 1968 show no matches for Ray or others named in connection to him. Financial records from the State Bank of St. Louis indicate Walter E. Nolan’s account activity between 1967 and 1968, including a $10 check cashed in April 1968. Interviews with prison associates, including Carl Benton Drake and Patrick W. Nolan, describe Ray as a "loner" without close ties or racial extremist views. The FBI sought information on Ray’s whereabouts and potential accomplices, such as Bobby Ash and Jim Bradley, who were described as having possible connections to external networks.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (subject of investigation)  
- Carl Benton Drake (prison associate of Ray)  
- Patrick W. Nolan (individual interviewed about Ray's activities)  
- Walter E. Nolan (former prisoner with potential ties to Ray)  
- Bobby Ash (inmate potentially linked to external connections)  
- Jim Bradley (inmate with alleged ties to outside networks)  
- John Edward Johnson (convict)  
- Frank Maberry (convict)  
- Paul Arthur Lail (inmate)  
- Eric Larson (inmate)  
- Billie Miles (acquaintance of James Earl Ray)  
- Fred Miller (inmate)  
- Robert Dale Porter (arrest record)  
- James Edward Richardson (prisoner at Missouri State Penitentiary)  

Key Locations  
- 2023 Park Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri (Ray’s residence in 1959)  
- Rio Hotel, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico (Ray’s 1967 stay)  
- TWA Airlines reservations offices (St. Louis, Missouri)  
- State Bank of St. Louis, Missouri (Nolan’s financial records)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, Missouri)  
- Missouri Training School for Men, Mobberly, Missouri  
- St. Louis, Missouri  
- Kansas City, Missouri  
- Fordland, Missouri (location of Ray's last escape from prison)  

Key Events  
- Ray’s 1959 arrest for Kroger robbery at 2023 Park Avenue  
- Investigation into Ray’s Mexico trip (October 1967)  
- TWA airline records review (April 1968) for travel links  
- Fingerprint comparison efforts with local law enforcement  
- Financial activity of Walter E. Nolan at the State Bank of St. Louis (1967–1968)  
- FBI interviews in April-May 1968 to locate Ray and assess his involvement in MLK assassination plots  
- Discussion of Ray’s prior escape attempts from the Missouri State Penitentiary  
- Claims that Ray lacked the capability to plan an assassination independently and required external assistance  
- Interviews with convicts to determine associations with James Earl Ray  
- Review of prison records and parole status for inmates  
- Investigation into potential links between Ray and other prisoners or individuals  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Missouri State Penitentiary  
- Missouri Training School for Men  
- St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department  
- TWA Airlines  
- State Bank of St. Louis  
- Local law enforcement agencies in Missouri

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_171-01-part_4_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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