</s>Ho 44-1509 Denver 1 Louisville 1 Memphis 1 Miami 1 New York 2 1 Norfolk 1 Omaha 1 Philadelphia 2 Sacramento 1 Seattle 1 Springfield 3 St. Louis 1 Tampa 1 Atlanta 1 Albuquerque 2 Boston 2 2 Charlotte Chicago 3 Cincinnati 3 Detroit 1 Cleveland 3 El Paso 3 Jackson 6 Jacksonville 2 Las Vegas 1 43 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray’s movements and potential connections to criminal activities between 1967 and 1968, focusing on his alleged involvement in Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination. The inquiries involved checking motel registrations, phone records, credit reports, airline manifests, and ship departure logs across multiple U.S. cities, including Houston, Galveston, Corpus Christi, Memphis, Louisville, Dallas, and Jefferson City. Interviews with former inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary, such as Neal Edgar Avey and Thomas Britton, provided details about Ray’s incarceration, escape attempts, and alleged associations with civil rights activists. Financial transactions, including a bank draft purchase in Birmingham, Alabama, were also examined. While no direct evidence of involvement in King’s assassination was found, Ray was flagged as a fugitive linked to unlawful activities, drug trafficking networks, and potential connections to stolen vehicles.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; subject of FBI investigations)  
- Neal Edgar Avey (former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; provided details about Ray’s incarceration and escape attempts)  
- Judy Carol Peters (divorced wife of Neal Edgar Avey; stated no knowledge of Ray)  
- George William Russell (inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; reported no prior contact with Ray)  
- Phillip Lee Baker (attorney representing Ray in a 1963 habeas corpus case; received money orders from Ray)  
- Clyde Manasco (clerk at Gun Rack store in Birmingham, Alabama; identified Ray via photographs)  
- Thomas Britton (former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; married to Bratrice Britton; provided information on Ray’s potential whereabouts)  
- James W. Brown (former inmate from Missouri State Penitentiary; recalled Ray’s involvement with civil rights demonstrations and alleged intentions to harm MLK Jr.)  

Key Locations  
- Houston, Texas (motel and phone record checks)  
- Galveston, Texas (ship departure records checked by U.S. Customs and Border Protection)  
- Corpus Christi, Texas (Customs inspections)  
- Memphis, Tennessee; Louisville, Kentucky; Dallas, Texas (cities with FBI jurisdiction for fugitive tracking)  
- Jefferson City, Missouri (prison records, parole checks)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (drug trafficking connections, Ivan Underwood’s parole records)  
- Birmingham, Alabama (Gun Rack store, Allstate Cafe, RiverVIEW Night Club; bank draft purchase location)  
- Jefferson County, Alabama (potential area of Ray’s operations)  

Key Events  
- FBI investigations into Ray’s movements between 1967 and 1968, including checks of motel registrations, phone records, credit reports, and transportation logs.  
- Interviews with former inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary regarding Ray’s incarceration, escape attempts, and alleged associations.  
- Financial transactions involving money orders sent to attorney Phillip Lee Baker and a bank draft purchase in Birmingham, Alabama (September 28, 1967).  
- Identification of Ray via photographs provided by FBI agents to Clyde Manasco at the Gun Rack store in Birmingham on April 18, 1968.  
- Investigations into stolen vehicles in Georgia post-March 23, 1968, and recovery efforts involving agencies like the National Real Estate Agency.  
- Parole status checks for Ray and other inmates at Missouri State Penitentiary.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Conducted investigations into Ray’s movements, financial transactions, and potential connections to criminal networks.  
- Missouri State Penitentiary – Source of information on Ray’s incarceration, escape attempts, and inmate associations.  
- Galveston Police Department – Provided records related to Ray’s activities in Texas.  
- Birmingham Police Department – Collaborated with FBI on local inquiries and provided records for investigation.  
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Checked ship departure records in Galveston, Texas.  
- Credit bureaus (e.g., Retail Merchants Association, Voter Registration Offices) – Used for financial and personal record checks.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_171-03-part_5_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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