</s>MM 44-1854 HCB:VC 1. On April 9, 1968, the following checks were made for persons having the name ERIC STARVO GALT, HARVEY LOWEYER or HARVEYE OR HARVEYS LOWYER! All financial institutions in the Miami Division which include banks, federal savings and loan associations. and small loan agencies, voters' registration offices, city directories and telephone directories, credit bureau, law enforcement agencies, drivers' license bureau, as well law enforcement agents, drivers's license bureau and the Homestead Air Force Base Locator Records. The Miami telephone directory listed listed as R. A. GALT. 5795 S. 7rd Street, South Miami, Florida, and a ROBERT B. GALT, 4720 Bay Point Road, Miami, FLORIDA. by SA GAY R. SHAHAN, 5795 S. W. 73rd Street. was contacted by SA GAY R. SHARAN, and it was determined that was full name is Mrs. RUTH A. GAIT, who is a nurse employed at the. South Miami Hospital, South MIAMI, Florida. ROBERT B, GALT , who was contacted by SA GAT R. SHAHAN, was determined to be employed by Ousley and Associates International. Neither RUTH B. GALT or ROBERT D. Galt knows of has ever heard of anyone by the name of ERIC STARVO GALTY. 34 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations conducted in April and May 1968 focusing on locating individuals associated with potential threats to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and James Earl Ray’s movements. In April, agents checked financial institutions, passenger manifests, customs records, and local directories across Miami, West Palm Beach, Port Everglades, Key West, Naples, New Orleans, Merrietta, Georgia, and Missouri State Penitentiary for names such as ERIC STARVO GALT, HARVEY LOWEYER, JOHN WILLARD, and JAMES EARL RAY. No records linked these individuals to MLK-related events or the assassination investigation. In May, FBI communications included phone call logs, address verification efforts, and inquiries into Vincent Walker, Lawrence Rand (or Rend), Michael A. Conroy, and others in Memphis, Kansas City, Houston, San Francisco, and Emeryville, California. Address checks revealed non-existent or fictitious addresses, with limited information from interviews and credit bureau records. Investigations also noted James Earl Ray’s status as a potential threat.  

Key People  
- **ERIC STARVO GALT**  
- **HARVEY LOWEYER**  
- **JOHN WILLARD**  
- **JAMES EARL RAY** (suspected assassin of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.)  
- **PAUL ALVIN LAIL** (former inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary; provided statements about Ray’s whereabouts and behavior)  
- **WHITEY DOWDA** (person visited by Lail in Georgia, possibly linked to Ray’s activities)  
- **VINCENT WALKER** (ex-husband of Thelma Duncan; investigated for potential threats)  
- **LAWRENCE RAND/REND** (suspect with multiple aliases; address verification efforts)  
- **MICHAEL A. CONROY** (resided at 2832 Polk St., San Francisco)  
- **THELMA DUNCAN** (spouse of Vincent Walker, provided marital history)  

Key Locations  
- **Miami, Florida** (South Miami Hospital, Port of Miami; vehicle purchase inquiry for James Earl Ray in 1954)  
- **West Palm Beach, Florida**  
- **Port Everglades, Florida**  
- **Key West, Florida**  
- **Naples, Florida**  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**  
- **Merrietta, Georgia**  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary** (site of Ray’s incarceration and Lail’s association with him)  
- **Memphis, Tennessee** (location of King’s assassination; referenced by Lail)  
- **Kansas City, Missouri** (address verification efforts)  
- **Houston, Texas** (phone call logs and address checks)  
- **San Francisco, California** (investigations into Steiner Street and Polk Street addresses)  
- **Emeryville, California** (employment records for Lawrence Rand)  

Key Events  
- Investigation into financial records and directories for ERIC STARVO GALT, HARVEY LOWEYER, and JOHN WILLARD (April 9–11, 1968).  
- Examination of passenger manifests from airlines and shipping lines for the names mentioned.  
- Inquiry into James Earl Ray’s vehicle purchase in 1954 at Amacker Motors, Miami.  
- Interviews with individuals acquainted with James Earl Ray during his incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- FBI investigation into Ray’s whereabouts, including checks with airlines, car rental agencies, and fingerprint comparisons across jurisdictions.  
- Verification of non-existent or fictitious addresses in Kansas City, Memphis, Houston, and San Francisco.  
- Interviews with residents including Mrs. Paul F. Colley, Michael A. Conroy, and Thelma Duncan.  
- Credit bureau checks confirming employment and residency details for Lawrence Rand.  
- Identification of Vincent Walker as an ex-husband with a history of polygamous marriage.  
- Notes on James Earl Ray’s potential threat status.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** (conducted investigations, including records checks, informant contacts, and cross-agency collaboration)  
- **U.S. Customs and Border Protection**  
- **Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS)**  
- **Florida Department of Motor Vehicles**  
- **Local law enforcement agencies in Miami, West Palm Beach, and Key West**  
- **Airlines and shipping companies** (e.g., Bahamas Airways, Tifford Flying Service, Coastal Aviation)  
- **FBI offices in Kansas City, Memphis, Houston, and San Francisco**  
- **Metro Credit Bureau** (San Jose, California)  
- **Emeryville Unified School District** (California)

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_172-02-part_4_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search