</s>ST. 44-775 PWB/bjh RAY RELATIVE - JOHN RAY The following investigation was conducted by SA's PATRICK W. BRADLEY and ROBERT A. HESS on May 21, 1968; ST. ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, MISSISSIPPI. Missouri, MS. ELISIE JULIAN, 1910 California Avenue, St. Louis, are advised that the residents of 1912 California Street are currently in the process of moving in, noting that it has been vacant in the area of the city of St. John, California that has a white male, black hair, thinning on top, and whose additional description meets that JOHN LARRY RAY, moved into 1912 description meets that John Larry Ray, and moved into another location until February 1968, the state that the best of quiet, having no visitors, and working every day, to the best her knowledge, because he always left the house regularly and returned regu- that this is not the individual of the JAMES EARL RAY and stated that this was not the photograph of that the photograph was unfamiliar to her. She stated that this entire building complex including 1912 through 1906 is rented and possibly owned by ST. RENGEL REALTY COMPANY in the 3500 or 3600 block of South Grand, Grand, Louis, Missouri. LEONARD SHYTH, 1906 California, and LILLY BENNETT, 1910 California advised the former tenant at 1912 was unknown to them personally, however, they may have occasionally ob- served him around, they are, They viewed the photograph off JAMES EARLY RAY AND stated it was completely unfamiliar to them. 179 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into James Earl Ray (JER) and his brother John Larry Ray during May–June 1968, focusing on their movements, residences, and potential connections to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Key activities include inquiries into a 1968 Dodge Dart linked to Georgia license plates, hotel stays at St. Louis and Chicago locations, and interviews with individuals who reported sightings of persons resembling JER or John Larry Ray. The documents also reference interactions with the Holiday Inn North in St. Louis, including room registrations, descriptions of occupants, and claims that certain individuals matched photographs of JER. One individual, Jerry Ray, stated he did not believe his brother killed MLK and claimed the killer was paid to assume Eric Starvo Galt's identity.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray** (JER): Suspected assassin of MLK; mentioned in multiple reports as a subject of investigation.  
- **John Larry Ray**: Brother of JER; reported by residents of St. Louis as possibly residing at 1912 California Street before February 1968.  
- **Jerry Ray**: Sibling of JER; interviewed in June 1968, denied knowledge of his brother’s whereabouts and expressed doubt about JER’s involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **Carol Pepper**: Sister of JER; mentioned as a potential residence for Jerry Ray in St. Louis.  
- **MILLIE RIDDLE** and **JANET WILLIAMS**: Hotel staff at Holiday Inn North who reported sightings of individuals resembling JER.  
- **Robert Lee Hull**: Bellman at Holiday Inn North who described a man matching JER’s physical description and observed him interacting with a Lincoln Continental.  

Key Locations:  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Central to investigations; includes 1912 California Street, 3500–3600 block of South Grand, and Holiday Inn North.  
- **Chicago, Illinois**: Mentioned as a location where JER allegedly hid in a hotel during May–June 1968.  
- **Lambert-St. Louis Airport**: Site where the 1968 Dodge Dart was recovered on May 16, 1968.  
- **Sullivan, Missouri**: Home of MILFORD JAMES ROEHERS, a police officer interviewed about potential connections to MLK’s assassination.  

Key Events:  
- **May 9–June 25, 1968**: FBI investigations into JER and John Larry Ray, including hotel check-ins, vehicle recoveries, and witness interviews.  
- **Hotel sightings**: Multiple individuals at Holiday Inn North (St. Louis) reported a man matching JER’s description in Room 213 or 212 during May 12–13, 1968.  
- **Vehicle investigation**: A 1966–1967 Lincoln Continental was observed by Robert Lee Hull, with clothing and golf equipment found inside the trunk.  
- **Statements from Jerry Ray**: Claimed JER did not kill MLK and that the killer assumed Eric Starvo Galt’s identity.  

Key Organizations:  
- **FBI**: Conducted investigations into JER and related individuals.  
- **St. Louis Police Department**: Provided photographs of JER for comparison with witnesses’ descriptions.  
- **Holiday Inn North (St. Louis)**: Central location for hotel-related sightings and witness accounts.  

Summary:  
The document contains multiple entries with fragmented and inconsistent information. The first entry references an investigation conducted by SAS agents in St. Louis County, Missouri, on May 13, 1968, involving fingerprint analysis of currency bills linked to a tip from a hotel employee at the Holiday Inn North. It includes serial numbers of $1 bills but lacks direct connection to Martin Luther King Jr. or the assassination investigation. A second entry details meetings of the National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK) in 1960–1963, including organizational changes and leadership structure, with no explicit ties to MLK. Subsequent entries provide administrative cost data for FBI operations in 1968, including man-hours, mileage, and expenses allocated to a case referred to as "Murkin," without mentioning MLK or the assassination.  

Key People:  
- **Charles S. Duke** (SAS agent)  
- **Martin John Weber** (SAS agent)  
- **Frank Bromelhorst** (Holiday Inn North auditor)  
- **James R. Venable** (Chairman of National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan)  
- **William Lon Lockhart** (Klaven #14 organizer)  

Key Locations:  
- **St. Louis County, Missouri**  
- **Holiday Inn North** (St. Louis, Missouri)  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**  
- **Tucker, Georgia**  
- **El Monti Tavern** (St. Louis, Missouri)  

Key Events:  
- **Fingerprint examination of currency bills** from May 13, 1968  
- **National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan organizational meetings** in 1960–1963  
- **FBI cost tracking for "Murkin" case** in 1968  

Key Organizations:  
- **National Knights of the Ku Klux Klan (NKKK)**  
- **Holiday Inn North** (St. Louis, Missouri)  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** operations under SAC Kansas City and Memphis  

Note: The document does not contain direct information about Martin Luther King Jr., his assassination, or related investigations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-kc-760_404058_172-05-part_6_of_6.pdf

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