</s>FD-302 (Rev. 1-25-60) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATON Date: Date 5/2/68 1 Mrs. MARGIE E. GRIFFITH, Manager, Hertz Rent-A-Car, Lake Charles Municipal Airport, advised her records show part-time employee BRENDA CONVER, 208 West Spring Street, Lake Charles, was on duty at 7:49 PM, December 17, 1967. She stated BRENNA attends McNeese State College, Lake Charlotte, and is out of town on a school trip until the morning of May 2, 1968. 4/30/68 Lake Charles_Louisiana File # NO 157-10673 SA GEORGE C. CAMPBELL/Cst Date dictated 5/22/68 by This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the Fbi and is licensed to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency. 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains two distinct investigative records. The first is an internal index referencing James Earl Ray (the alleged assassin of Martin Luther King Jr.) and other individuals connected to the 1968 assassination, including STRADER (Robert Hood) and STARNS (Raymond Henry). It notes STRADER’s claims about a plot against MLK Jr., his erratic behavior, and potential ties to extremist groups. The second is an FBI investigation report from April 1968 focusing on identifying a suspect described as "LOU" (last name unknown), linked to John Willard, with details about his alleged employment at NASA, physical description, and interactions involving dancing lessons. The report includes interviews with witnesses in Texas, verification of employment records, and photographic identification attempts. Both documents highlight investigative efforts into civil rights-related crimes but appear unrelated to MLK’s assassination directly.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Identified as the primary suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; linked to a 1968 flight from Memphis to Georgia via Eastern Airlines.  
- **STRADER (Robert Hood)**: Described as mentally unstable, claimed knowledge of an assassination plot against MLK Jr., later retracted his statements.  
- **STARNS (Raymond Henry)**: Testified about STRADER’s erratic behavior and disappearance.  
- **John Willard**: Alleged to work for NASA, described as 5'11" with dark hair and gray eyes; associated with dancing lessons at a studio in Nassau Bay, Texas.  
- **Mrs. Weinstein**: Provided descriptions of John Willard, noting his quiet demeanor and difficulty teaching.  
- **Louise Casey**: Waitress at Nassau Bay Hotel; described as 4'11", blonde hair with reddish tint, employed since 1965.  
- **SAS Timothy Donovan, Kennedy & Jackson, LEON F. BROWN, HENRY L. Williams**: FBI agents involved in the investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **Louisiana License Plate Locations**: Traced to Gulf Service Station in Bartow, West Virginia.  
- **NASA Boulevard, Nassau Bay Shopping Village**: Associated with John Willard’s alleged activities and Louise Casey’s employment.  
- **Old Galveston Road, Texas**: Sites of restaurants and bars where individuals were interviewed.  
- **Dickinson, Texas**: Mentioned in connection to Lucille Merka (referred to as "Lu") and her employment at Hacienda Cafe.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **April 19, 1968**: FBI investigation conducted to locate "LOU" and verify identities through interviews and photographs.  
- **Review of Employment Records**: Checks on hotel staff, including Louise Casey’s history at Nassau Bay Hotel and previous employment at Post Office in Buffalo, New York.  
- **Photographic Identification Attempts**: Efforts to match descriptions of Willard and "LOU" with individuals interviewed, resulting in no confirmed matches.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Conducted nationwide search for suspects, focusing on forensic evidence, travel records, and witness accounts.  
- **NASA**: Mentioned as an employer of John Willard.  
- **Nassau Bay Hotel**: Employed Louise Casey and was a site of investigation.  
- **Galveston County Sheriff’s Office**: Contacted during the investigation.

MLK Declassified Files

44-la-1574_742142_009-02-part_7_of_9.pdf

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