</s>44-947 Volume Number Serials 55 - - - - - - - Bureau of Justice - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - FED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS PLED - - - - - FED PROM OR ADDEO TO THIS FILED FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER BUREAU - FS-LOUISVILLE LS-0044-00444-L5 LS-LOUSVILLE Class / Case # Sub Vol. Serial # Serial # - - 0 0044 947 1 1 1 75 - - INVESTIGATION INVESIGATION - - <loc_545><loc_767><loc_545><loc_767>- - Bureau File Number <loc_597><loc_757>6/14/4743386 <loc_284><loc_822><loc_284><loc_821>6/4/14474336 RF-0035/XVXU - <loc_710><loc_940><loc_710><loc_902><loc_713><loc_902><loc_713><loc_940>See date Nov.

Summary  
The document contains FBI reports and memos from April 1968 detailing investigations into the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. Key elements include:  
- Coordination among FBI field offices, including Louisville, Memphis, Atlanta, and Chicago, to prioritize the investigation under SAC supervision.  
- Information about funeral arrangements for MLK, including Greyhound bus movements from Louisville to Atlanta and back, with details on participants and schedules.  
- Identification of CARL JAMES BRADEN and ANNE BRADEN (SI subjects) as individuals associated with the Southern Conference and Education Fund (SCEF) in Louisville, Kentucky, who were reportedly planning to attend MLK’s funeral in Memphis.  
- Development of a suspect profile for a white male aged 26–40, approximately 5'8" to 5'11", weighing 150–170 lbs., with dark brown or sandy hair, blue or green eyes, and no smoking habits, based on room rental records in Memphis.  
- Reports from informants such as LEONARD DALTON (Kentucky) identifying ARNOLD WATSON as a suspect, described as a white male aged 31, with dark hair and eyes, possibly driving a green Plymouth or Mustang, linked to civil rights activism and travel to Tennessee around March 4, 1968.  
- Observations from GEORGE SERALS (Illinois) about a white Mustang (Louisiana license plate #6:57/84) near Mount Eagle, Tennessee, on April 7, 1968, driven by a man with a large nose and sandy hair.  
- Inquiries into RUSSELL PEA COCK, an alleged Ku Klux Klan member in Kentucky linked to arson activities, and his potential connection to MLK’s assassination.  
- Composite suspect descriptions circulated for comparison with evidence, including a rifle abandoned near the crime scene tied to ARVEY LOWEYOR/LOWYER (36 years old, 5'8", 150–160 lbs.).  
- Investigations into car rentals in Savannah, Georgia, involving WILLIAM J. LEHNEYER and a Phillips credit card linked to an address in Louisville, Kentucky.  

Key People  
- **CARL JAMES BRADEN**: SI subject associated with SCEF in Louisville; reportedly planned to attend MLK’s funeral in Memphis.  
- **ANNE BRADEN**: Spouse of Carl Braden; also linked to SCEF.  
- **ARNOLD WATSON**: Suspect described as a white male aged 31, with dark hair and eyes, possibly driving a green Plymouth or Mustang, linked to civil rights activism and Tennessee travel.  
- **LEONARD DALTON**: Informant in Kentucky providing details on Arnold Watson.  
- **GEORGE SERALS**: Reported sighting of a white Mustang near Mount Eagle, Tennessee, on April 7, 1968.  
- **RUSSELL PEA COCK**: Alleged KKK member investigated for arson activities in Kentucky, potentially linked to MLK’s assassination.  
- **ARVEY LOWEYOR/LOWYER**: Name associated with a rifle found near the crime scene; records being checked across jurisdictions.  
- **WILLIAM J. LEHNEYER**: Suspect in Savannah, Georgia, linked to a car rental and Phillips credit card tied to Louisville, Kentucky.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination on April 4, 1968; focus of FBI investigation.  
- **Louisville, Kentucky**: Home to SCEF and the West End Community Council; involved in funeral planning and FBI case coordination (case 44-947).  
- **Paradise, KY**: TVA Cooling Tower construction site linked to Arnold Watson’s employment at Custodia Construction Company.  
- **Mount Eagle, Tennessee**: Location of a white Mustang sighting reported by George Serals on April 7, 1968.  
- **Savannah, Georgia**: Site of car rental inquiry involving William J. Lehneyer and a Phillips credit card linked to Louisville, Kentucky.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Assassination of MLK in Memphis; FBI launched investigation.  
- **April 5–7, 1968**: Coordination among FBI offices to gather leads, secure photographs, and track suspects’ movements.  
- **Funeral planning**: Greyhound buses arranged from Louisville to Atlanta for attendees, with specific departure and return schedules.  
- **April 7, 1968**: Reports from Dalton, Serals, and Herndon about suspects and leads; FBI shared information on Russell Peacock’s alleged KKK ties.  
- **Public complaints**: Requests for FBI assistance in locating relatives of riot participants and addressing half-staff flag displays.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central authority overseeing the investigation; coordinated efforts across multiple SACs.  
- **Southern Conference and Education Fund (SCEF)**: Organization linked to Carl and Anne Braden, with ties to civil rights activities.  
- **Ku Klux Klan (KKK)**: Russell Peacock alleged to be an active member involved in arson activities.  
- **Custodia Construction Company**: Employer of Arnold Watson under supervision of David Berton; linked to TVA Cooling Tower site in Paradise, KY.  
- **Teamsters Union**: Mentioned as a potential affiliation for Arnold Watson.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ls-947_sec_001_ser_1-75-part_1_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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