</s>SI 44-561 appeared in "Life" magazine, and the Governor of Louisiana placed a stop to the entire operation. Mrs. STRADER advised her husband is in telephone contact with her daily but declines to furnish information as to his location over the telephone, as he is very afraid. Mrs. Stradler advised to inform her husband if he has any information he advised to know her husband he can contact any FBI Field Office, who will then arrange for an interview with him. For information receiving offices, Inspector THOMAS E. BISHOP, SOG, S04-24-68 advised he had received a telephone call from CARL STERN, on 4-26-68 dated C. D. C. and NBC Office. who told him that a man (FNU) STRADLER, D.C. D, C. E. and C. NBC Office, where he told him a cover- ing a story in the South, had, on 24-64-24, telephonized him to cover- someplace around Toledo, Ohio, on 3-24 -64-68, telephone him him from someone around Toledo. Ohio, STRADDER informed him him was in Illinois. He then told STERN on 3 -29-68 in Lexington, STRADER, oversharing a conversation with parents in Lebanon, STADER. Overcovering a conversation of 3-29-69-68 Lebanon, Apparently speaking the killing of MARTIN LUTHER KING, involved in the conversation knew he was overheard people they had taken his license number. involved in his conversation knew at him since that time. they had been informed that he had been there there STRADDER informs STERN he had had to call him since he should KING's murder and called STERN for advice as to what he should the FBI and advised STERN to call the Springfield Office of the FBI advised STERN to call for the Springfield Office of him at his convenience in their territory. According to someone meet STERN, BISHOP stated that STRADERS to avoid an approach any. office and any desire to have someone meet him at a location other than any desire. the files of the Springfield Officer contain the following references to ROBERT STRADBER, however, it cannot be determined at this point whether or they refer to ROBERT HOOD STRADEN, Lexington, Illinois. On 11-11-65 ROBERT STADER , 61" - 2" - 175 lbs. employed cutting timber near Edwardsville, Illinois, and in construction work at Southern Illinois University, Edwards, and ville, illinois, was considered a suspect in the robbery of the Hanel State Bank, Buffalo 91-205060, Sifile 91-2642. -4- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative activities from May 1968 related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), focusing on James Earl Ray as a suspect and efforts to track stolen vehicles linked to Georgia. Communications reference phone calls from the St. Francis Hotel in Los Angeles to Mrs. Vera Cook in Sturgis, Kentucky, seeking information about Alonzo F. Cook Jr., who was allegedly connected to Ray. The FBI sought to locate Cook Jr. for interrogation regarding potential ties to Ray. Robert Strader, a suspect in unrelated crimes (bank robbery, fraud), appears with conflicting identifiers tied to Illinois and Missouri. Agents requested photographs of Ray for media distribution, noting his physical description, including a cleft chin. Administrative actions included declassification under Executive Order 14176 and internal FBI protocols. Investigations also tracked stolen vehicles, monitored threats against MLK, and coordinated with local law enforcement in Kentucky and Memphis. Witness accounts, such as Mrs. Elizabeth Bradley’s sightings of a man resembling Ray near Newport, KY, were cross-referenced with other leads. Reverend Emmett Barfield reported potential conspirators seeking legal aid for an assassination plot, while A.F. Cook’s brother claimed contact with someone resembling the killer. Kinsley Robinette was briefly considered but ruled out due to physical discrepancies.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK's assassination)  
- Alonzo F. Cook Jr. (allegedly connected to Ray, sought for interrogation)  
- Robert Strader (suspect in unrelated crimes; multiple identifiers noted)  
- Mrs. Vera Cook (contacted by FBI for information on her son)  
- Rev. Emmett Barfield (reported potential conspirators seeking legal aid)  
- Mrs. Elizabeth Bradley (witness reporting sightings of a man resembling Ray)  
- Attorney Robert Horton (allegedly approached by suspects; died by alleged suicide in 1967)  
- A.F. Cook (linked to a man resembling the killer)  
- Kinsley Robinette (briefly considered suspect, ruled out due to physical discrepancies)  

Key Locations  
- St. Francis Hotel, Los Angeles, California  
- Sturgis, Kentucky  
- Louisville, Kentucky (FBI field office)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI headquarters for case coordination)  
- Newport, Kentucky (where Mrs. Bradley reported sightings of Ray)  
- Grenada, Mississippi (Rev. Barfield’s previous residence; attorney Horton’s location)  
- Paris, Kentucky (Barfield’s known location in 1963)  
- Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville, Illinois (mentioned in Strader’s records)  

Key Events  
- FBI efforts to locate Alonzo F. Cook Jr. for interrogation regarding James Earl Ray  
- Release of photographs of James Earl Ray for media distribution  
- Investigation into stolen vehicles linked to Georgia  
- Surveillance and witness interviews regarding James Earl Ray’s movements in Newport, KY  
- Coordination between FBI offices and local law enforcement (Kentucky State Police, Memphis) for case management  
- Rev. Emmett Barfield’s report on potential conspirators seeking legal aid for an assassination plot  
- FBI verification of Mrs. Bradley’s sightings of a man matching Ray’s description  
- Investigation into Kinsley Robinette as a possible suspect  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Louisville SAC, Memphis field office  
- Kentucky State Police (KSP)  
- U.S. Postal Service (mentioned in context of Rev. Barfield’s relocation records)  
- Local police departments in Newport, KY, and Grenada, MS  
- Southern Illinois University (Edwardsville, IL) – referenced in Strader’s records

MLK Declassified Files

44-ls-947_sec_003_ser_201-296-part_3_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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