</s>ME 44-1987 4/23/67 JAMES EARL RAY, FBI #405 942 G, escaped from the Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP), Jefferson City, Missouri. 7/18/67 A man using the name ERIC S. GALT signed a lease for an apartment in the Harkay Apartments, 259 Notre Dame East, Montreal, Canada. The apartment is located in the rent for the apartment is for rent to be forfeited to the event to lease was terminated prior to January 18, 1968. GALT is not known to have made any tele- phone calls from the telephone in the hall, #332-009A, and interviews have been instructive with parking lots, and other stores, including a parking lot, and a parking garage places where GALT might have parked his car. An employee at the apartment house has reported at one during GALT's stay he was reported on that occasion by women, both described as being aged 40 to 42, one woman had black hair, the other had had brown hair, they reported stayed overnight, hair, left a few days, and the other stayed for a few day, and, and another 7/24/67 ERIC GALT purchased a Canadian Postal Money Order #C31, 600,648, from Station "C", Montreal, Canada. This money order was in the amount of $9 and money was payable to Futura Books, Inc ., 4533 Lennox, Inglle- wood, California. Inc .- 8 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document compiles forensic, investigative, and testimonial evidence related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) on April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. Physical evidence recovered from the scene included a Remington Game Master Rifle (Model 760, SN 461476), Redfield telescopic sight (SN 17350), Bushnell binoculars (SN DQ408644), and items such as the *Commercial Appeal* newspaper, Mennen Afta Shaving Lotion, Schlitz beer cans marked "Mississippi Tax Paid," and laundry tags. The FBI’s Latent Fingerprint Section identified fingerprints on these items belonging to James Earl Ray (FBI #942 942), an inmate at Missouri State Penitentiary. A Channel Master radio (Model #6502) found at the scene had markings interpreted as "00416," matching Ray’s inmate number. The FBI Laboratory also analyzed laundry tags from Memphis and Los Angeles, noting similarities in printing to those on clothing items recovered from the crime scene.  

Bullet evidence from MLK’s assassination was determined to be a .30 caliber metal-jacketed "soft point" sporting type bullet, likely fired from a 30-30-06 rifle. Fibers and laundry tapes found in an abandoned white Mustang (with Alabama license plate 1-3999) were compared to evidence from the Home Service Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company in Los Angeles, California. The tapes matched in color, construction, and composition but varied in length. Brown cotton fibers from the Mustang were linked to a bedspread associated with Eric S. GALT, whose laundry was connected to the same facility. A photograph of James Earl Ray was compared to an image of GALT, noting similarities in facial features.  

The FBI Laboratory analyzed handwriting on documents attributed to GALT and Ray, finding significant similarities but no conclusive evidence linking all items definitively. GALT’s activities between 1967 and early 1968 included financial transactions, residency registrations, and movements across Canada, Alabama, Mexico, and Los Angeles. He rented apartments in Montreal, Birmingham, and Puerto Vallarta, purchased postal money orders, and engaged in business dealings with entities such as Superior Bulk Film Company and the Modern Photo Book Store. A 1968 laundry mark found on abandoned clothing linked to a "killer" in Memphis was identified as matching GALT’s records.  

Prison records from Missouri State Penitentiary detail James Earl Ray’s interactions with inmates, including discussions about escape plans, drug use (amphetamine), and alleged connections to individuals in Mexico and Liberia. Inmates described Ray as a loner who engaged in prison poker games and mentioned knowledge of a bounty on MLK’s head. Some referenced his potential involvement in the assassination, though no direct evidence was provided. Ray allegedly planned to evade capture by hiding in Mexico or through intermediaries like "COOLEY" or "MATEO LOPEZ GARCIA."  

Key People:  
- **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.**: Assassinated on April 4, 1968, at 422 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee.  
- **James Earl Ray (FBI #942 942)**: Linked to fingerprints and physical evidence from the assassination scene; incarcerated at Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **Eric S. GALT**: Associated with financial transactions, mail forwarding services, and laundry connections tied to the crime scene.  
- **Patricia Anderson (nee Schubert)**: Recipient of a letter from GALT.  
- **Dale Leroi Dykema** and **Hedgeph C. M. Heggph**: Linked to GALT’s mail forwarding activities.  
- **John Larry Rat** (brother of Ray): Claimed to have last seen Ray in 1964; denied involvement in his escape.  
- **Jerry William Ray** (brother of Ray): Resided in Illinois, had prison records showing visits to Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **Carol Pepper** (sister of Ray): Operated the Grapevine Tavern with her husband, Albert Pepper.  

Key Locations:  
- **422 South Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee**: Scene of MLK’s assassination.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Site of Ray’s incarceration; prison records detail his interactions with inmates.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Home to the Home Service Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company linked to laundry evidence.  
- **Montreal, Canada**: GALT rented an apartment and purchased postal money orders.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: GALT resided here, rented a safe deposit box, and engaged in business transactions.  
- **Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico**: GALT registered at the Hotel Rio and Hotel Tropicano during his stay.  
- **Alhambra, California**: Mail forwarding service address linked to GALT’s activities.  

Key Events:  
- April 4, 1968: Assassination of MLK at 422 South Main Street, Memphis; a white Mustang was observed fleeing the scene.  
- FBI analysis of physical evidence from the crime scene, including firearms, binoculars, and personal items, identified Ray’s fingerprints.  
- Comparison of fibers and laundry tapes between the abandoned Mustang, Home Service Laundry, and GALT’s connections.  
- Handwriting analysis linking GALT to financial transactions and mail forwarding services.  
- Prison records detailing Ray’s interactions with inmates, drug use, and alleged escape plans.  
- Discussions among inmates about a $1 million bounty on MLK’s head and Ray’s potential involvement in the assassination.  

Key Organizations:  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted forensic analysis, handwriting comparisons, and fingerprint investigations.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Site of Ray’s incarceration; prison records detail his interactions with inmates.  
- **Home Service Laundry and Dry Cleaning Company** (Los Angeles): Linked to laundry evidence from the crime scene.  
- **Superior Bulk Film Company** and **Modern Photo Book Store**: Entities involved in GALT’s business transactions.  
- **Locksmithing Institute** and **Bank of America**: Financial institutions tied to GALT’s activities.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ls-947_sec_004_ser_297-344-part_6_of_8.pdf

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