</s>F31 MEMPHIS F31 EL PASO Dancey 11:15AM 4-17-68 URGENT CEJ Felony TO DIRECTOR (44-38861), BIRMINGHAM (44~1740) AND MEMPHIs (44+1987) FROM EL PASON (157-1865) (P) 1 PAGE MURKIN. RE BUTEL, APRIL FOURTEEN, LAST. DANCING SCHOOLS INVESTIGATION UNDER NAMES HARVEY LOWEYER OR LOWYER, AND ERIC STARVO GALT, IN REGARD TO ATTENDANCE AT DANCING SCHOOLS, COMPLETED BY EL PASYO OFFICE, AND NO RECORD LOCAYED UNDER THESE NAMES AT ANY DANCE SCHOOLS IN EL Paso DIVISION. END. SA3 F31 MEMPHIS SEARCHED. INDEXED. 3/1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31/32/33/34/35/36/37/38/39/40/41/42/43/44/45/46/47/48/49/50/51/52/53/54/55/56/57/58/59/60/61/62/63/64/65/66/67/68/69/70/71/72/72. SEARCHIZED. /. / .. / .. . . . .. / ... / .. ) . .- / .. .. / . . - . . / . .. ) SERIALIZED./ .. /. . ., . .-. / ..... / .. -. .- . . , . .. . .. . -. / ... . .* . .... / .* / . -.. / .. APR 17 1968 E3- MEMPHIPS F31-MEPHIS 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The text you've provided is a collection of **FBI internal communications and press releases** from April 1968, detailing the investigation into **Eric Starvo Galt**, who was linked to the assassination of **Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.** in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968. Here's a structured breakdown of the key points:

---

### **Key Details from the Documents:**
#### **1. FBI Investigation and Charges Against Eric Galt**
- **FBI Press Release (April 17, 1968):**  
  - The FBI announced that **Eric Starvo Galt** was being sought as a fugitive for conspiring to violate Dr. King's civil rights, specifically his right to travel freely across states. This conspiracy allegedly involved purchasing a rifle in Birmingham, Alabama, and planning to intimidate or harm Dr. King.
  - A **30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight** was found near the Lorraine Hotel (where Dr. King stayed) after his assassination. The FBI claimed this weapon was purchased in Birmingham on March 30, 1968.
  - Galt was also linked to a **white Mustang** abandoned in Atlanta, Georgia, which he had bought in Birmingham in August 1967.

#### **2. Galt's Movements and Background**
- **Travel History:**  
  - Galt allegedly traveled to **Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mexico, Memphis, and Atlanta** between late 1967 and early 1968.
  - He was reported in Memphis on April 3–4, 1968, before departing for Atlanta.
- **Employment and Activities:**  
  - Claimed to have worked as a **cook on Mississippi River vessels**, a **merchant seaman**, and took **dancing lessons** in New Orleans (1964–1965), Birmingham (1967), and Long Beach, California (1967–1968).
  - Attended a **bartending school** in Los Angeles and graduated on March 2, 1968.

#### **3. Physical Description**
- **Height/Weight:** 5'8" to 5'11", 160–175 lbs.
- **Appearance:** Brown hair in a "brush" cut, blue eyes, straight nose, and teeth. Had a nervous habit of pulling at his left ear (which protrudes more than the right).
- **Behavioral Traits:** Described as a "loner" with rural speech patterns and likely low formal education.

#### **4. Aliases and Identity**
- Used names: **John Willard** and **Harvey Lowyer** in the past.
- The FBI noted discrepancies in his background, including unaccounted years and potential gaps in selective service registration (required for draft eligibility during the Vietnam War era).

---

### **Context and Historical Significance**
- **Dr. King's Assassination:**  
  - James Earl Ray was the official suspect in Dr. King’s assassination, but conspiracy theories persisted. The FBI’s focus on Galt suggests a broader investigation into potential accomplices or collaborators.
- **Civil Rights Era:**  
  - The 1960s were marked by intense civil rights activism and racial tensions. The FBI’s involvement reflects the agency’s role in monitoring civil unrest and suspected conspiracies during this period.
- **FBI's Role:**  
  - The documents highlight the FBI’s use of surveillance, cross-state investigations, and internal communications to track suspects like Galt.

---

### **Questions and Controversies**
1. **Was Eric Galt involved?**  
   - No conclusive evidence has ever linked Galt directly to Dr. King’s assassination. The FBI’s claims were part of a broader investigation into potential conspiracies, but the case remains unresolved.
2. **Why was Galt targeted?**  
   - His aliases, travel history, and access to weapons (like the rifle) made him a suspect in the context of the larger conspiracy theories surrounding Dr. King’s murder.

---

### **Conclusion**
The documents reflect the FBI’s efforts to investigate potential conspiracies around Dr. King’s assassination during a turbulent period in U.S. history. While Galt was a suspect, his role remains unclear, and the case is often cited as an example of Cold War-era surveillance and the complexities of civil rights investigations. The text also underscores the FBI’s reliance on coded communications and cross-state collaboration to track fugitives like Galt.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_63-01-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search