</s>PPD: 245 (REV. 413-0) 1. S. department of uimiter (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILED CALIFORNIA STATE, N.Y. DALI: 1987 DO NOT DESTROY ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION FEDERAL BUREAU FEDERAL BUREAU PERSONAL DESTRIY PERSONAIGATION 2778 3/85 of PROCESSED INVESTIGATION Volume Number: Serifits: Bureau File Number KX-3/86/1 Volume Number ALL INCRERKATION OF CPA-TARNER HEREPRISES:SPI.C.CURTLY DATE/D/05/31/SPI-CURTY Se also Nos. / CC destroyed per SAC Startzell 5-6-11 au See: Vol.1 FOR LITIGATIONS C.P.Cressi Recognized Station JARN WALLS 10-7770 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into individuals and financial activities linked to potential threats or criminal behavior following the 1968 assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. Key elements include tracking phone calls, money orders, and vehicle movements associated with suspects such as James Earl Ray, John Larry Ray, and Carol Pepper. Investigations focused on locating origins of U.S. Postal Service money orders used in transactions, analyzing financial records, and examining car rentals tied to potential suspects. A murder weapon recovered by Memphis police was noted but not explicitly connected to MLK’s assassination. The FBI also pursued leads involving international locations like Montreal and Mexico, as well as individuals such as Walter Pemerton, Carmen Patton, and Ray Stern. Financial discrepancies in John Larry Ray’s records and his travel history were scrutinized, with references to bank accounts at Manufacturers Bank and Jefferson Gravous Bank. No direct ties to MLK’s assassination were confirmed in these documents.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (subject of investigation)  
- John Larry Ray (investigated for financial activities)  
- Carol Pepper (linked to suspects via FBI records)  
- Jerry Ravnés (Ray’s father, provided $1,000)  
- Walter Pemerton (brother of Hubert Pemerton; phone call connections)  
- Carmen Patton (Detroit number associated with Ray’s activities)  
- Harry Lunsford (phone calls and hotel stays)  
- Robert Therien (suspected individual linked to phone calls)  
- Jerry Raynes (Ray’s brother, reported his movements in 1967)  
- Guerdis (mentally disabled individual interviewed about "Brother John")  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI office location; murder weapon recovery)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (Grape Vine Tavern; MacArthur Hotel; Manufacturers Bank and Jefferson Gravous Bank)  
- Chicago, Illinois (Raynes’ reports on Ray’s movements)  
- Northbrook, Illinois (Ray’s 1967 residence)  
- Detroit, Michigan (Carmen Patton’s number)  
- Mexico (Ray’s travel destination for purchasing travelers’ checks)  
- Montreal, Canada (international lead suggesting Ray’s possible location)  
- Jefferson City, Missouri (phone number investigations)  

Key Events  
- Investigation into phone calls and money orders linked to suspects  
- Analysis of financial records, including bank accounts under aliases like "John Connor"  
- Examination of a 1968 Dodge vehicle with VIN LH41DE8B323249 recovered at St. Louis Airport  
- FBI interviews with contacts such as Walter Pemerton and Guerdis to verify Ray’s movements  
- International lead verification in Montreal regarding Ray’s potential location  
- Tracking of individuals associated with hotels, phone number subscriptions, and car rentals  
- Forensic examination of vehicles and review of travel documents  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Memphis and St. Louis offices  
- U.S. Postal Service (money orders referenced in investigations)  
- Manufacturers Bank, Jefferson Gravous Bank (St. Louis financial institutions)  
- National Car Rental (vehicle ownership investigation)  
- Pacific Telephone Company (phone records analysis)  
- U.S. Department of Vital Statistics (international lead verification)

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_64-01-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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