</s>FD. 245 (REV. 4:13-60) H. S. Department of Justice (MATERIAL MUST NOT BE REMOVED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) FIELD OFFICE FILE CUSTOMER OF THE FIPA PROCESSED FEDERAL BUREAU DO NOT DESTROY HISTORICAL VALUE NATIONAL ARCHIVES of INVESTIGATION 4f-38161/ Volume Number: Bureau File Number: 4f-33161/ Sebastian A.R.25-1 "DO NOT OF TROY: HISIO NATIONAL MICHIVES" See also No. ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL FAL INFORMATION CONTAINED FOR HISTORYICAL DECLASSIFICATION HEREIN IS UNCROSSED. DATE IS RAPIDYSTED.CAL See Main File www.muse.10-37992 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

**Summary of Declassified Documents Related to Martin Luther King Jr.'s Assassination Investigation**  

### **Key People Mentioned**  
- **James Earl Ray**: A suspect in the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., referenced in documents dated July 7, 1967 (registration details).  
- **Ray Russell**: A name appearing in a letter to Memphis Police (April 1977), possibly linked to investigations or witness accounts.  
- **Thomas Robert Henderson IV**: Listed with police records from Cheyenne, Wyoming (1968–1969), potentially tied to unrelated cases but included in the file.  
- **Rufus Harpom**: Sent a letter to Memphis Police in 1977, possibly referencing events or individuals connected to the investigation.  

### **Key Locations**  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Mentioned in hotel records and as a location tied to James Earl Ray’s registration (July 1967).  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central to police reports and correspondence (e.g., Rufus Harpom’s letter).  
- **Cheyenne, Wyoming**: Associated with Thomas Robert Henderson IV’s police file.  

### **Key Events/Details**  
- **Registration Records**: James Earl Ray’s name appears in a 1967 registration entry linked to Birmingham, Alabama, potentially relevant to his movements during the assassination investigation.  
- **Police Correspondence**: Multiple documents reference interactions between law enforcement agencies (e.g., Memphis Police Department) and individuals like Rufus Harpom or Thomas Henderson IV.  
- **Incoherent Letters**: A letter from Ray Russell to an unnamed recipient contains fragmented references to "bathrooms," "shooting," and "room" locations, possibly indicating witness accounts or coded messages related to the investigation.  

### **Other Content**  
- **Unrelated Entries**: The files include administrative forms (e.g., FD-340 records), hotel stays, and a book publication about French settlers in Alabama, which are not directly tied to MLK’s assassination but appear as part of the broader file set.  

### **Organizations**  
- **FBI/Local Police Departments**: Mentioned in context of investigations (e.g., Memphis PD, Cheyenne PD).  
- **Homicide Bureau**: Referenced in a 1977 document involving Rufus Harpom’s correspondence.  

**Note**: The documents contain fragmented or unclear information, with some entries possibly reflecting unrelated cases or administrative records. Key ties to MLK’s assassination involve James Earl Ray and Ray Russell, though details remain incomplete or ambiguous.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_69-02-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

Key People Mentioned

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