</s>FD-16 (Rev. 5-2-24-64) FBI Date: Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) Via Priority) LA 44-157/4 PAGE TWO WIFE CONSIDERS THOME ALCOHOLIC IN ADDITION TO MENTAL PROBLEMS. SECRET SERVICE, LOS ANGELES, ADVISED SEPTEMBER LAST THOME INVESTIGATED FOR WRITING LETTER TO PRESIDENT JOHNSON STATING HE WAS "IN GRAVE DANGER", AND OPPOSING WAR IN VIETNAM. THOME INCARCERATED TWICE CAMARILLO STATE HOSPITAL THOME ARRESTED MARCH, NINEBETHENTEEN SIXTY SIXY SIX FOR THREATENING NEIGHBOR WITH GUN AND IN JUNE SIXTHY SEVEN FOR DRUNK DRIVING, WHEN HE HAD UNLOADED SHOTGUN IN CAR. SON, STEPHEN J. THOME, GLENDALE, CALIFORNIA, STATED APRIL TWENTY NINE LAST FATHER HAD BEEN TRAVELING THROUGHOUT UNITED STATES SIXTE LAST SIXTER SEVEN, PRESENT WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN, BUT FATHER HAS CALLED HIM COLLECT IN MARCH OR APRILA FROM UNKNOWN LOCATION. THOME ADVISEO MAY EIGHT INSTANT THAT FATHER WOULD HAVE HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH ASSASSINATION AS VERY SYMPATHETIC TO NEGRO CAUSE. Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The documents detail an FBI investigation into potential connections between vehicles, individuals, and James Earl Ray, a suspect in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The text includes telegraphic communications between FBI field offices (e.g., Memphis, Tampa, Jacksonville, San Diego) and headquarters, focusing on tracking vehicle records, identifying suspects, and verifying associations with known criminals or locations linked to the investigation. Key elements include:  
- A 1968 inquiry into a 1965 Plymouth station wagon leased by Henry E. Erwin of Tampa, Florida, which was later sold to an automotive rental company in New Jersey. Records indicate the vehicle was transferred multiple times but lack definitive ownership details.  
- An investigation into George Edward Wilson of Memphis, Tennessee, who claimed no knowledge of MLK’s assassination or ties to James Earl Ray. Wilson stated he had not met anyone resembling Ray on Mississippi River barge lines and denied involvement in any criminal activity.  
- A 1968 case involving Doris Dean Jones, the ex-wife of "Kit" Brown, who alleged a man named "Earl Ray" (possibly James Earl Ray) wrote her a letter while incarcerated for armed robbery. The FBI sought to verify his identity through interviews and records in California and Missouri.  
- A search for John R. Keller, reported as an associate of James Earl Ray at Leavenworth Prison, with no record found at Florence Federal Correctional Institution (Arizona).  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; referenced in multiple documents as a subject of investigation.  
- **Henry E. Erwin**: Tampa, Florida resident linked to the 1965 Plymouth station wagon involved in the investigation.  
- **George Edward Wilson**: Memphis, Tennessee man interviewed regarding potential ties to Ray and MLK’s murder.  
- **Doris Dean Jones**: Ex-wife of "Kit" Brown; provided information about a man named "Earl Ray" who allegedly wrote her while incarcerated.  
- **John R. Keller**: Reported associate of James Earl Ray at Leavenworth Prison; sought by investigators.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central to Wilson’s investigation and the broader MLK assassination inquiry.  
- **Tampa, Florida**: Home of Henry E. Erwin, linked to vehicle records.  
- **Spring Valley, California**: Location where Doris Dean Jones was interviewed.  
- **Jefferson City, Missouri**: Site of Leavenworth Prison, associated with John R. Keller’s reported incarceration.  
- **Florence Federal Correctional Institution (Arizona)**: Where records for John R. Keller were checked.  

Key Events  
- **Vehicle tracking**: Investigation into the 1965 Plymouth station wagon leased by Henry E. Erwin and its subsequent transfers between automotive rental companies.  
- **Wilson’s interview**: George Edward Wilson denied any involvement in MLK’s assassination or contact with James Earl Ray.  
- **Doris Dean Jones’ testimony**: Alleged connection between "Earl Ray" and the murder, prompting FBI verification efforts.  
- **Keller’s investigation**: Search for John R. Keller, reported as an associate of James Earl Ray at Leavenworth Prison, with no record found in Arizona.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI field offices**: Memphis, Tampa, Jacksonville, San Diego, and Kansas City conducted investigations and shared telegraphic updates.  
- **Federal Correctional Institutions (FCI)**: Florence, Arizona; La Tuna, Texas; Leavenworth, Missouri—sites of records checks and inmate associations.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_77-04-part_2_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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