</s>Erie Starn Cut FIELD OFFICE FILE FORA PROCESSED FEDERAL BUREAU ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION INVESTIGATION DO NOT. DESTROY. NATIONAL ARCHIVES SCHMICHAL ARCHIVES HORIGINAL ARCHIVEA FOR LITERATIONS 2015 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 1478

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into Eric Starvo Galt’s potential connections to a car theft ring operating in Alabama and his possible links to the murder of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). The inquiry spans 1968 and includes photographic comparisons, witness statements, and checks with VA insurance records. References to Memphis, Alabama, and Mobile, Alabama, are tied to April 1968, a timeframe associated with MLK’s assassination. Investigations also examine a Mustang purchase in 1967, media harassment of witnesses, and teletypes linking New Orleans phone calls to the Provincial Motel. Mentions of George Wallace’s campaign associates and mental health records for Galt at Georgia state institutions are included. No direct evidence or confirmation of involvement in MLK’s assassination is provided, but the FBI pursued leads connecting Galt to individuals under scrutiny in the broader investigation.  

Key People:  
- Eric Starvo Galt (subject of investigation; linked to car theft ring and potential ties to MLK assassination)  
- William David Paisley, Jr., Robert Wood, Clyde Manassas (individuals who described Galt’s appearance and interactions)  
- Peter N. Cherpes (holder of Alabama driver’s license under investigation)  
- George C. Wallace (former governor; campaign contacts referenced in teletypes)  
- Special Agents Andrew M. Palumbo, D.O. Stephens (involved in tracking individuals linked to MLK assassination)  

Key Locations:  
- Birmingham, Alabama (investigation into Galt’s whereabouts and VA insurance records)  
- Memphis, Tennessee (FBI SAC office; referenced in teletypes about New Orleans phone calls)  
- Mobile, Alabama (teletype references and FBI SAC office; linked to April 1968 inquiry)  
- New Orleans, Louisiana (Provincial Motel; phone call inquiries tied to MLK assassination investigation)  
- Milledgeville, Georgia (state mental institution where Galt’s mental health records were sought)  

Key Events:  
- FBI photographic identification attempts of Eric Starvo Galt  
- Investigation into a car theft ring and Mustang purchase in 1967  
- Media harassment of witnesses, including the Paisley family  
- Teletype communications between FBI SAC offices in Memphis, Mobile, and Atlanta regarding New Orleans phone call leads  
- Mental health evaluation request for Eric Starvo Galt at Georgia state institutions  
- Ongoing FBI efforts to track individuals associated with MLK assassination investigation  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Memphis, Mobile, Atlanta SAC offices  
- Alabama Department of Public Safety (license records inquiry)  
- State Mental Institution at Milledgeville, Georgia (mental health evaluation request)  
- Veterans Administration (VA) – insurance records checks for Galt  
- United Electronics Lab (training school referenced in teletypes)

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_79-04-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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