</s>FD 245 (Rev. 3-3-861) H. S. Department of Justice /DO NOT DESTROY "ISTIC RICAL VALUE ANATIONAL ARCHIVES CLASSIC STRIKO GALT FEDERAL BUREAU FIELD OFFICE HULG of FOITA RACESSED - INVESTIGATION 1 Bureau File Number 44-3861 DO.J.JI DESTROY. HISTORICAL VALVE, DO NOT DISTROY NATIONAL ARGHIVES" PENDING LITIGATION Series: Volume Number: ENTIRE FILE REVIEWED FOR HISTORICAL DECLASSIFICATION ALL INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREEN IS UNCLASSIFIED. DATE/06/27/15/15.SERVICE See also Nos. See Yol1 Fo Pitigations See Next Section 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents consist of fragmented FBI internal memos, investigative notes, and prison records related to James Earl Ray, the suspect in Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination. They detail Ray’s criminal history, alleged post-release activities, psychiatric evaluations, and FBI efforts to track him during the 1960s. Key themes include Ray’s movements between U.S. cities and Mexico, financial transactions linked to prison systems, potential co-conspirators like Donald Stout and Kenneth Hurtly, and the FBI’s use of media outreach and inter-agency collaboration to locate him. The text also references Ray’s alleged smuggling operations, mental health concerns, and anti-civil rights sentiments, though no direct evidence connects him to King’s assassination is provided.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; incarcerated at Missouri State Penitentiary for armed robbery (1960–1963).  
- **Donald Stout** and **Kenneth Hurtly**: Mentioned as potential associates or accomplices.  
- **FBI agents and law enforcement personnel**: Coordinated surveillance, financial tracking, and media outreach.  
- **Prison authorities**: Provided records on Ray’s incarceration and alleged illicit activities.  

Key Locations  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (MSP)**: Ray’s place of incarceration.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK Jr.’s assassination (April 4, 1968).  
- **Mexico** (specifically Campache): Alleged destination for Ray’s escape plans.  
- **Kansas City, Boston, Birmingham, Tampa**: U.S. cities referenced in Ray’s movements and financial activities.  

Key Events  
- FBI surveillance of Ray’s alleged travel to Mexico in late 1967, including photographic evidence from a companion.  
- Financial tracking efforts, such as monitoring prison-related money orders and credit card transactions.  
- Media collaboration to publicize Ray’s whereabouts via newspaper mats.  
- Psychiatric evaluations noting Ray’s obsessive-compulsive tendencies, hypochondria, and anxiety.  
- Speculation about smuggling operations involving a fishing boat and potential co-conspirators in Mexico.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI**: Conducted surveillance, financial investigations, and inter-agency coordination.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Provided records on Ray’s incarceration and alleged prison activities.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies**: Assisted in tracking Ray across multiple U.S. cities.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_80-05-part_1_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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