</s>SI 44-561 On 4-20-68, WALTER TERRY RIFE WAS re-interviewed at the Virginia Hotel, 534 North Second Street, by SA ELYON H. DAVIS and ASAC DONALD T. SULLIVAN. RIFE furnished the following information: RIFE advised that he had no contact with JAMES EARL RAY, PBI #306 443 A, since the last saw RAY in the Federal Penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kansas, in 1957. RIFE advanced that he has had no contract with the RIFE advised that the best he could remember concerning RAY that he did close associates or relatives at one time in the Alton, Illinois, area, he stated that he felt that he was not alone alone, but around that he left that the day he went home alone. RIFE advises that he knew that RAY had at one time close to some fence that he wanted to be in Illinois. to whom RAY sold stolen items. By he stated that he meant that sold stolen Items. By the stated that he would steal anything during the period of time he knew RAY from the late 1940s burglarities that was a thief and would steal any thing during that period of this time he kept RAY and such late 1940's burglarizes of business establishments and such like and that RIFE would get rid of that items through a fence in peoria. identity of this advised. RIFE said that he held no idea as to the RIFE stated that the RIFE had lived in the Peoria, Illinois, RIFE dated 1967 when he moved to the home of his brother LONNIE RIFE at Bayliss, Illinois. RIFE then in 2-68 had taken over the operation of the restaurant at the restaurant since that time. Hotel had taken over and been operating this restaurant since the time. RIFE again retired that any of the individuals who lived or worked at the Virginia Hotel could verify the fact that he worked at at the Virginia Hotel could verify that 3-27-67 through 4-68. He was a Virginia Hotel for the period his wife operated the restaurant together and since he and -93- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document contains multiple FBI records from April–May 1968 detailing investigations into James Earl Ray (FBI #306 443 A), his alleged connections to Walter Terry Rife and Melba Marie Ryan, and broader inquiries into Ray’s criminal history and potential associations. Interviews with individuals in Quincy, Illinois, Peoria, Illinois, and Missouri focused on Ray’s alleged involvement in a 1963 kidnapping case in Tennessee and Kentucky, as well as his parole status, employment, and interactions with associates such as WALTER RIFFE, PHIL BUSSMAN, and JOSEPH ADAMS. The records include administrative notes on declassification under Executive Order 14176 and references to FBI case numbers, personnel, and verification efforts with local law enforcement. Physical descriptions of individuals like Melvina Tyler (referred to as "Trusty") and details about their residences, occupations, and family ties are also included.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray** (FBI #306 443 A): Suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; described as a burglar with alleged connections to criminal activities.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Restaurant operator in Quincy, Illinois; claimed no contact with Ray since 1957.  
- **Melba Marie Ryan**: Sister of James Earl Ray; described as mentally unstable and uncooperative during interviews.  
- **Mary Jan Rife**: Walter Rife’s wife; stated she had never heard of Ray or his brother.  
- **Samuel Edward Harper**: Hotel clerk at Virginia Hotel, Quincy, Illinois; confirmed Rife’s presence but noted no sightings of Ray.  
- **Joseph Adams**: Inmate who claimed to have encountered Ray at Mississippi State Penitentiary.  
- **Phil Bussman**: Hotel employee in Peoria, Illinois; provided details about Ray’s possible whereabouts.  
- **Bernice Duckan and Elizabeth Zimmerman**: Owners of Jewel Lounge, Peoria, Illinois; mentioned as potential contacts for Ray.  
- **Ray M. Tyler** (FBI #1 for 405 942): Husband of Melvina Tyler; linked to James Earl Ray through marital connection.  
- **James Laoma Owens**: Incarcerated in Illinois and Missouri prisons; parole records noted.  
- **Andrew Wilson #CORE** ("Blackie De Cora"): Paroled from Menard Prison, Illinois; family members listed in Chicago, St. Louis, and California.  

Key Locations:  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Central location for Walter Terry Rife’s business and interviews; Virginia Hotel mentioned as a hub for witness accounts.  
- **Peoria, Illinois**: Fenced stolen goods from Ray’s burglaries; locations include Hotel Jefferson, Pierre Marquette Hotel, and Jewel Lounge.  
- **Leavenworth Penitentiary, Kansas**: Site of Ray’s 1957 release, last known contact with Rife.  
- **Mississippi State Penitentiary** (Jefferson City, Missouri): Mentioned in connection to Joseph Adams’ claim about encountering Ray.  
- **Menard Prison, Illinois**: Incarceration site for James Laoma Owens and Andrew Wilson #CORE.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Address associated with James Laoma Owens.  

Key Events:  
- **April 20–25, 1968**: FBI interviews with Walter Terry Rife, Mary Jan Rife, Samuel Edward Harper, and others in Quincy, Illinois; confirmed Rife’s presence but found no evidence linking him to Ray’s activities.  
- **April 19–20, 1968**: Verification efforts by FBI agents with local police and hotel staff regarding potential sightings of Ray or his associates.  
- **May 1968**: Follow-up interviews with witnesses (e.g., Sergeant Arthur A. Conner) confirmed no telephone calls or visits linked to Ray in the early 1960s.  
- **Investigation into James Earl Ray’s alleged 1963 kidnapping case** in Tennessee and Kentucky; included interviews with Joseph Adams, Bernice Duckan, and Phil Bussman.  
- **Parole records for James Laoma Owens and Andrew Wilson #CORE**, including family ties and addresses in Chicago, St. Louis, and California.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, maintained case files, and coordinated with local law enforcement.  
- **Quincy, Illinois Police Department**: Provided verification on Rife’s presence and hotel surveillance.  
- **Illinois State Penitentiary** (Menard Branch, Joliet Branch): Incarceration sites for James Laoma Owens and Andrew Wilson #CORE.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Mentioned in connection to Joseph Adams’ claim about encountering Ray.  
- **Central State Hospital, Nashville, Tennessee**: Reference to inmate records linked to James Earl Ray’s alleged 1963 case.  
- **Baptist Rescue Mission**: Mentioned in connection to Andrew Wilson #CORE’s parole history.

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_82-02-part_3_of_5.pdf

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