</s>EP 157-186 PHOTOGRAPHS OF JAMES EARL RAY DISPLAYED TO WITNESSES IN UNSOLVED BANK ROBBERRY CASE AT EL PASO, TEXAS On May 16, 1968, MARY LOU CAUILLER and ROSE MARY SCHITZINO, Tellers, El Paso Federal Savings and Loan Association, 517 North Kansas Street, were displayed photographing, 57 North Kansas Avenue, SA ROBERT R. FOLZ/Z. These two individuals advised that RAY was not identical with the unknown subject who robbed the El Paso federal Savings and Loan association in El Paso on September 1, 1967. 52 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail James Earl Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23–25, 1967, following his absence during head counts and subsequent searches. His escape involved concealing himself in a laundry area and exiting via a sally port using a truck associated with the Rens Farm bread delivery process. Investigations focused on security lapses at the prison, including allegations of negligence by civilian cooks, correctional officers, and law enforcement personnel overseeing the bread delivery. FBI records noted fingerprint data for individuals with names similar to Ray (e.g., James Wilbur/Ashmore), while administrative files from the Missouri Department of Corrections documented his prior convictions, parole proceedings, and transfer between facilities. The investigation included coordination between prison authorities, local police departments, and federal agencies such as the FBI, with efforts to locate Ray post-escape and address discrepancies in his identification records.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (inmate #00416-J)  
- Bernard Peschang (civilian cook at Rens Farm)  
- Alfred Burkhardt (truck driver at Rens Farm)  
- Sergeant John Setzer (officer in charge of Rens Farm)  
- Ezra Sheldon (correctional officer)  
- Captain Danton Steele (Department of Corrections investigator)  
- Harold R. Swenson (Warden, Missouri State Penitentiary)  
- Gerald L. Lovell (Identification Unit officer, Missouri Department of Corrections)  
- Clarence M. Kelley (Chief of Police, Kansas City, Missouri)  
- H. F. Lauf (Records Office personnel, Missouri Department of Corrections)  

Key Locations  
- Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, Missouri)  
- Rens Farm (location of bread delivery and escape attempt)  
- St. Louis, Missouri (related to Ray’s prior incarceration and parole records)  
- Kansas City, Missouri (police department and correctional records)  
- Cole County Circuit Court, Jefferson City, Missouri  

Key Events  
- James Earl Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 23–25, 1967, via a bread truck at Rens Farm.  
- Search operations conducted by correctional staff and law enforcement following Ray’s absence during head counts (April 23–24, 1967).  
- Investigation into security lapses at the prison, including allegations of negligence in monitoring the bread delivery process.  
- Fingerprint discrepancies noted in Ray’s records, leading to corrected identification efforts.  
- Correspondence between prison authorities, law enforcement agencies, and the FBI regarding Ray’s status and potential prosecution for escape.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Missouri Department of Corrections (including Identification & Records Office)  
- Kansas City Police Department  
- United States Border Patrol  
- El Paso Police Department  
- Texas Department of Public Safety  
- U.S. District Court, Jefferson City, Missouri  
- Cole County Circuit Court, Missouri  
- Food Services Department (prison facility)

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_82-03-part_3_of_8.pdf

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