</s>NO 157-10673 interviews are being maintained in the New Orleans file in this matter-of these individuals where it has been determined they no longer reside-in Louisiana, leads have been set, out to other offices to have them located and interviewed for any pertinent information. COVER PAGE 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations conducted in May 1968 regarding long-distance telephone calls placed from Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana, during December 15–17, 1967. These calls were linked to an inquiry into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and James Earl Ray, a suspect in the case. Interviews with subscribers of specific phone numbers in New Orleans were conducted to verify call details, identify potential connections to MLK’s assassination, or confirm ties to Ray. Calls from Beaumont and San Antonio, Texas, were specifically noted as originating points. Most interviewees denied receiving calls from Texas or could not confirm their origins, though some mentioned relatives or contacts in Texas. Redacted social security numbers appear in the records, with notes indicating these files are part of a broader investigation into Ray.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspect in MLK’s assassination; central figure in the telephone call investigation.  
- **Sister Mary Ernstine, S.C.**: Principal at St. Paul’s Catholic School in New Orleans; reported no connection to calls.  
- **Joseph J. Hilton** and **Florence Hilton**: New Orleans residents; Florence reported a call from Irma-Lee, wife of Cecil Lee.  
- **Ethel Madeleine Jones**: Subscriber to phone number 283-1173; mentioned her niece and nephew in Texas.  
- **Alma Stewart**: Subscriber to phone number 361-0465; reported a call from Albert Camus.  
- **Lucille Senate**: Subscriber to phone number 361-3374; mentioned contact with H. Lovric.  
- **Joyce Lyons**: New Orleans resident; husband employed by Brown and Root in Texas.  
- **Hilda DeLosReyes** and **Ruth A. Geisbiller**: Subscribers who denied receiving calls from Texas.  
- **Gaye Drost and Brenda Kent**: Roommates in New Orleans; discussed contacts in Texas.  
- **Mrs. Marion Larkins**: Subscriber of phone number 282-6540; interviewed about potential connections to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Reverend Alvin Billimex**: Redemptorist priest in San Antonio, Texas; mentioned by Mrs. Irma Blanchard.  

Key Locations  
- **New Orleans, Louisiana**: Primary location of telephone subscribers interviewed; residences and businesses included.  
- **Houston, Texas**: Linked to long-distance calls and potential suspects or contacts.  
- **Beaumont, Texas**: Source of confirmed calls to New Orleans on December 16, 1967.  
- **San Antonio, Texas**: Origin of calls linked to Reverend Alvin Billimex and other contacts.  
- **Gulf of Mexico**: Reference to Brown and Root barge operations in Texas.  

Key Events  
- FBI interviews in May 1968 regarding December 15–17, 1967, long-distance calls from Texas to New Orleans.  
- Verification of specific phone numbers (e.g., 282-6540, 899-4323) receiving calls from Beaumont, Texas.  
- Photographic identification attempts with James Earl Ray’s image; none of the subscribers recognized him.  
- Discussion of potential connections between callers and MLK’s assassination or Ray’s activities.  
- References to Job Corps training centers in San Marcos, Texas, and other locations tied to interviewees’ contacts.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, tracked phone calls, and maintained records.  
- **Brown and Root, Incorporated**: Employers of Joyce Lyons’ husband; referenced in connection with Texas operations.  
- **Redemptorist Order**: Religious order associated with Reverend Alvin Billimex, a priest in San Antonio, Texas.  
- **United States Coast Guard**: Mentioned as employer of Mrs. Ivan Skoglund Julay (from an unrelated document).

MLK Declassified Files

44-me-1987_hs1-852611265_84-05-part_5_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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