</s>OPTIONAL FORM NO. 10 MAY 1SE EDITION: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT MAY 2SE EDITION, $11.14 Memorandum TO SAC, MIAMI DATE: 5/2/68 FROM : SA DAVID N. JELLISON SUBJECT: MURKIN CR (00: Memphis) Miami airtel to the Bureau dated 4/29/68, and Re Tampa teletype to Bureau dated 04/24/68. Reflected hereto is an investigative insert reflecting investigation requested in referenced Tampa teletype. -44-1854 DNJ: vc (1) De David 335 344 222 44-184-391 SEARCHED. INEXED SERALIZED. Z/FILED Loy MAY2 - 1968 FRU - MIAMI Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan 800-188-41 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential involvement of James Earl Ray and others in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK), spanning 1965–1968. Key elements include:  
- **Hazel V. Peacock** provided information about Donald Jackson Carpenter and Terrence Alvin Smith, who allegedly confessed to killing MLK and planning to hide out with a $100,000 payoff. Smith claimed they were members of an unknown secret organization and discussed eliminating a former member via electrocution.  
- **Carpenter** was described as 5'9" (180 lbs), dark hair, blue eyes, a welder with Vietnam service, employed by Continental Telephone Co. in Gray, Georgia. **Smith** was described as 6'1" (170 lbs), sandy hair, beard, and also employed by the same company.  
- The FBI sought to locate Carpenter and Smith through their employers in Gray, Georgia, and requested assistance from Miami and other divisions if Atlanta could not find them.  
- A **1967 Cadillac DeVille** with Florida license plate 1N791336 was referenced, linked to James Earl Ray, though the vehicle’s registration and title were restricted due to privacy laws.  
- **Robert Hood Strader** and his wife **Margaret Carmichael Strader** reported a car theft in April 1966, with a note found in their car suggesting someone had followed them and threatened MLK’s life.  
- FBI Miami communications mention **Michael St. Pierre** using a Shell credit card for boat rentals in 1967, with records tied to Craft Limited Inc. and Phillips Petroleum. A routing slip notes copies sent to multiple FBI offices, including Albany, Houston, New York City, and others.  
- Investigations into **James Earl Ray’s activities** include telephone booth use at St. Francis Hotel in Los Angeles and a photo of him (or Eric S. Galt) from 1967.  
- Other cases involve **Robert Strader**, linked to Lexington, Tennessee, where he allegedly overheard conversations about MLK’s murder on March 28, 1968. STRADER’s criminal history includes bank robbery charges (Hamel State Bank, 1965) and multiple arrests for fraud.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Suspected assassin of MLK; linked to the Cadillac DeVille, telephone activity in Los Angeles, and photo references.  
- **Donald Jackson Carpenter**: Alleged co-conspirator with Smith, described as a welder with Vietnam service.  
- **Terrence Alvin Smith**: Partner of Carpenter, described as 6'1" with a beard, employed by Continental Telephone Co. in Gray, Georgia.  
- **Hazel V. Peacock**: Informant who provided details about Carpenter and Smith’s alleged plot.  
- **Robert Hood Strader**: Reported car theft and threats related to MLK; linked to Lexington, Tennessee.  
- **Margaret Carmichael Strader**: Wife of Robert Hood Strader, reported car theft and threats.  
- **Michael St. Pierre**: Associated with Shell credit card use for boat rentals in 1967.  
- **Claude Daoust**: Montreal-based individual linked to credit card theft investigations.  
- **Mack Mendelson**: Father of Judy Mendelson, mentioned in telephone booth investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Okeechobee, Florida**: Where Peacock resided and provided information about Carpenter and Smith.  
- **Gray, Georgia**: Employers of Carpenter and Smith; linked to STRADER’s criminal history.  
- **Lexington, Tennessee**: STRADER allegedly overheard conversations about MLK’s murder on March 28, 1968.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Mentioned in context of Smith’s alleged activities.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Involved in initial investigations.  
- **Detroit, Michigan**: Strader’s reported travel route after receiving a threatening note.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: St. Francis Hotel telephone booth activity linked to James Earl Ray.  
- **Montreal, Quebec**: Claude Daoust’s involvement in credit card thefts.  
- **Key West, Florida**: Trans Chaplain ship and potential STRADER sighting.  

Key Events  
- **April 1968**: Carpenter and Smith allegedly confessed to killing MLK and planning to hide out with a $100,000 payoff.  
- **March–May 1968**: FBI efforts to locate Carpenter and Smith through employment records and interviews.  
- **April 22, 1966**: Strader reported his car was broken into, and a note suggesting threats against MLK was found.  
- **April 20–22, 1966**: Strader’s wife described a tan car following him and an incident involving gunfire near Bloomington, Illinois.  
- **March 28, 1968**: STRADER allegedly overheard conversations about MLK’s murder in Lexington, Tennessee.  
- **1967**: Michael St. Pierre used a Shell credit card for boat rentals, with records tied to Craft Limited Inc. and Phillips Petroleum.  
- **April 1965–1968**: STRADER’s criminal record includes bank robbery charges (Hamel State Bank) and multiple arrests for fraud.  

Key Organizations  
- **FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation)**: Conducted investigations in Atlanta, Miami, Memphis, Birmingham, Toledo, Buffalo, Los Angeles, Montreal, and other locations.  
- **Continental Telephone Co.**: Employers of Carpenter and Smith in Gray, Georgia.  
- **Phillips Petroleum**: Maintained credit card transaction records linked to Michael St. Pierre.  
- **Quebec Provincial Police**: Investigated Claude Daoust’s activities.  
- **Trans Chaplain**: Ship associated with potential STRADER sighting in Key West, Florida.

MLK Declassified Files

44-mm-1854_v3-part_4_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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