</s>MM 44-1854 THS/J8j 1 On April 22, 1968, the New York Office advised that THEODORE SULLIVAN, Bethpage, New York, and his wife had observed an individual at the Sea Ranch Hotel, Lauder- dale-by-the-Sea, Florida, at the name name of the GALLAHER. According to 16, SULLivAN, GALLAHER arrived at this hotel on April 16, 1968. and departed at April 19, 1968 and GALLAHIER remembered a photograph of ERIC STARVO GALT. Ranch Hotel, Lauderdale, B-Y, the Sea, Fort Lauderdale, on April 23, 1968 ,, Richard OSEN, Manager, Sea Florida, advised SA ROGER-by - the COLTON that Mr. and Mrs. G. J. GALLALLER, advised BA ROGERT-BY-THE-COLTON that that Mr ., and Mrs ., G. the hotel from April 16. 1968, to April 19. 1968. Upon viewing a photographof GALLI, Mr. OSEH, Mr .- OSEN advised that there was no resemblance between GALLAIHER and GALL. Mr. OSEN advised that the GALAHERS may still be vacationing in the Miami area; however, their where- abouts were unknown to him. 100 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The text contains multiple FBI investigative reports from 1968 related to James Earl Ray, a suspect in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. The documents detail efforts by federal agents to track Ray’s movements, verify his identity, and eliminate him as a suspect through fingerprint checks and witness accounts. Investigations were conducted in various locations including Miami, Florida; West Palm Beach, Florida; Douglas, Georgia; Naples, Florida; and Perrine, Florida. Key findings include:  
- Willard F. Ray (possibly a misidentification of James Earl Ray) was checked via fingerprints and eliminated as a suspect.  
- At the Buena Vista Hotel in West Palm Beach, an individual named Jesse was identified as resembling James Earl Ray but was later determined not to match his description.  
- Witnesses in Douglas, Georgia, claimed Ray stayed at the Ivy Manor Hotel under the name William R. Stelly.  
- Natalie Mazzolia reported encountering a man described as James Craig, who did not resemble Ray.  
- A seafood delivery to Minneapolis linked to an individual matching Ray’s description was traced to Alterman Transport Lines in Miami.  
- In the Bahamas, Gladys D. Meeham claimed to see someone resembling Ray at the Rock Sound Club, but no confirmation was found.  
- An anonymous call suggested Ray stayed in Perrine, Florida, but no evidence supported this.  
- A license plate number (6-7546c) associated with a blue Mustang was investigated, though it was determined to be non-existent or possibly misrecorded.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray: Suspect in MLK Jr.’s assassination; central figure in all investigations.  
- Willard F. Ray: Possibly a misidentified individual; checked via fingerprint records.  
- Carol Yvonne Crowley: Reported staying at Buena Vista Hotel with an individual resembling Ray.  
- Jesse (individual): Described as resembling Ray but later ruled out as a match.  
- James Craig: Identified by Natalie Mazzolia, described as not matching Ray’s appearance.  
- Mrs. Hilda Fenney: Provided details about William R. Stelly, possibly misidentified as Ray.  
- Gladys D. Meeham: Reported seeing someone resembling Ray in the Bahamas.  

Key Locations  
- Coral Gables, Florida: Address linked to Willard F. Ray’s residence.  
- Miami, Florida: Center of investigations involving transport company records and fingerprint checks.  
- West Palm Beach, Florida: Buena Vista Hotel where Jesse was identified.  
- Douglas, Georgia: Reported stay at Ivy Manor Hotel by Ray under a false name.  
- Naples, Florida: Address provided for James Craig.  
- Perrine, Florida: Area investigated for potential Ray sightings.  
- Bahamas (Eleuthera): Rock Sound Club where Meeham claimed to see someone resembling Ray.  

Key Events  
- FBI fingerprint check eliminated Willard F. Ray as a suspect.  
- Buena Vista Hotel manager confirmed an individual named Jesse did not match Ray’s description.  
- Witnesses in Douglas, Georgia, reported Ray staying at Ivy Manor Hotel under the name William R. Stelly.  
- Natalie Mazzolia provided details about James Craig, who was ruled out as Ray.  
- Alterman Transport Lines linked to a seafood delivery matching Ray’s description.  
- FBI efforts in Perrine, Florida, yielded no confirmation of Ray’s presence.  
- License plate investigation revealed discrepancies in Florida registration records.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted investigations across multiple states and locations.  
- Alterman Transport Lines, Inc.: Miami-based company linked to seafood delivery investigation.  
- Rock Sound Club, Eleuthera: Bahamas location where Meeham claimed to see someone resembling Ray.  
- Local law enforcement agencies in Florida and Georgia: Assisted with fingerprint checks and witness verification.

MLK Declassified Files

44-mm-1854_v4-part_8_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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