</s>FBI NEW TORE FBI WASH DC 1050PX URGENT 4/10/68 RNK TO ATLANTA. AIMAI. NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISUJ, SEATTLE FROM DIRECTOR (44-38861) 3P MURKIN RE SUSPECT FOUR TEN SIXTY-SIGHT TO ALL CONTINENTAL OFFICES RE SUSTPECT ERIC STAIVO GALT. SUSPEST CALT. WHO REPORTEDLY FITS DESCRIPTION OF SLAYER OF DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING. JR ., AND WHO J.A.S. IS A MUSTANG CAR: CHECKED OUT OF ADTEL NEAR MEMPHIS ON FOOM FOUR. SIXTY.LIGHT. GALT REPORTEDY RESIDED IN BIRMINGH. MAKARA. IN LATTER SIXTTY. SEVEN. THE SUSSPECTED MURDER LAPON WAS PURCHASED IN BIKINGHALA. EFFORTS TO IDENTIFY GALT TO DATE NEGATIVE. DIVIL'S LICENSE ISSUED IN ALABAMA DESCRIBES GALT AS WHITE MALE BORN SEVEN TWENTY THIRTY-ONE FIVE PEET ELEVEN INCHES TALL. ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FIVE POUNDS. BLUE EYES. BROWN HAIR. INS HAS FURNISHED DATA REGARDING INDIVIDUJALS WITH SUR- JAVES GAIT GALT, ALOIC WITH LAST KNOWN LOCATION OF INS .ILE ON EACH INDIVIDENT. RECIPIENT OFFICES, LOCATE AND REVIEW INS FILE ON EAGA INDIIVIDUAL. RECEPIENT OFFICES. LOCATE THAT END PAGE ONE 14/1/10-9-45 NOB Chadl 4/7 SEARCHED INDEXED SERIALIZED SERIALIZEED FILLED 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential suspects linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) on April 4, 1968. Key figures include Eric Starvo Galt, a suspect described as a white male born either July 20, 1931, or October 31, 1928, associated with a 1966 white Mustang (license plate ALABAMA 1-389-93) and social security number [SSN REDACTED]. Galt’s family members, including his wife Paule and son Jean Claude Dupreure, are noted. The FBI sought to confirm if Galt or his family were connected to the assassination, with instructions to investigate his movements in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.  

Donald Walter Paccos, a minister from Lynbrook, New York, was interviewed in 1965 for allegedly threatening MLK’s life and seeking contact with the KKK. He denied intent to harm MLK but was monitored for his whereabouts around the assassination date. Walter Lohmeyer, a former employee of Fairchild Industries, is referenced in employment records and neighbor reports, though no direct link to MLK’s assassination is established. John Willard, employed by Rosenblatt and Son in San Diego, was checked for ties to the case, with payroll records verified to confirm his presence during relevant dates.  

The FBI issued directives to track Galt, coordinate with local agencies, and review employment and residence histories of suspects. Multiple locations (Memphis, Birmingham, Tampa, New York) and offices (FBI field divisions, SACs) are mentioned as part of the investigation. Social security numbers are noted but redacted.  

The documents also reference FBI investigations into potential communist ties within SCLC leadership following MLK’s assassination. Stanley Levison, a former SCLC executive, was identified as a secret member of the Communist Party as of July 1968, while Harry Wachtel was listed at a Brooklyn Communist Party headquarters in March 1964. Discussions between SCLC leadership and members like Levison and Wachtel occurred during April 1968, though the precise nature of these discussions remains unspecified.  

Additional leads include an artist’s conception resembling an individual named Barys, alleged to be a Mississippi highway patrolman active between 1962-1965; a subscription letter from Harold Palmer dated August 1963 containing the phrase "The Kind is Dead," noted as written before MLK’s assassination; and Glenn Patrick, a Memphis-based plant manager described as resembling an unidentified suspect (UNSUB) in the case. The FBI requested investigations into Patrick’s potential involvement. A laundry mark found on clothing linked to the assassination scene included a thermoseal tape with specific dimensions and markings, analyzed by textile experts for forensic identification.  

Key People:  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect described as white male, born either July 20, 1931, or October 31, 1928; associated with a 1966 white Mustang (license plate ALABAMA 1-389-93) and social security number [SSN REDACTED].  
- **Paule Galt**: Wife of Eric Starvo Galt, born October 31, 1928.  
- **Jean Claude Dupreure**: Son of Paule Galt, born September 29, 1935.  
- **Donald Walter Paccos**: Minister from Lynbrook, New York; interviewed in 1965 for alleged threats against MLK.  
- **Walter Lohmeyer**: Former employee of Fairchild Industries; referenced in employment records and neighbor reports.  
- **John Willard**: Employee at Rosenblatt and Son in San Diego; checked for ties to the case.  
- **Stanley Levison**: Former SCLC executive, alleged Communist Party member as of July 1968.  
- **Harry Wachtel**: SCLC member listed at Brooklyn Communist Party headquarters in March 1964.  
- **Correta Scott King**: Widow of MLK Jr.  
- **J.J. Ralph Abernathy**: SCLC leader.  
- **Andrew Young**: SCLC executive vice president.  
- **Hosea Williams**: SCLC voter registration director.  
- **Harold Palmer**: Individual linked to subscription letter with "The Kind is Dead" phrase.  
- **Glenn Patrick**: Memphis-based plant manager described as resembling an unidentified suspect (UNSUB).  
- **Arthur Van Sant**: Brother-in-law of Peter O’Neill; reported contact with Glenn Patrick.  

Key Locations:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Investigation focus for Galt’s movements on April 4, 1968; funeral route and investigation into Glenn Patrick.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Galt’s registered residence and Mustang ownership; FBI field office.  
- **New York (Lynbrook)**: Donald Walter Paccos’ residence; FBI office.  
- **Tampa, Florida**: Galt’s address in 1967.  
- **San Diego, California**: John Willard’s employment.  
- **Brooklyn, New York**: Communist Party headquarters referenced in Harry Wachtel’s listing.  
- **Mississippi**: Barys’s alleged employment as highway patrolman (1962–1965).  
- **Syracuse, New York**: Textile company involved in tape analysis from the assassination scene.  

Key Events:  
- FBI investigation into Eric Starvo Galt’s connection to MLK’s assassination (April 4, 1968) and his family’s potential involvement.  
- Review of Donald Walter Paccos’ 1965 threats and movements around the assassination date.  
- Employment verification for John Willard and Walter Lohmeyer.  
- Coordination between FBI offices and local law enforcement for suspect tracking.  
- FBI investigation into potential communist ties within SCLC leadership post-assassination.  
- Search for unidentified suspect linked to MLK’s assassination via artist’s conception and laundry mark.  
- Analysis of thermoseal tape found on clothing from the assassination scene.  
- Examination of Harold Palmer’s subscription letter containing "The Kind is Dead" phrase.  
- Requested investigation into Glenn Patrick’s potential involvement in the case.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central authority coordinating the investigation across multiple regional offices.  
- **Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)**: Mentioned in context of MLK’s network and post-assassination leadership discussions.  
- **Communist Party**: Brooklyn headquarters referenced in Harry Wachtel’s listing.  
- **U.S. Postal Service**: Milton Galt’s employment (noted in one summary).  
- **Poor Co. Railway Products**: Company associated with Glenn Patrick.  
- **Textile Marking Machine Company, Inc.**: Syracuse, New York; analyzed tape type from the assassination scene.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ny-1609_sec_001_ser_1-134-part_4_of_9.pdf

Document Summary

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