</s>THE DIAMOND SMUGGLERS Van Blomesteadin & Birt David Mitchell Tim Patterson Frank Wile Piet Willers Max Pop T. S. Patterson Francis Galleit Blake Arthur Sherman Davis Belcher de Graaf Herbert Cox Mrs. Coetzee Monsieur Diamant Christine Granville Harry Openoimer Sammy Silberstein Kutzo Captain van der Westhuisen Groffelaar William Percival Radley ("Tony") Patrick Sullivan Donald Miles Leiser Weitman Henry Orford John Gundry Blaize Willy Rosen Bernard Nealon Sillitoo Harry Morgan Henry Brassour Finkie Kheir William N. Witherspoon Mr. Capper P. M. R. Willis Robert Johnson Ardayast Pownalian Ernest Oppenheimer -3- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI investigations into an individual referred to as "Subject RAY" (later identified as James Earl Ray) during May 1968. Key actions include tracking flight ticket purchases by J.A. Smith for travel between Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and back, with reservations left open for return flights. The FBI sought to identify the purchaser using credit card records and requested police departments to display Subject RAY's photograph to witnesses in unsolved bank robberies. Multiple entries reference the individual as "ARMED AND DANGEROUS." Additional notes include discrepancies in airline ticket numbers, efforts to verify identities via TWA records, and cross-referencing with other cases like Dean Bright. The documents also mention unrelated investigations into a locksmith school, prison records, and a payroll clerk's identification of an employee matching Subject RAY's description.  

Key People:  
- J.A. Smith (purchaser of flight tickets)  
- James Earl Ray (Subject RAY, identified as the individual under investigation)  
- James O'Connor (employee at Willmark Service System, Inc., linked to Subject RAY via photo comparison)  
- Nathan Shapiro (NY telephone subscriber involved in verification process)  

Key Locations:  
- Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Kansas City, Memphis, Dallas  
- Trans World Airlines (TWA) headquarters in Kansas City  
- FBI offices in New York, Kansas City, Tampa, San Antonio, and Memphis  

Key Events:  
- Purchase of coach tickets by J.A. Smith for travel between Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta, and back (April 7–9, 1968)  
- FBI request to display Subject RAY's photograph to witnesses in unsolved crimes  
- Investigation into credit card usage and identity verification via TWA records  
- Identification of James O'Connor as a potential match for Subject RAY  
- Discrepancies noted in airline ticket numbering systems  

Key Organizations:  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- Trans World Airlines (TWA)  
- Willmark Service System, Inc. (payroll company involved in employee verification)

MLK Declassified Files

44-ny-1609_sec_004_ser_481-600-part_4_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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