</s>Volume Number 6 SERIALS 621 6/2/1-1-0-0.0-1.0.1-2-0 - - - FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER BUREAU of NY - NEW YORK CITY Class / Case # Sub Vol. Serial # 0044 1609 6 021 OPEN Bureau File Number #/3.8888/ INVESTIGATION 12/13/1146351 RRPOCOGAMY See date You: - PRP-24 (UNK. 45480) 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

The documents detail FBI communications and investigative activities related to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and associated inquiries into potential conspiracies, fugitive status of James Earl Ray, and laboratory analyses of evidence. On June 6–8, 1968, the FBI received allegations from Dorotha Barton, nee Childs, that her ex-husband Boyd Robert Barton was part of a cult led by Dr. Herbert Armstrong’s Radio Church of God, which she claimed planned to assassinate MLK and detonate the United Nations building. Barton alleged arms, grenades, and dynamite were stored at Barton’s residence in North Hollywood, California. The FBI notified local authorities and military about the potential cache but later clarified that the "cult" referenced was the nonviolent Radio Church of God, rendering Barton’s claims baseless. Investigations into James Earl Ray, linked to MLK’s assassination, were requested, with some names found negative in bureau indices. On June 10, 1968, the FBI canceled fugitive alerts for Ray after his apprehension in London, England. A threat letter warned of a plot to kill Ray upon his return to the U.S., and an FBI lab report from June 18, 1968, analyzed specimens (Q373 and Q374) linked to the "MURKIN" case, finding no fingerprints or markings connecting them to MLK’s assassination. A separate Airtel transmission noted that Robert Simon of CBS-News received a call from an individual named "Cole" in Hamilton, Ohio, who claimed to have been with Ray in Winchester, Virginia, on January 5, 1968. The FBI instructed Cincinnati and Memphis offices to investigate Cole’s statements.  

Key People  
- **Dorotha Barton (nee Childs)** – Reported ex-husband Boyd Robert Barton’s involvement in a cult linked to MLK assassination plans.  
- **Boyd Robert Barton** – Alleged member of Dr. Herbert Armstrong’s Radio Church of God, former film cutter for Desi Arnaz; residence in North Hollywood, CA.  
- **Dr. Herbert Armstrong** – Founder of the Radio Church of God, described as nonviolent and multi-racial.  
- **James Earl Ray** – Suspected assassin of MLK Jr., fugitive apprehended in London, England, on June 10, 1968.  
- **Roy Johnson** – Identified as a cult member residing in Grenado Hills, CA.  
- **Jim Moneses** – Cult member in Glendale, CA.  
- **Cole** – Individual who claimed to have been with James Earl Ray in Winchester, Virginia, on January 5, 1968.  
- **Robert Simon** – CBS-News correspondent who facilitated communication with Cole.  

Key Locations  
- **North Hollywood, California** – Address where Barton alleged arms and explosives were stored.  
- **Los Angeles, California** – Headquarters of the Radio Church of God (Ambassador College).  
- **New York City** – Residence of Dorotha Barton; location of an envelope postmarked November 17, 1963.  
- **London, England** – James Earl Ray’s alleged location during June 1968 communications.  
- **Hamilton, Ohio** – Cole’s stated location; address provided as 137 North Second Street.  
- **Winchester, Virginia** – Site of the alleged encounter between Cole and James Earl Ray on January 5, 1968.  

Key Events  
- **June 6–8, 1968** – FBI received allegations from Dorotha Barton about cult plans to assassinate MLK and attack the UN; notified authorities about potential arms cache at North Hollywood address.  
- **June 10, 1968** – FBI canceled fugitive alerts for James Earl Ray after his apprehension in London; threat letter warned of a plot against him upon return to the U.S.  
- **June 18–19, 1968** – FBI laboratory analyzed specimens Q373 and Q374 (envelope postmarked New York, N.Y., November 17, 1963; letter dated June 10, 1963) with no links to MLK’s assassination.  
- **June 19, 1968** – Airtel transmission noted Cole’s claims about being with James Earl Ray in Winchester, Virginia, on January 5, 1968; FBI instructed Cincinnati and Memphis offices to investigate.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** – Conducted investigations into cult activities, fugitive tracking, fingerprint analysis, and laboratory examinations.  
- **Radio Church of God** – Cult organization led by Dr. Herbert Armstrong, described as nonviolent and multi-racial; associated with Ambassador College in Pasadena, California.  
- **CBS-News** – Media outlet through which Cole communicated with Robert Simon.  
- **Memphis Police Department** – Central to the investigation into MLK’s assassination.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ny-1609_sec_006_ser_621-part_1_of_8.pdf

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