</s>6/14/68 AIRTHL TO: DIRECTOR, FBI (44-38861) FROM: SAC OKLAHOMA CITY (44+6861) (P) MURKIN CR 00 ME 6/12/68. Re Kansas City teletype to the Bureau, Enclosed for the Bureau are three (3) copies for Kansas City one (1) copy, and for Komphis, fifteen (15) copies of an insert reflecting investigation conducted at McAlester, Oklahoma. 3-Bureau (Inc.3) 1-Kansas City (44-(7200) (Inc.(1) 2-Nemphis (44)-1987) [Inc.(15) 2-Oklahoma City Hilb/CwG (8) Searched Serialized Indexed Filed 44-686-2555 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigative efforts related to James Earl Ray (JER) in Oklahoma and Texas during late 1967 and early 1968, including interviews with Tommy Lee Webb, a Marine Corps sergeant stationed at Camp Pendleton, California, who reported his movements between December 15–16, 1967, and January 1, 1968, including travel to Dallas, Texas. Webb stated he did not receive long-distance calls during his stay in Dallas and could not identify a photo of Ray. The FBI also conducted outreach to local authorities and individuals in Oklahoma City, McAlester, and Memphis to gather information on unsolved crimes potentially linked to Ray. Administrative records include cost data for the investigation and references to legal proceedings involving Ray’s attorney, Arthur J. Hanes, and media coverage of his case. A separate document describes FBI communications regarding cost data submissions and an investigation into a notebook found on Roy Clark, a suspect linked to racial and criminal matters in Houston, Texas. The notebook contained handwritten notations referencing Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination (“44-4-68 Martin L. King Shot face neck”) and other entries, including a visit by “Van Raye” on 4/5/68. The Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD) noted the notebook’s content but found no direct connection to the King case. FBI agents reviewed the information, concluding no further investigation was warranted.  

Key People  
- **Tommy Lee Webb**: Interviewed by FBI in Oklahoma; reported travel to Dallas during December 1967.  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Fugitive under investigation for the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.  
- **Arthur J. Hanes**: Attorney representing Ray, mentioned in legal and media contexts.  
- **SA David J. Lang, Hayes H. Burleson, Paul R. Keiser, Robert B. Hutchings**: FBI special agents involved in Oklahoma City field operations.  
- **Roy Clark**: A Black male arrested in Oklahoma City, suspected of armed robbery and linked to racial/criminal matters in Houston.  
- **Van Raye**: Mentioned as a contact associated with Clark, though not periodically engaged by the FBI.  
- **Lt. Mead**: Oklahoma City Police Department officer who reviewed the notebook’s content.  
- **SAC Wesley Fiesley Whaley**: Houston Division FBI agent involved in the case.  
- **Special Agent Otto Van Wary**: Reviewed interactions with Van Raye and noted Clark’s status as a PCI (Person of Interest) during King’s murder.  

Key Locations  
- **Oklahoma City, McAlester, Oklahoma**: Sites of interviews and investigative outreach.  
- **Dallas, Texas**: Webb’s reported travel destination during December 1967.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central hub for FBI coordination on the case.  
- **Camp Pendleton, California**: Webb’s military assignment location.  
- **Houston, Texas**: Where Clark was born and where racial/criminal matters were discussed.  
- **Albany, New York**: Mentioned in an airtel reference but not directly tied to the investigation.  

Key Events  
- **December 15–16, 1967**: Webb’s reported travel to Dallas, Texas, during which he claimed not to have received long-distance calls.  
- **May–June 1968**: FBI outreach to Oklahoma and Texas authorities to gather information on unsolved crimes potentially linked to Ray.  
- **July–September 1968**: Administrative reporting of cost data for the investigation and legal proceedings involving Ray’s case.  
- **April 4, 1968**: Discovery of a notebook containing handwritten entries referencing MLK’s assassination.  
- **Clark’s arrest on a drunkenness complaint** and connection to an armed robbery in Oklahoma City.  
- **FBI review of the notebook** and determination that no further action was needed.  
- **Communication between FBI agents and OCPD** regarding the notebook’s content and its relevance to the King case.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, administrative reporting, and coordination across field offices; reviewed the notebook’s contents.  
- **Oklahoma City Police Department (OCPD)**: Investigated Clark and provided details on the notebook.  
- **SAC (Special Agent in Charge) Memphis and Oklahoma City**: Managed FBI operations and communications.

MLK Declassified Files

44-oc-686_sec_002_ser_100-275-part_9_of_9.pdf

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