</s>0-9 (Rev. 5-22-64) FBI Transmit the following in Date: May 21, 1968 (Type in plainest or code) Airtel (Priority) To: All SACs LEGATS, Mexico City Ottawa From: Director, FBI (44-38861) MURKIN For your information and investigative assistance, subject James Earl May has been known to consort with project James Earl Ray (street bum). A photograph of subject obtained from a prostitute in Mexico, This photograph showing subject wearing sunglasses was previously forwarded to your office. This should be born in mind in your daily contact with informants, officers of vice squads and prostitutes in covering leads in connection with this and other cases. Armed and dangerous. 444-579-29g SECONDED. SCHILDREN, U.S.A. MAY Sent Via Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

The documents detail FBI investigative efforts related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on leads involving James Earl Ray, a suspect linked to the crime. On May 5, 1968, Robert T. Conroy of Alliance, Ohio, reported observing a man resembling Ray driving an old green Chrysler with license plate 27-1786%. The FBI sought to verify this information but faced challenges due to unclear details and lack of corroborating evidence. Investigations in Cleveland and Savannah yielded no results, prompting the FBI to expand efforts to Cincinnati, Ohio, and other locations. References to Ray include his alleged associations with country clubs, prostitutes, and lower-class accommodations in Los Angeles during early 1968. The FBI coordinated with media outlets like the *Commercial Appeal* and Scripps-Howard newspapers to offer rewards totaling $10,000 for information leading to the killer. Administrative memos mention routing slips, reward publicity guidelines, and requests for agent reporting on case-related activities. A memorandum dated May 27, 1968, notes Ray’s alleged bartending course in Los Angeles and his connections with local vice squads. Informants like Rev. Hal Robinson and Charles Rumford provided conflicting or unreliable information, leading to skepticism about their credibility. The documents also reference a typographical error ("Murklin" instead of "Murder") and include form numbers, such as 44-578-262, which may relate to case files or administrative records.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray: Suspect linked to MLK Jr.’s assassination; subject of phone records checks, identification efforts, and informant reports.  
- Robert T. Conroy: Ohio informant who reported seeing someone resembling Ray in Alliance.  
- Rev. Hal Robinson: Presbyterian minister with potential information about Ray but deemed unreliable.  
- Charles Rumford: Informant previously reported to FBI, whose accounts were discredited due to inconsistencies.  
- Herman George Page: Air Force sergeant and contact in San Antonio linked to Ray’s activities.  
- John B. Modruff: FBI special agent involved in case management.  
- William Mollett (AKA Billy Mullett): Coal miner with mental health issues, linked to Ray via a threatening phone call.  
- Harry Conners: Individual resembling Ray observed in Butte, Montana.  
- Melvin Molllett: Brother of William Mollett; mentioned in employment and medical records checks.  
- John B. Mollett: Father of William Mollett; referenced in family investigations.  
- Sarah Mollett: Mother of William Mollett; included in family-related inquiries.  

Key Locations  
- Alliance, Ohio: Site of Conroy’s sighting report.  
- Cleveland, Ohio: Location where initial investigation efforts failed to yield results.  
- Savannah, Georgia: Another location with no investigative findings.  
- Memphis, Tennessee: Home to *Commercial Appeal* and Scripps-Howard newspapers involved in reward publicity.  
- Los Angeles, California: Linked to Ray’s alleged activities, including country clubs and vice squads.  
- St. Albans, West Virginia: Telephone investigations related to Ray’s movements.  
- Wayne County, West Virginia: Location of a body found potentially connected to William Mollett.  
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Louisville, Kentucky; Denver, Colorado; Salt Lake City, Utah; Butte, Montana: Locations mentioned in FBI reports on Mollett’s movements and interactions.  

Key Events  
- FBI investigation into Ray’s movements in Alliance, Ohio (May 5, 1968).  
- Reward offers for information on MLK’s assassination totaling $10,000 through media outlets.  
- Coordination with *Commercial Appeal* and Scripps-Howard newspapers to publicize rewards.  
- Investigation of Ray’s associations with country clubs, prostitutes, and lower-class accommodations in Los Angeles.  
- Informant reports from Rev. Hal Robinson and Charles Rumford (discredited due to inconsistencies).  
- Administrative memos on case management, routing slips, and agent reporting.  
- Phone call from William Mollett threatening violence against MLK supporters in Detroit.  
- Sighting of individuals resembling Ray in Butte, Montana.  
- Search for a body found in Wayne County, West Virginia, potentially connected to Mollett.  
- Verification of Mollett’s employment and medical records as part of the investigation.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted primary investigations, coordinated with SACs, and requested assistance from local authorities.  
- West Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles: Mentioned in telephone investigations related to Ray’s movements.  
- *Commercial Appeal* and Scripps-Howard newspapers: Media outlets used for reward publicity.  
- U.S. Air Force: Contact with Sergeant Herman George Page in San Antonio.  
- Salvation Army (Butte, Montana): Referenced in correspondence club investigations.  
- U.S. Postal Inspection Service: Involved in correspondence club inquiries related to Mollett.

MLK Declassified Files

44-pg-578_763522_02-03-part_6_of_7.pdf

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