</s>4/16/68 Airtel To: SAC's, Philadelphia (44-1368) Memphis (44)-1987) From: Director, FBI (44-(44-38861) MURKIN Re Philadelphia teletype 4/15/68. Latent prints from Room 34 in Rebel Motor Hotel, Memphis, Tennessee, not identical with fingerprints of Linwood Nash Page, Army service Inasmuch as two latent palm prints of value were reported on lifts from this room, major case prints of Page needed for comparison. 1/4-1388-13/9/ SEARCHED INDEXED. SERIALIZED: J. FILLED. APR 17 1968 FBI - PHILADELPHIA 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document details FBI investigations into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray (Galt) as a suspect. A 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight, purchased in Birmingham, Alabama, was found near a rooming house in Memphis, Tennessee, overlooking the Lorraine Hotel where King stayed. The FBI traced the weapon to Galt, who owned a 1966 white Mustang purchased in Birmingham on August 30, 1967. The car’s odometer indicated over 19,000 miles driven between late August 1967 and early April 1968. Galt’s travels included Memphis (April 3–4, 1968), Los Angeles, New Orleans, Birmingham, Mexico, and Atlanta. His employment history includes claims of working as a cook on Mississippi River vessels and a merchant seaman. The FBI notes his alleged criminal charges under a federal statute providing a maximum penalty of ten years’ imprisonment and/or $5,000 fine. Galt is described as a white male, approximately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tall, weighing between 160–175 pounds, with brown hair in a "brush" cut, blue eyes, and a nervous habit of pulling at his left ear lobe. The FBI warns that Galt is armed and dangerous, urging immediate reporting of sightings.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (Galt): Suspect linked to the assassination; owned a 1966 white Mustang and a 30.06 rifle.  
- Mr. Hoover: FBI Director overseeing the investigation.  
- Mr. Hooker: FBI agent involved in tracing the weapon’s origin.  

Key Locations  
- Memphis, Tennessee: Site of Dr. King’s assassination; rooming house where the rifle was found.  
- Birmingham, Alabama: Location of gun dealer and car purchase.  
- Atlanta, Georgia: Where Galt’s abandoned car was located.  
- Los Angeles, New Orleans, and other cities: Locations of Galt’s reported travels.  

Key Events  
- Acquisition of the 30.06 rifle and Mustang in Birmingham, Alabama.  
- FBI investigation into Galt’s movements and employment history.  
- Search for Galt through subscription records and circulation data by Chilton Publications.  
- Federal charges against Galt under a statute with maximum penalties.  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI): Conducted the investigation and issued warnings about Galt.  
- Chilton Publications: Provided circulation records used in the search for Galt.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ph-1368_sec_003_ser_93-174-part_3_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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