</s>- (REV. 4.13.60) H. D.C. Class Class of 2008 H. Department of C.S.U.E.D. H. C. Class of 2009 ED FROM OR ADDED TO THIS FILE) FB. CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER PH. PHILADELPHIA HISTORICAL VALUE, SUB. VES. HISTORY VALUE TO THE FLEE VES 4.10/03/3537T 4.00/03.3537F 4.0/03-3537FT 4. 4.5/05/1337F BUREAU PH.PH.CENTRAL RECORDINGS CENTER Serial # 175 of SERVICE: 1/5-289 Volume Number: 270 INVESTIGATION CO CT DESTROY. Bureau File Number SERVICE FOR SELECT 0.0.1.C1.CI ASSASSENATIONS 0.00.CI SER.DATED -2/8/18 0 See also No. ROTOR-3 www.mature.10-97072 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 (also known as Eric Starvo Galt) and his alleged involvement in the crime. The FBI confirmed through fingerprint analysis that Ray was linked to the assassination, which occurred on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. A 30-06 rifle used in the shooting was recovered from a rooming house bathroom overlooking the hotel. John Willard rented Room 6.8 at the rooming house and fled after hearing gunshots, abandoning the weapon and binoculars. The FBI also investigated Eric Galt’s connection to a white 1966 Mustang with Alabama license plates (1-38993), purchased in Birmingham, Alabama. Investigations included tracking individuals with specific last names in Pennsylvania, compiling cost data for the case, and analyzing Thermo-Seal marking codes tied to laundry items. The FBI issued a press release on April 19, 1968, identifying Ray as "ARMED & DANGEROUS" and coordinating media outreach.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Escaped convict identified as Eric Starvo Galt, linked to MLK Jr.’s assassination; described as white male, 5'10", 174 lbs, with a scar on his forehead and palm.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Suspected associate of Ray; both were convicted of burglary in 1955 and passed stolen postal money orders.  
- **John Willard**: Rented Room 6.8 at the Memphis rooming house (422 South Street) on April 4, 1968; fled after the assassination, abandoning a rifle and binoculars.  
- **Eric Galt**: Linked to a white Mustang with Alabama license plates (1-38993), purchased in Birmingham, Alabama; his driver’s license listed birthplace as Alabama.  
- **J. Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director who confirmed Ray’s connection to the case via fingerprint analysis.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK Jr.’s assassination at the Lorraine Hotel (406 Mulberry Street); rifle found in a rooming house at 422 South Street.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Location of Aeromarine Supply Co., where the rifle (ME 44-1987) was sold to Harvey Loweyer on March 30, 1968.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: The white Mustang was recovered here on April 11, 1968, and determined to have been abandoned prior to April 5, 1968.  
- **Philadelphia, Pennsylvania**: Willis’s residence where firearms were stored; also mentioned as a location for FBI field offices.  
- **Jacksonville, Florida**: Willis’s family residence at 802 South 14th Avenue; site of his long-distance call to girlfriend Georgia Jean Shipton about bringing back weapons.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was shot at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis; fatal bullet originated from a rooming house bathroom overlooking the hotel.  
- **April 3–4, 1968**: John Willard rented Room 6.8 at the rooming house and fled after hearing gunshots, abandoning the rifle and binoculars.  
- **April 17, 1968**: AUSA R. MacKey Taylor authorized a conspiracy charge against Eric Galt for violating Section 241 of Title 18, U.S. Code.  
- **April 19, 1968**: FBI issued press release labeling Ray as "ARMED & DANGEROUS" and coordinating media outreach to distribute photos and wanted flyers.  
- **July 26, 1967**: FBI filed a complaint against Ray for escaping Missouri State Penitentiary.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted fingerprint analysis, coordinated media outreach, recovered weapons, and compiled logistical data on the case.  
- **U.S. Army**: Provided military records on James Earl Ray’s service history (February 1965–December 1968).  
- **Textile Marking Machine Company (Syracuse, New York)**: Analyzed Thermo-Seal marking codes found on laundry items linked to the case.  
- **U.S. Penitentiary, Lewisburg, Pennsylvania**: Conducted inquiries into financial records and laundries associated with Eric Starvo Galt.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ph-1368_sec_004_ser_175-289-part_1_of_7.pdf

Document Summary

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