</s>UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT Memorandum TO : SAC (44-1368) DATE: 5/2/68 FROM : SA M.B.DAVIS SUBJECT: MURKIN Re Butel l/29/68 requesting that ell PDS that maintain letent fingerprints from Usub cases be contacted and requested to compare the fingerprints of James Earl Rey with the Unsub latents in their files. On l/ 29/68 the writer contacted Lt.John Barron and was put in touch with Chief Inspector Frank E.Nolen. Copies of the 10 concerning Rey were left with the Chief Inspector who advised that no further communications would be necessary in this matter and that the Philadelphia PD would cooperate full y in this mater.He advised that the writer would be noti -fied of the results of the PD check. Bartel l295 Joe 44-138-3929 SEARCHED SALERIALIZED MAY 92.1968 FBI -PHILADELPHIA Buy U.S. Savings Bonds Regularly on the Payroll Savings Plan 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into potential suspects linked to Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, spanning 1965–1968. Key elements include fingerprint comparisons for James Earl Ray, inquiries about Carlos Lee Billings' activities in South Carolina (March–May 1965), and witness reports of individuals resembling Ray. A gin bottle with latent fingerprints was analyzed; these did not match Ray’s prints (FBI #405942G). Philadelphia requested fingerprint data on John J. O’Donnell, the bottle’s owner, for elimination purposes. The bottle was destroyed after examination.  

An FBI inquiry from Newark to Dallas and Philadelphia checked passengers on American Airlines Flight 338 (April 6, 1968) for potential links to Ray. A telephone exchange number in New Jersey (EX-3138) was traced to Donald Kenney of Trenton, NJ, but no connection to the flight or Ray was found. Dallas was instructed to recheck the flight’s manifest for a passenger named Randall with a phone exchange matching EX-3138. Newark contacted Mrs. Rose Tereshki (Blackwood, NJ), who confirmed she was a passenger on Flight 338 but saw no one resembling Ray. Robert E. Fitzsimmons (Wenonah, NJ) was located; his neighbor stated he did not match Ray’s description and was in Dallas, Texas, for a business transfer. Mrs. Fitzsimmons was expected to be in Blackwood on May 3 and would be contacted.  

A separate communication from Philadelphia referenced Jo Ann Cross’s letter about overhearing discussions regarding MLK’s assassination. Cross could not identify photos of James Earl Ray as the individual she described. The FBI also noted a handwritten letter from William Jervais Crosby (Los Angeles) referencing MLK’s murder, which was forwarded to the Los Angeles FBI office for further investigation.  

A fragmented report mentions suspects such as "Galt" in Florida, James R. Ray, and Earl Ray. It references a 40-year-old suspect described as having a criminal history involving robberies and civil rights issues. Sarah B. Eberly reported seeing an individual resembling the alleged assassin at a bar in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on April 4, 1968. The text includes redacted social security numbers and references to FBI file numbers, with some entries noting the release of information under Executive Order 14176.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** – Suspected assassin of MLK; fingerprints compared against latent prints on a gin bottle.  
- **John J. O’Donnell** – Owner of the gin bottle with latent fingerprints.  
- **Donald Kenney** – Resident of Trenton, NJ, linked to a telephone exchange number investigated in connection with Flight 338.  
- **Mrs. Rose Tereshki** – Passenger on Flight 338; no match found with Ray’s description.  
- **Robert E. Fitzsimmons** – Individual whose neighbor stated he did not resemble Ray and was in Dallas, Texas.  
- **Jo Ann Cross** – Provided information about overhearing discussions regarding MLK’s assassination but could not identify Ray.  
- **William Jervais Crosby** – Sent a handwritten letter referencing MLK’s murder to the IRS, which forwarded it to the FBI.  
- **Galt** – Suspect sought by FBI in Florida.  
- **James R. Ray** – Suspect linked to civil rights issues and alleged criminal activity.  
- **Earl Ray** – Mentioned as a suspect in connection with King’s assassination.  
- **Sarah B. Eberly** – Reported seeing someone resembling the alleged assassin at a bar in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  

Key Locations  
- **Philadelphia, PA** – FBI office handling fingerprint analysis and passenger investigations.  
- **Newark, NJ** – Conducted checks on telephone numbers and passenger manifests.  
- **Dallas, TX** – Rechecked Flight 338 manifest for passenger Randall.  
- **Los Angeles, CA** – Received a handwritten letter from William Jervais Crosby referencing MLK’s murder.  
- **Lancaster, PA** – Site of Sarah B. Eberly’s report of an individual resembling the alleged assassin.  
- **Tallahassee, FL** – Mentioned in context of suspect Galt.  
- **Mexico (Hermusillo)** – Referenced in unrelated text about police investigations and arrests.  

Key Events  
- **Fingerprint Analysis**: A gin bottle with latent prints was examined; no match to James Earl Ray’s fingerprints.  
- **Flight 338 Investigation**: Checked passengers for potential links to Ray, including a telephone exchange number traced to Donald Kenney.  
- **Passenger Verification**: Mrs. Rose Tereshki and Robert E. Fitzsimmons were contacted regarding their connections to Flight 338 and Ray’s description.  
- **Letter from William Jervais Crosby**: Handwritten communication referencing MLK’s murder was forwarded to the Los Angeles FBI office.  
- **Sarah B. Eberly’s Report**: Described an individual resembling the alleged assassin at a bar in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, on April 4, 1968.  
- **FBI File Numbers and Redacted SSNs**: References to file numbers and redacted social security numbers noted in some entries.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** – Conducted fingerprint analysis, passenger checks, and investigations into potential links to James Earl Ray.  
- **Internal Revenue Service (IRS)** – Received and forwarded William Jervais Crosby’s letter to the FBI for further review.  
- **State Police (Pennsylvania)** – Involved in police involvement referenced in Daniel D. Kennedy’s context.  
- **Local Law Enforcement** – Mentioned in Florida and Pennsylvania contexts.

MLK Declassified Files

44-ph-1368_sec_005_ser_290-390-part_3_of_6.pdf

Document Summary

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