</s>+4 CLASSIFICATION NO. 368 Volume Number 6 4 391-455 SERIALS Lue vol. 7 6-4555 - - - - - DY. FROM ADDED TO THIS VALUE. HIVES BUREAU FBI - CENTRAL RECORDS CENTER PH - PHILADELPHIA PH-0044-00018: PH Class / Case # Sub Vol. Serial # Serial # INVESTIGATION 0044 1388 6 391 455 4/10/313529 PRRP00244XU PRESEMBLE FOR SELECT PRESTIME ON ASSESSATIONS DO NOT DESTROOM FOR SELECT DO NOT RESERVE FOR SELECT PRESTIVE FOR SELECT SEC. COO SER. DATED.DATED.A.D.L.B.B Sor File No. ROTOR - 3 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14178

Summary  
The documents detail FBI communications from May 1968 and earlier dates (e.g., 1958, 1963) focusing on investigations into James Earl Ray’s potential death and his associations with radical groups. Key elements include an informant report in Philadelphia noting a Black Power group at Benjamin Franklin High School led by Joseph Savage, Clyde Warren, and Gary Austin, with Ray linked to an unidentified deceased individual. The FBI directed state agencies, morgues, medical facilities, and law enforcement in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada to search for records of undentified deceased persons from specific dates (e.g., 1960–1968) to confirm or refute claims of Ray’s death. Legal procedures for handling unidentified deaths were referenced, highlighting the absence of centralized record-keeping systems. A May 9, 1968, document outlines FBI directives to U.S. diplomatic and law enforcement offices in Mexico City, Ottawa, and Memphis to investigate a subject (likely Ray)’s potential prior death, emphasizing coordination with local agencies for record checks. One document mentions Ray’s activities in Los Angeles during early 1968, including a bartending course and job-seeking calls to country clubs prior to March 1968, which may relate to ongoing investigations.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (suspect in MLK’s assassination)  
- Joseph Savage, Clyde Warren, Gary Austin (leaders of a Black Power group at Benjamin Franklin High School)  
- FBI Director (referred to as "MURKIN")  
- SACS LEGATS officers in Mexico City and Ottawa  

Key Locations  
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (informant report)  
- Memphis, Tennessee  
- Mexico City, Mexico  
- Ottawa, Canada  
- Los Angeles, California  

Key Events  
- FBI investigations into Ray’s potential death prior to alleged crimes  
- Coordination with state and local law enforcement for record checks of unidentified deceased individuals  
- Informant report on Black Power group activities at Benjamin Franklin High School  
- Mention of Ray’s activities in Los Angeles (1968)  

Key Organizations  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)  
- U.S. Census Bureau  
- Department of Health, Education, and Welfare  
- State and local law enforcement agencies  
- SACS LEGATS (Special Activities Section/Local Exploitation Group and Technical Assistance Sections)

MLK Declassified Files

44-ph-1368_sec_006_ser_391-455-part_1_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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