</s>SA 44-1242 Date Calling Number Number Called Place and/or Person Call DEFENBAUGH 12/17/67 426-8835 221-2141 12/16 458-9215 221-4325 12/6 379-9925 221-4377 12/15 278-9070 222-8484 128/15 538-9598 222-8621 12/1/5 875-90114 222-8873 12/2/16 538-9598 323-0559 127/16 538-9954 223-0656 KEEPER 12/18/15 458-9215 223-2188 from Primo Reyes 12/ 15 379-90117 223-5581 12/26 278-93030 223-6438 12/ 16 278-9031 223-6348 12/7 875-9085 223-6719 12/12/8 379-9092 223-834 12/14 875-9087 275-0808 12/167 875-9008 224-8998 12/ 17 875-9058 224-5993 12/11/17 275-9055 -2- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations from December 1967 to May 1968 focused on James Earl Ray’s alleged involvement in the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK). Telephone call records and investigative notes trace long-distance calls made from public telephones along U.S. Highway 90 and I-10 in Texas, including locations such as San Antonio, Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen, Pharr, and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. The FBI coordinated with telephone companies like Southwest Bell and General Telephone Co. to identify subscribers linked to Ray, who was suspected of orchestrating MLK’s assassination. Investigations included checking bank records for safety deposit boxes in Texas, interviewing informants such as prostitutes and truckers, and monitoring Ray’s movements in Mexico, including a hotel in Isla Mujeres. Administrative notes reference releases under Executive Order 14176, cost data for man-hours and expenses, and internal FBI operations like BAM ANTISY.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray** – Suspected assassin of MLK; central figure in the investigation.  
- **Eduardo Jose Molina** – Mexican informant reporting Ray’s alleged activities in Yucatan.  
- **SAC J. Myers Cole** – FBI Special Agent in Charge (San Antonio) overseeing investigations.  
- **SA John Kemmy** – FBI agent coordinating phone call analyses in San Antonio.  
- **Clay Zachry Jr.** – FBI agent in Brownsville, Texas, providing details on telephone calls and informants.  
- **Thomas E. Dickey**, **Norman G. Jones**, **G. K. Lane**, **G. C. Tamayo**, **Mrs. R.C. Scott**, **Mrs. C., Tamaño** – Individuals contacted during phone number inquiries.  

Key Locations  
- **San Antonio, Texas** – Central hub for FBI investigations; multiple phone numbers and informants linked to Ray.  
- **Laredo, Brownsville, McAllen, Pharr, Weslaco, Texas** – Cities where calls were made or received, with bank records checked for safety deposit boxes.  
- **Isla Mujeres, Merida, Yucatan, Mexico** – Locations tied to Ray’s alleged hotel activities and potential connections.  
- **Houston, San Marcos, Austin Hwy, Sun Vista, E. Coker Ln, Loop Road, Nash Road** – Texas locations associated with telephone inquiries or administrative notes.  

Key Events  
- **Telephone call investigations**: FBI reviewed calls from public telephones in San Antonio and surrounding areas (December 15–17, 1967; December 12–18, 1968) to trace links to Ray.  
- **Bank record checks**: Efforts to locate safety deposit boxes under Ray’s name or aliases in Texas and Mexico.  
- **Informant interviews**: Conversations with prostitutes, truckers, and locals to gather information on Ray’s movements.  
- **Cross-referencing phone numbers**: Analysis of call logs to identify potential connections to Ray.  
- **Coordination with telephone companies**: Southwest Bell and General Telephone Co. provided records for subscriber verification.  
- **Administrative notes**: References to releases under Executive Order 14176, FBI-BAM ANTISY activities, U.S. Savings Bonds payroll plan, and a search under MA-3 (dates 1958 and 1971/1).  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)** – Conducted primary investigations, coordinated with telephone companies, and managed internal operations like BAM ANTISY.  
- **Southwest Bell Telephone Company** – Provided call records for investigative tracking in Texas.  
- **General Telephone Co., Continental Trailways** – Involved in subscriber verification and call analysis.  
- **Local law enforcement agencies** – Collaborated with FBI on tracking Ray’s activities.

MLK Declassified Files

44-sa-1242_742152_02-04-part_4_of_4.pdf

Document Summary

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