</s>FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE POSTAGE AND FEES PAID FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESIGATION Official Business 2023 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into Eric Starvo Galt (also known as Harvey Lawyer, John Wilard, or John Willard) and James Earl Ray, both linked to the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis, Tennessee. Galt, described as a white male with brown hair, blue eyes, and a nervous habit of pulling at his earlobe, was charged under Title 18, Section 241 for conspiring to violate MLK’s civil rights. A 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight, found near the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis on April 4, 1968, was connected to the assassination and purchased from a Birmingham, Alabama, gun dealer on March 30, 1968. The FBI linked Galt to Jass Earl Ray via fingerprint analysis, identifying Ray as an escapee from Missouri State Penitentiary (escaped April 2, 1967) with a criminal history including burglary, robbery, and forgery convictions dating back to 1949. A federal complaint was filed in Jefferson City, Missouri, on July 20, 1967, charging Ray with fleeing to avoid confinement. The FBI designated both men as armed and dangerous fugitives, coordinating efforts across multiple offices (San Diego, Kansas City, Chicago) to locate them. Galt’s aliases included Harvey Lowymer, and his abandoned 1966 white Mustang was discovered in Atlanta. A social security number is noted but redacted as [SSN REDACTED].  

Key People  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; used aliases including John Wilard, Harvey Lowymer, and John Willard.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Fugitive escapee from Missouri State Penitentiary (April 2, 1967); charged with fleeing to avoid confinement.  
- **Jass Earl Ray**: Identified as the same individual as Eric Starvo Galt via fingerprint analysis; had a criminal record including burglary and robbery convictions.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Co-defendant in 1955 U.S. Post Office burglary case; investigated for potential involvement in MLK’s assassination.  
- **J. Edgar Hoover**: FBI Director who oversaw the investigation and provided details about Galt’s background and the rifle found at the scene.  
- **Robert W. Evans**: FBI SAC (San Diego) issuing warnings about Ray’s dangerousness.  
- **James L. Norman Jr.**: FBI SPC who relayed information about Ray’s sighting in San Diego.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination; Lorraine Hotel where the 30.06 rifle was found.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Location of the gun dealer from whom the rifle and telescopic sight were purchased.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Where Galt’s abandoned Mustang was discovered.  
- **San Diego, California**: FBI office involved in tracking Galt and coordinating with local authorities; reported sighting of Ray in a bar.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary (Jefferson City, MO)**: Site of Ray’s incarceration prior to his 1967 escape.  
- **Kellerville, Illinois**: Location of the 1955 burglary involving Walter Terry Rife and James Earl Ray.  

Key Events  
- **April 4, 1968**: MLK assassinated in Memphis; a 30.06 rifle with a telescopic sight found near the Lorraine Hotel.  
- **March 30, 1968**: Galt purchased the rifle and scope from a Birmingham gun dealer.  
- **April 2, 1967**: James Earl Ray escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary.  
- **July 20, 1967**: Federal complaint filed against Ray for fleeing to avoid confinement.  
- **April 17, 1968**: FBI announced Galt as a fugitive in connection to MLK’s assassination; federal charges filed against him.  
- **March 7, 1955**: Burglary of U.S. Post Office in Kellerville, Illinois, involving Walter Terry Rife and James Earl Ray.  
- **April 19, 1968**: FBI memorandum noting Ray’s connection to MLK’s assassination and urging investigation into his whereabouts.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted nationwide investigation into Galt and Ray’s movements, coordinated with local authorities, and issued public alerts about their dangerousness.  
- **U.S. Department of Justice**: Oversight authority for FBI operations and legal proceedings related to federal charges against Galt and Ray.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Institution where James Earl Ray was incarcerated prior to his 1967 escape.

MLK Declassified Files

44-sd-387_767050_02-02-part_3_of_3.pdf

Document Summary

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