</s>ME 44-1987 TOR:mnr 1 MILTON ZAVALOFSKI, Mobberly Training Center for Men, #01658, served from November 1960 until April 1968 at the Missouri State Penitentiary as a portion of his 20 year sentence for armed robbery. Subsequently he was transferred to his current place of confinement. He knew JAMES EARL RAY as an inmate and remembers his hiding in the penitentiary well as his escape. He could furnish no information concerning his present whereabouts in close associates. U.S. PENTENTIARY, LEAVENWORTH, KANSAS CHARLES CALVIN BOOKMAN possesses FBI #892355 and resides in Room 201, Belmont Apartments, 948 South Figueroa, South Los Angeles. BOOKMAN served time at Leavenworth with JAMES EARL RAY, becoming acquainted during the letter part of 1956 when both were in the kitchen of the trusty farm. He believes RAY was from the Biloxi - Gulfport, Mississippi, area and was able to pilot an airplane. In August 1967 BOOKMAN returned to Los Angeles, California, from a trip met JAMESEARL RAT at the Amber Room, Figuario, from the trip met with him to the Belmont August 12, 1967, RAY wont meet him to his room in this to be Apartments and he did not call again from him until April 19, 1968, at the intersection of the telephone call and at rates per person's hearing from JAMES Earl RAY. Interview of BOOKMAN contained many inconsistencies and conflicts in his story and therefore no credibility could be given to the alleged phone call received by him from JAMES EARL Ray. BOOKMAN has stated that he will contact the FBI should he again hear him on JAMES FARL RAY. The substance has stated on telephone call allegedly re- celled from JAME'S EARL Ray on April 19. 1968, was that he was "hotter than a cow marshal's pistol" and made a request of BOOKMAN for money, which was denied." 76 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
This document comprises two distinct sets of materials related to James Earl Ray’s criminal history and FBI investigations during the late 1960s. The first section details Ray’s FBI criminal record, including his arrests for burglary, forgery, theft, and drug trafficking, as well as his incarceration at Missouri State Penitentiary and Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary. It notes associations with John Eugene Gawron (a former associate), Eric Galt (possibly an alias or accomplice), and Carol Pepper (his brother-in-law). The second section consists of fragmented FBI internal communications, referencing Ray’s alleged movements (e.g., London, Frankfurt) and connections to Howard Mason Birrell Jr. (a suspect linked to Ray). These notes include unverified claims about Ray’s involvement in other assassinations and references to car rental fraud, British Airways flights, and Lufthansa Airlines. The documents also contain code elements, redacted text, and incomplete sentences, suggesting partial decryption or transcription from older files. While the connection between Ray and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination is historically established, it is not explicitly stated in the provided materials.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray**: Central subject of the FBI records; accused of MLK’s assassination (historically linked but not detailed here).  
- **John Eugene Gawron**: Former associate who taught Ray burglary techniques.  
- **Eric Galt**: Possibly an alias or accomplice associated with Ray.  
- **Carol Pepper**: Brother-in-law of Ray involved in prison-related transactions.  
- **Howard Mason Birrell, Jr.**: Suspect linked to Ray; mentioned in fragmented FBI communications.  
- **Mrs. Cunningham**: Informant who reported a man resembling Ray on an international flight.  

Key Locations  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Key location for Ray’s criminal activities and incarceration.  
- **Kansas City, Missouri**: Alleged site of Ray’s loan shark operations.  
- **Las Vegas, Nevada**: Mentioned in context of car rental fraud.  
- **London, United Kingdom**: Reference to Ray’s alleged travel.  
- **Frankfurt, Germany**: Site of a flight mentioned in FBI surveillance notes.  

Key Events  
- **Criminal Activities**: Burglary, forgery, theft of money orders, and drug trafficking by Ray.  
- **FBI Surveillance**: Tracking of Ray’s movements, including international flights and car rentals.  
- **Informant Reports**: Mrs. Cunningham’s testimony about a man resembling Ray on a flight.  
- **Car Rental Fraud**: Alleged use of stolen vehicles and VIN numbers (e.g., "CK ONE FORD SEVEN SEVEN").  
- **Unverified Claims**: References to Ray’s involvement in other assassinations ("KING'S DEATHS") and ties to individuals like "George Lettsinger" or "George Anderson."  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Central agency involved in tracking Ray, compiling criminal records, and coordinating surveillance.  
- **British Airways**: Mentioned in context of Ray’s alleged travel.  
- **Lufthansa Airlines**: Reference to a flight from London to Frankfurt linked to Ray’s movements.  

Note: The document contains code elements, redacted text, and incomplete sentences, indicating partial decryption or transcription. Social Security numbers are not explicitly present, though "Brown Kys" may represent an error or placeholder for such data.

MLK Declassified Files

44-sd-387_767050_03-01-part_3_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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