</s>SI 44-561 JLM/eab 2 observing several photographs of JAMES EARL RAY, stated he had never seen anyone in that area who resembled the pictures. Several attempts have been made made to contact DELMAR BELL, 221 Lee Street, without locating him at home. At Belleville, Illinois. On April 25, 1968, the St. Louis Office telephone- cally advised that Leslie JR. NULL, 1304 MCKINLEY Street, East St. Louis, Illinois, telephonically advised St.Louis Office that he has seen a man at Hazel's Tavern, East St. Louisville on several years ago, which has been appointed in the news media. on JAMES EARL RAV, which have appeared in the new media. HAZEL PETTY, proprietor, Hazel's Corner, 6395 Rock Springs Road, East East, Louis, illinois, advised that she is is acclaimed with Leslie JR, NULL who lives directly behind her residence and frequenters her tavern on occasion. She stated that she has been there for the photographs of AMBER EARLRAY, that she then went on the road to the filming of the movie. PETTY, who stated that the recalls conversation several days ago in the tavern where some of the patrons were teasing an individual who resembled her pictures, and stated they were going to turn him in for the reward, she stated that she was going to be in the reward. She started that for this reason who resembled up! with MARIA PENN who lived on Black Lane a short distance south of Collinsville Road, and believes the man's name is JERRY CALLAHAN. GERALD EUGENE CALLAHAM was interviewed at the resi- dence of MARIA PANNA PENN, 2921 2921 Lane, and aside from having a short hair of MARLA PENN. 1921 was a slight if any resemblance to RAY. His fingerprints were compared with the fingerprints on the identification record and were found not similar. He furnished the following descriptive data; Name Race GERALDA EUGENNE CALLAHIAN Race Male Male Date of birth. November 5, 1941 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents consist of FBI records and telegrams from the late 1960s detailing investigations into James Earl Ray (JER), accused of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968. Key figures include Walter Terry Riffe, a convicted criminal arrested with Ray in Missouri in 1955 for stealing postal money orders. Riffe was released from Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary in 1957 and later claimed no knowledge of Ray’s activities post-1957. The text references Riffe’s alleged stay at the Virginia Hotel in Quincy, Illinois, during the 1960s, and his association with Katherine Doris Buskirk, a woman linked to Ray and Riffe’s 1955 arrest. FBI efforts focused on tracking JER and associates using phone numbers, license plates (e.g., UTV ONF ZERO TWO), VINs, and financial records, including escrow contracts and Western Union money orders. The investigation spanned multiple locations, including Illinois, California, and Missouri, with alerts about armed suspects. The documents highlight the FBI’s reliance on telegrams for real-time communication and challenges in tracking fugitives due to fragmented, error-prone reports.  

Key People  
- **James Earl Ray (JER)**: Accused of assassinating MLK Jr., linked to financial transactions, TV appearances, and alleged associations with William A. Marshall.  
- **Walter Terry Riffe**: Convicted criminal arrested with JER in 1955; released from Leavenworth in 1957; denied knowledge of the King assassination.  
- **Katherine Doris Buskirk**: Woman associated with Ray and Riffe’s 1955 arrest, possibly an accomplice or associate.  
- **William A. Marshall**: Suspected alias or associate of JER, linked to a car purchase in California and described as a white male aged 40–45.  
- **Albert Pepper**: Husband of Carol (JER’s sister), mentioned as a potential lead in the investigation.  

Key Locations  
- **Virginia Hotel, Quincy, Illinois**: Alleged location where Riffe stayed during the 1960s.  
- **Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary, Missouri**: Site of Riffe’s 1957 release.  
- **Bonita, California**: Home purchased by William A. Marshall.  
- **Chula Vista, California**: Location of a car purchase attempt by Marshall.  
- **Minneapolis, Minnesota**: Office of the Money Order Auditor referenced in financial investigations.  

Key Events  
- **1955 Arrests**: Riffe and JER arrested for stealing postal money orders in Missouri.  
- **Leavenworth Release (1957)**: Riffe’s release from federal prison; Ray’s release date unspecified.  
- **King Assassination (April 4, 1968)**: JER denied knowledge of the event and claimed to be in Quincy during that time.  
- **FBI Surveillance**: Tracking suspects via phone numbers, license plates, VINs, and financial records.  
- **Armed Suspect Alerts**: Warnings about potential threats from fugitives.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into JER, Riffe, and associates; used telegrams for real-time communication.  
- **Money Order Auditor in Minneapolis**: Requested checks on Western Union money orders linked to suspects.

MLK Declassified Files

44-si-561_sec_008_ser_436-528-part_7_of_8.pdf

Document Summary

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