</s>SI 44-561 B. MELBA MARIE RYAN - 42 - 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The document contains FBI records from 1968 detailing investigations into James Earl Ray’s activities and whereabouts following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination on April 4, 1968. Interviews with Melba Marie Ryan (Ray’s sister), Ruby Carpenter (a babysitter in Quincy, Illinois), Frank Fuller (Ray’s aunt), and Mabel Fuller (Fuller’s wife) were conducted to gather information about Ray’s movements, family connections, and potential locations. Melba Ryan provided details about Ray’s alleged residence in Missouri, lack of contact since 1959, and his possible ties to St. Louis and Quincy, Illinois. Ruby Carpenter reported no contact with Ray since the 1950s and mentioned his potential links to Mexico during that period. The FBI also reviewed records related to Earl Everett Ray (Ray’s uncle), including his criminal history in Quincy, Illinois, involving assaults and incarcerations from 1925–1933 and 1948–1955. Surveillance was conducted on Melba Ryan’s residence in Quincy, as well as Frank Fuller’s home, to monitor potential contact with Ray.  

Key People  
- **Melba Marie Ryan**: Sister of James Earl Ray; interviewed by FBI agents regarding his whereabouts and activities.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Accused of assassinating Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.; described as having no known address or contact since 1959.  
- **Ruby Carpenter**: Babysitter in Quincy, Illinois; provided statements about James Earl Ray’s alleged activities and family ties.  
- **Frank Fuller**: Aunt of James Earl Ray; stated no knowledge of his whereabouts or activities.  
- **Mabel Fuller**: Wife of Frank Fuller; confirmed lack of contact with Ray’s family.  
- **Earl Everett Ray**: Uncle of James Earl Ray; had a criminal record in Quincy, Illinois, including assaults and incarcerations.  

Key Locations  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Sites of interviews with Melba Marie Ryan, Ruby Carpenter, Frank Fuller, and Mabel Fuller; location of FBI surveillance on Melba Ryan’s residence and Frank Fuller’s home.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Mentioned as a location where James Earl Ray allegedly lived or traveled during the 1950s–1960s.  
- **Mexico**: Reported as a destination for James Earl Ray during his time in St. Louis.  
- **Jacksonville, Illinois**: Site of Jacksonville State Hospital, where Melba Marie Ryan was reportedly hospitalized multiple times.  

Key Events  
- **April 20–21, 1968**: FBI interviews with Melba Marie Ryan at the Virginia Hotel in Quincy, Illinois; she provided details about James Earl Ray’s family and alleged movements.  
- **May 1–3, 1968**: Reinterviews of Melba Marie Ryan by FBI agents, confirming no new information on Ray’s whereabouts; interviews with Ruby Carpenter and her family to investigate Ray’s movements.  
- **Surveillance at Virginia Hotel (Quincy, Illinois)**: Ongoing monitoring of Melba Ryan’s residence for potential contact with James Earl Ray.  
- **May 1968**: Interviews with relatives of James Earl Ray confirming no knowledge of his whereabouts or activities.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted interviews, surveillance, and reviewed records to track James Earl Ray and his family.  
- **Quincy, Illinois Police Department**: Provided arrest records and physical descriptions of Melba Marie Ryan and other individuals.  
- **Illinois State Board of Probation and Parole**: Shared information about EARL EVERETT RAY’s incarceration and offenses.  
- **Sangamon County Circuit Court**: Involved in reviewing legal records related to John Larry Ray’s service case.

MLK Declassified Files

44-si-561_sec_014_ser_576_only-part_2_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

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