</s>FD-36 (Rev. 5-22-64) F B1 Date: Transmit the following in (Type in plaintext or code) Via (Priority) IN NORTH LITTLE ROCK. ST. LOUIS WILL CHECK FRC RECORDS UNDER ERNEST S. GAULT. P Approved: Special Agent in Charge Sent M Per 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The document contains fragmented records from multiple FBI investigations conducted in 1968, primarily focusing on a suspect named Eric Starvo Galt, described as a white male, 5'11", 175 lbs, with blue eyes and brown hair. Galt was linked to the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., though no direct connection is established in the text. The FBI sought information on his employment history, including alleged work at barge companies and motels in Memphis, Birmingham, and other locations. His car, a 1966 white Mustang with Alabama license plate 1-389-993, was noted as part of the investigation. Galt used aliases such as John Willard and Harvey Loweyer, and his fingerprints were compared to records in the FBI’s Identification Division. The document also references unrelated investigations, including a case involving Mayord Clinton Benedley’s funeral services in Kennett, Missouri, and a suspect named LAY CLEVELAND in St. Louis.  

Key People:  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspect linked to MLK’s assassination; aliases included John Willard and Harvey Loweyer.  
- **SA William R. Burton**: FBI special agent involved in the investigation.  
- **SACs (Special Agent in Charge)**: Memphis, St. Louis, Birmingham, and other regional offices coordinating the search.  
- **John Rufus Tillard** and **Ernest Super Gault**: Individuals whose fingerprints were compared to latent prints from the MLK case.  
- **LAY CLEVELAND**: Suspect mentioned in a separate investigation in St. Louis.  

Key Locations:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Central to the investigation; Galt’s alleged connections to motels and barge companies.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Part of the FBI’s search for employment records.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: Home to the Identification Division and a suspect named LAY CLEVELAND.  
- **Kennett, Missouri**: Site of unrelated funeral services for Mayord Clinton Benedley.  

Key Events:  
- **FBI fingerprint comparison**: Latent prints from the MLK case were compared to records of John Rufus Tillard (FBI #9204A) and Ernest Super Gault (FBI #440 433).  
- **Employment investigation**: Search for Galt’s work history at barge companies, motels, and other locations.  
- **Motels and boarding houses**: FBI requested records from multiple motels in Memphis, Birmingham, Chicago, and other cities to trace Galt’s movements.  
- **Unrelated case**: Mention of Mayord Clinton Benedley’s funeral services in Kennett, Missouri, with witnesses Joe Chesire and Bill Bradshaw.  

Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted fingerprint checks, employment investigations, and coordinated regional efforts.  
- **St. Louis Police Department**: Provided records on John Rufus Tillard’s arrest and other cases.  
- **Local labor unions and companies**: Investigated for potential ties to Galt’s alleged employment.

MLK Declassified Files

44-sl-775_742351_01-01-part_3_of_7.pdf

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