</s>Al 44-493 WEST VIRGINIA Rockwell Laundry & Cleaners 125 So. Raleigh St. Meridinsburg, W. Va. SM339873 -53- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The documents detail FBI investigations into individuals suspected of involvement in threats or actions against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) during 1965–1968. Key suspects include Aaron Isaac Lofton, Eric Starvo Galt, David Ernest Hawkins, James Eugene Gault, Jimmie Delton Garner, and James Earl Ray. Military records were reviewed for Lofton (U.S. Army, discharged 1957), Gault (Army Field Artillery, trained at Fort Shelby and Fort Sill), and Garner (disciplinary history). FBI efforts focused on locating suspects described as "armed and dangerous," including Galt linked to MLK’s assassination, Hawkins with psychiatric treatment records post-discharge, and Ray, a fugitive charged in 1965 for violating Title 18, Section 1073. Investigations involved coordination with local law enforcement, requests for photographs, forensic analysis of laundry machine tapes, and tracking through military and civilian records. Ray’s escape from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 2, 1967, was noted, along with his prior convictions for armed robbery and operating a vehicle without consent. Walter Terry Rife, an associate of Ray, was also sought due to ties to postal fraud.  

Key People  
- **Aaron Isaac Lofton**: Suspect with Army service record (enlisted 1955, discharged 1957); medical records referenced at Walter Reed Hospital.  
- **Eric Starvo Galt**: Suspected assassin linked to MLK’s murder; described as white male, 6'12", 205 lbs; Naval Reserve affiliation.  
- **David Ernest Hawkins**: Suspect with Army service (1951–1957), psychiatric treatment post-discharge; possibly an alias for Galt.  
- **James Eugene Gault**: Military service in Army Field Artillery, trained at Fort Shelby and Fort Sill, Oklahoma.  
- **Jimmie Delton Garner**: Disciplinary history for intoxication and misconduct during military service.  
- **James Earl Ray**: Fugitive linked to MLK’s assassination; escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary on April 2, 1967; prior convictions for armed robbery and vehicle-related offenses.  
- **Walter Terry Rife**: Associate of Ray; incarcerated at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary for postal fraud.  
- **Mrs. Harley Herrard**: Informant reporting on Hawkins’ psychiatric history.  

Key Locations  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination; FBI field office and police departments involved in investigations.  
- **St. Louis, Missouri**: FBI field office; referenced in coordination with local law enforcement and prison records.  
- **Willow Grove, Pennsylvania**: Galt’s Naval Reserve base.  
- **Fort Shelby, Alabama** and **Fort Sill, Oklahoma**: Military installations linked to Gault’s service history.  
- **Missouri State Penitentiary**: Ray’s incarceration prior to escape.  
- **Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary**: Rife’s incarceration for postal fraud.  
- **Quincy, Illinois**: Alleged birthplace and prior residence of James Earl Ray.  

Key Events  
- **April 1965**: Federal complaint filed against James Earl Ray for violating Title 18, Section 1073 (shooting MLK).  
- **April 2, 1967**: James Earl Ray escaped from Missouri State Penitentiary, reportedly hiding in a bread box during truck delivery.  
- **March 1955–May 1956**: Walter Terry Rife and James Earl Ray incarcerated at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary for postal fraud.  
- **April 18–19, 1966**: FBI directives to track suspects, distribute photographs of Ray and Rife, and review records related to MLK’s assassination.  
- **Requests for forensic analysis**: Laundry machine tapes linked to garments; photographs of suspects retained by SACs.  
- **Coordination with local agencies**: FBI offices in Memphis, Miami, Jacksonville, El Paso, and St. Louis collaborated on suspect tracking.  

Key Organizations  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations, coordinated field offices, and distributed photographic evidence.  
- **U.S. Army** and **Naval Reserve**: Provided service records for Lofton, Gault, and others.  
- **Local police departments**: Memphis, St. Louis, Miami, Jacksonville, El Paso, and Fort Lauderdale involved in suspect tracking.  
- **U.S. Postal Service**: Involved in cases against Walter Terry Rife and James Earl Ray for fraud.  
- **Missouri State Highway Patrol**: Referenced in records related to Ray’s criminal history.

MLK Declassified Files

44-sl-775_742351_01-01-part_6_of_7.pdf

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