</s>5/3/68 AIRTEL TO: SAC, DALLAS (44-2649) FROM: SAC. WFO (44+7039) MURKIN ReNtEL to RA, etc ., 4/30/68 with lead for Dallas re Mrs. GLORIA WILLIAMS; and Dltec to MFO 5/2/68 concerning above lead. Mrs. EDWARD (GLORIA) WILLIAMSS, 4925 G Street, S.E ., Apartment W202, advised ROGER D. ASHILLAND, on 5/31/68. she arrived at the airport on Dallas, Texas too late to take flight 333 from Dallas on 6/6/68, She took a later plane. She was shown a photograph of RAY and stated the photograph was familiar but she could not identify the individual. See airde 391 393 70/9 TODD 2 - Dallas 2 - Memphis (44)-1987) 1 - Oklahoma City (Info) 1 - WFO RDA: tab.tas Seerhed in:c.and AIRTELS Filed 444-703-398 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary:  
The documents detail FBI and local law enforcement investigations into potential threats against Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) and inquiries into James Earl Ray, a suspect in MLK’s assassination. Key elements include tracking a Chevrolet half-ton pickup truck (Virginia license plates) stored at Colonial Parking Lot #75 in Washington, D.C., which was observed being moved on March 27–April 8, 1968, and associated with individuals described as having a Southern accent, wearing specific clothing, and possibly linked to Ray. A man matching Ray’s description was reportedly seen placing a 22-caliber rifle in the truck by Theodore Sunday, a Colonial Parking employee. FBI agent Roger D. Ashland coordinated efforts between Dallas, Memphis, and Washington, D.C., while searches for Eric Starvo Galt and Ray were conducted through Veterans Administration records and FBI files without confirmed matches. Robert Roulston, American Airlines City Manager, bet $100 that MLK would be dead by May 1, 1966, though the assassination occurred on April 4, 1968. Additional records include interviews with James Troy Goch, who claimed to have arrived in Washington, D.C., via Greyhound Bus on April 4, 1968, and possessed a 38-caliber revolver; phone calls from Los Angeles (April 30, 1968) describing a man matching Ray’s appearance at a Sunset Strip restaurant; and tracking efforts for a 1957 Ford Fairlane with DC tags. The FBI released photographs of James Earl Ray to the public on May 7, 1968, and conducted fingerprint comparisons and hotel register checks in Washington, D.C., which yielded no matches. Investigations expanded to Australia following alleged sightings linked to Ray’s movements, while Jerry Ray (James Earl Ray’s brother) disappeared after an interview with a Chicago newspaper. Flight records for Norma Perry were checked but found inconclusive.  

Key People:  
- **Gloria Williams** (Mrs. Edward Williams): Reported missing a flight to Baltimore in 1966 and viewed a photograph of Ray.  
- **Roger D. Ashland**: FBI agent coordinating investigations into Ray and related leads.  
- **Theodore Sunday**: Colonial Parking employee managing Lot #75, providing details on the stored truck’s movements.  
- **Robert Roul, American Airlines City Manager**: Made a bet about MLK’s death in 1966.  
- **James Troy Goch**: Interviewed at D.C. Jail; claimed to have arrived in Washington, D.C., via Greyhound Bus on April 4, 1968, and possessed a 38-caliber revolver.  
- **Harry Anderson**: Caller reporting a sighting of Ray at a Sunset Strip restaurant in Los Angeles (April 30, 1968).  
- **Drell Gillington**: Reported no matches for Ray’s vehicle during the relevant timeframe.  
- **Jerry Ray** (James Earl Ray’s brother): Disappeared after an interview with a Chicago newspaper.  

Key Locations:  
- **Dallas Airport** (Texas): Gloria Williams’ arrival and flight details.  
- **Colonial Parking Lot #75** (Washington, D.C.): Storage location for the Chevrolet pickup truck linked to Ray.  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of MLK’s assassination on April 4, 1968.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Location of Harry Anderson’s reported sighting of Ray at a Sunset Strip restaurant.  
- **Washington, D.C.**: FBI interviews, YMCA guest register checks, and fingerprint comparisons.  
- **Australia**: Search for potential sightings linked to Ray’s movements.  

Key Events:  
- Tracking of a Chevrolet pickup truck (Virginia plates) stored at Colonial Parking Lot #75, associated with Ray and a 22-caliber rifle.  
- FBI interviews with informants, including James Troy Goch and Harry Anderson, who described sightings matching Ray’s appearance.  
- Release of photographs of James Earl Ray to the public on May 7, 1968.  
- Fingerprint comparisons and hotel register checks in Washington, D.C., yielding no matches for Ray.  
- Expansion of investigations to Australia following alleged sightings linked to Ray’s movements.  
- Jerry Ray (James Earl Ray’s brother) disappearing after an interview with a Chicago newspaper.  
- Flight records for Norma Perry checked but found inconclusive.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Conducted investigations into Ray, tracked vehicles, and released photographs of the suspect.  
- **Colonial Parking, Incorporated**: Managed storage of the truck linked to Ray.  
- **Veterans Administration**: Searched records for Eric Starvo Galt and James Earl Ray.  
- **YMCA** (Washington, D.C.): Hotel register checks conducted as part of investigations.  
- **American Airlines**: Involved in Norma Perry’s travel records.  
- **Delta Airlines**: Investigated for passenger Norma Perry’s travel.

MLK Declassified Files

44-wfo-703_742153_09-02-part_3_of_5.pdf

Document Summary

Try AI Search