</s>shooting. On the afternoon of April 4, 1968, Tact unit 10, consisting of three cars and 12 men stopped at Fire Station No. 2 for a rest break at approximately 5:50pm. The unit was commanded by Lt. Judson E. Gormley of the Shelby County Sheriff's Department. The other members of the unit included Deputies W.A. Dufour, W.J. Berry, Vernon Dollahillate, R.N. Baker and Ronald Malley of of the sheriff's department; and Patrolmen Carroll Dunn, William Cross, Jason Morris, Barney Wright, Barrett Douglas and Torrance Landers of the MPD. Interviews of the above named men indicate that when the unit arrived at the fire station, the cars were parked on the north side of the firestation, the ears were parked car actually obstructing the sidewalk. The second car was parked directly behind the lead car and the third car was double parked alongside these two cars. (MPD Statements, State v. James Earl Ray, Dufur E. Dour e. P. 1449; Berry p. 1450; Gormley pp. 1451 and 1532; Dolahite pp.1455 and 1550; Durn p.1457; Gross p. 1532); Morris p. 1463; Wright p. 1646; Baker p.1648; Douglas p. 1440; Landers p. 1741 and Malley p.1480; While Petrolman Douglas remained with the lead cars to monitor the radio, all of the other men went into the fire station to take a break. When the shot was fired that killed Dr. King (at approximately 6:0.1.p.m.) these men were at various -40- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary  
The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968, at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee, was investigated by multiple agencies, including the Memphis Police Department (MPD), Shelby County Sheriff’s Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Initial reports described conflicting accounts of officers’ movements during the shooting, with some present at Fire Station No. 2 or nearby areas. A bundle containing a Remington Gamemaster rifle, clothing, and other items was recovered from Canipe’s Amusement Company in Memphis shortly after the assassination. The FBI traced physical evidence to Birmingham, Alabama, and Los Angeles, California, linking it to Eric Starvo Galt, who matched suspect descriptions and had ties to a white Mustang and dance schools in Los Angeles. Investigations examined hotel registrations, laundry records, firearm purchases, and other leads, ultimately connecting items to Galt’s activities. The FBI later identified James Earl Ray as the individual behind the alias Eric Starvo Galt, concluding he acted alone despite allegations of broader conspiracies. Ray was apprehended in London on June 8, 1968, after a passport search revealed his use of the name Ramon George Sneyd. He pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in Shelby County, Tennessee, in March 1969.  

Key People  
- James Earl Ray (convicted assassin, identified as Eric Starvo Galt)  
- Eric Starvo Galt (alias used by Ray)  
- Ramon George Sneyd (passport name used by Ray)  
- William D. Paisley (sold Ray the 1966 Ford Mustang)  
- Ima Morales/Manuela Aguirre Medrano (girlfriend in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico)  
- Reverend Von Kosen (psychologist-hypnotist associated with Ray)  
- Robert Jensen (FBI agent involved in investigation)  
- James H. Learar (Ray’s attorney)  

Key Locations  
- Lorraine Motel (Memphis, Tennessee) – Site of assassination  
- Fire Station No. 2 (Memphis, Tennessee) – Location where officers were present during shooting  
- Canipe’s Amusement Company (424 S. Main Street, Memphis) – Where rifle and other items were recovered  
- York Arms Company Store (Memphis, Tennessee) – Ray rented Room 5-B to store the rifle  
- Birmingham, Alabama – Linked to firearm purchases and Ray’s temporary residence  
- Los Angeles, California – Tied to dance schools and Ray’s final known location before arrest  
- Windsor and Toronto, Canada – Locations where Ray obtained a fraudulent passport under Ramon George Sneyd  
- Heathrow Airport, London (UK) – Site of Ray’s arrest  

Key Events  
- April 4, 1968: Dr. King shot at the Lorraine Motel; officers from MPD and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department responded with conflicting accounts  
- April 5, 1968: Galt picked up laundry at Piedmont Laundry in Atlanta  
- April 19, 1968: FBI matched fingerprints to James Earl Ray  
- June 1, 1968: RCMP located a passport under Ramon George Sneyd in Canada  
- June 8, 1968: James Earl Ray apprehended at Heathrow Airport for using a forged passport and carrying a concealed weapon  
- October–December 1967: Ray’s documented movements through Mexico, California, and Alabama  
- March 10, 1969: Ray pleaded guilty to first-degree murder of Dr. King in Shelby County, Tennessee  

Key Organizations  
- Memphis Police Department (MPD) – Conducted initial investigation and provided witness accounts  
- Shelby County Sheriff’s Department – Coordinated with MPD during the shooting response  
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) – Led forensic and investigative efforts to trace physical evidence and identify suspects  
- Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) – Assisted in locating Ray’s fraudulent passport in Canada  
- U.S. Department of Justice – Involved in passport fraud investigation  
- Birmingham Trust National Bank – Ray rented a safety deposit box under an alias  
- Shelby County Criminal Court – Handled Ray’s conviction for murder

MLK Declassified Files

62-hq-115768_sec_000_ser_262-part_2_of_5.pdf

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