</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. Gombley of the Shelby County Sheriff's Department. The other members of the unit included Deputies W.A. Dufour, W.J. Berry, Vernon Dollahill, R.N. Baker and Ronald Malley of the sheriff's department; and Patrolmen Carroll Durn, William Gross, Jason Morris, Barney Wright, Bennett Douglas and Torrance Landers of the MD. 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 p. 1550; Durn p.1457; Gross p. 1660; Morris p. 1463; Wright p. 1440; Baker p. 4657; Douglass p.1669; Landers p.1463; 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 6:0lp.m.) these men were at various -40- 2025 RELEASE UNDER E.O. 14176

Summary: This document details the investigation into the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., focusing on James Earl Ray’s movements and activities leading up to and following the crime. Key evidence includes a Remington .30-06 rifle recovered from Canipe Amusement Company in Memphis, linked to Ray through fingerprint analysis and purchase records. Ray, identified as "Eric S. Galt," traveled extensively between 1967 and 1968, using aliases and forged documents to evade detection. His movements were traced via hotel registrations, laundry records, and vehicle license plates (e.g., Alabama plate No. 1-38999). The FBI coordinated with Memphis Police Department to recover physical evidence, including binoculars, beer cans, and a blue zipper bag containing personal items. Ray’s fingerprint match to latent prints on the rifle and other items confirmed his involvement. Despite exhaustive efforts, his whereabouts post-April 5, 1968, remained untraceable until his arrest in London on June 8, 1968, for using a fraudulent passport.  

Key People:  
- **James Earl Ray**: Identified as "Eric S. Galt" via fingerprint comparisons; purchased the rifle used in the assassination and traveled under multiple aliases.  
- **Jimmy Delton Gardner**: Rooming house operator in Atlanta who confirmed Ray’s stay under the alias "Eric S. Galt."  
- **Robert Jensen**: Special Agent in Charge of the FBI investigation.  
- **William Bradford Huile**: Author of a report detailing Ray’s movements and activities.  
- **Percy Foreman**: Attorney representing Ray during his trial.  
- **Jerry Ray**: James Earl Ray’s brother, mentioned in connection to his legal proceedings.  

Key Locations:  
- **Memphis, Tennessee**: Site of the assassination at the Lorraine Motel; Canipe Amusement Company (424 South Main Street) where physical evidence was recovered.  
- **Atlanta, Georgia**: Galt’s rooming house (Jimmie Dalton Gardner’s) and Piedmont Laundry searched for clues.  
- **Birmingham, Alabama**: Location of the rifle purchase by "Harvey Lawyer" and Ray’s motor vehicle license records.  
- **Los Angeles, California**: Linked to Galt through laundry records, dance school attendance, and bartending school enrollment.  
- **London, United Kingdom**: Site of Ray’s arrest on June 8, 1968, for passport fraud and carrying a concealed weapon.  

Key Events:  
- **April 4, 1968**: Dr. King was assassinated at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis; physical evidence (rifle, binoculars, beer cans) recovered by Memphis PD tactical units.  
- **April 5–19, 1968**: FBI traced Ray’s movements via hotel records, rental agreements, and witness accounts, confirming his presence in Memphis on the night of the assassination.  
- **April 19, 1968**: Fingerprint identification confirmed Galt as James Earl Ray; latent prints matched to rifle, binoculars, and Atlanta maps.  
- **June 8, 1968**: Ray arrested in London for using a fraudulent passport and carrying a concealed weapon.  

Key Organizations:  
- **Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)**: Led the investigation into physical evidence, suspect leads, and connections between Galt/Ray and the assassination.  
- **Memphis Police Department**: Recovered critical evidence from Canipe Amusement Company and coordinated with the FBI.  
- **Local Law Enforcement**: Assisted in tracing Galt’s movements across cities, including Atlanta, Birmingham, and Los Angeles.

MLK Declassified Files

80-ph-1591_sec_000_ser_138-part_2_of_5.pdf

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