I. Bureau notified by Memphis, Tennessee Police 1. \ - Pw i TT ONAL ate Pe oe ASSASSINATION OF MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. eee Aa King shot }4/4/6al on balcony of Lorraine Motel, 406 Mulberry Street, Memphis, Tennessee shortly “AFter: 6:00 pm (Memphis time) Pronounced dead at 7:05 pm, 4/4/68 (Memphis time) Department of Justice requested FBI investigation for possible violation of 18 U.S.C. 241. Death attributed to bullet damage to spinal cord and neck vessels. TI. Crime Scene Ac \1. Ne ° 3 \B. Cc. Flophouse ’ Assassin fired shot from flophouse at 4224 S. Main located across street from motel. Assassin rented room 5B between 3:00 pm and 3:30 pm 4/4/68 using name John Willard Paid $8.50 for one week's rent. Bullet - .30 caliber metal jacket, soft point, sporting type bullet of Remington (insufficient markings to allow positive identification Rifle (Remington game master model 760 - .30-06 caliber}. Found on sidewalk near flophouse where thrown by white male who was running from scene y Remington game master model 760. Traced througn Remington Company in Connecticut to dealer in Alabama, Purchased - Aero Marine Supply Company, Birminghan, Alabama for $248.59 Purchaser - white male giving fictitious name Harvey Lowmeyer, and address, 1907 South llth Street, Birminghan, Alabama. Date of purchase ~ March 30, 1968 ~1- MW 35037 Doocld: 32959551 Page i197 ane : S
\y le Ee 1. Ze Se 4, Se | MW 55097 Doold:32989551 Page 1998 Zipper bag thrown on ground by assassin near’ the flophouse . prim PhS It contained binoculars. FBI traced pair of binoculars to York Arms, 162 South Main Street’ where purchased 4/4/68 for $39.95. Purchase paid for in $20.00 bills Tee shirt and shorts = laundry marks -checked and traced to laundry in Los Angeles, California. Pair of duckbill pliers - traced by FBI to Hardware Company in Los Angeles. Employees state item was sold from "bargain barrel" but could not identify purchaser. 2 cans of Schlitz beer bearing Mississippi tax stamps Hammer Transistor radio Numerous toiletry articles White mustang car seen leaving scene of crime Mustang formerly owned by William D., Paisley, Birmingham, Alabama Paisley advertised car for sale on 8/29/67. Purchased 8/30/67 Eric S. Galt purchased with $1,950 cash. Alabama drivers license issued to Eric Galt describes him as white male, born 7/20/31, 5'11", 175 lbs., brown hair, blue eyes, address 2608 Highland Ave., Birmingham, Alabama, Mustang located 4/11/68 in Atlanta, Georgia, as result of inquiry by local authorities to FBI National Crine Information Center, a. Mustang abandoned in area of low-income white housing project in Atlanta b. Eetreen 8:09 am and :00 on, 4/5/85 by white male, 5'11", 165 lbs, neatly dressed, who walked away after locking car. c. Speedometer on car when purchased 20,000 miles Speedometer on car when found in Atlanta, 39,000 miles ~2-
d. serviced in Hollywood, California (no date available) serviced in Los Angeles, California, 2/13/68 é,. Mexican tourist sticker indicated car entered Mexico at Nuevo Laredo, on 10/7/67 Ili. Evidence A. Fingerprint (latent) on map found in items believed left by Galt in Atlanta rooming house is identical with print found on gun believed to be murder weapon, B. Fingerprint (latent) found on gun identical with print found on binoculars purchased in Memphis and abandoned with gun. C. Fibers found on bedspread recovered with rifle believed to be the murder weapon and fibers found on sheet recovered from Galt's automobile indicate that the two items have been in physical contact. . IV. Subject James Earl Ray, aka Eric Starvo Galt, John Willard, Harvey Lowmeyer A. Identified with latent fingerprints on the rifle, binoculars, Schlitz beer can, shaving lotion bottle, and map recovered from roominghouse in Atlanta. j | Be Latent prints checked against more than 53,000 persons on whom wanted notices have been posted, C. Ray is escapee from a Missouri State prison, 4/23/67, serving 20 years for armed robbery and operating a motor vehicle without permission.On 3/17/60.he entered Missouri State prison. D. Born 3/10/28, Alton, Illinois Ee Obtained nsvechnlovical help from a clinical rsrcholesist in Los Angeles, California from 11/27/67 through 12/14/67. 1. Ray gave his true name and date of birth 2, Doctor described Ray as shy, introverted end withcrawn but not psychotic or plagued with neuroses. 3. Ray furnished little information regarding background 4, Ray paid cash for all but one consultation. -3~ | MW 55097 Boold: 32989551 Page 199 Co :
ev? Y : ®@ F. Arrest Record from 1949 - . va | J. Convicted of burglary ‘in’ Los Angeles in 1949 * 2. Armed Robbery in Chicago 1952 — 3. Forging and cashing U. S. Postal Money orders in ve Missouri in 1955 Prison record: was incarcerated in Los Angeles County Jail - 1949 , Illinois State Prison - 1952-54 Federal Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kansas, 1955-58 Received Missouri State Prison on 3/17/60 to serve 20 year sentence for armed robbery and operating a motor vehicle without permission of the owner Missing from prison 4/23/67 G. Bartender's school attended in Los Angeles from 1/19/68 to 3/2/68, under name of Mr. Willard, 751 Figueroa Street, LA. After graduation he declined to take job offered by school. H, Locksmith correspondence course, from 1500 Cardinal Drive, Little Falls, New Jersey. Enrolled as Eric S. Galt sub- mitting address of 2589 Rue Notre Dame, EST, Montreal, Canada. Submitted second address (no date) of 1535 N. serrano, Los Angeles, California. Submitted third change of address on 3/30/68 as 113 14th St., N. E., Atlanta, Ga. I. Characteristics 1. "Loner" operates and travels alone 2. Likes. to dance ~ took dancing lessons in Birmingham and Los Angeles 3. Drinks moderately 4. Avid reader of “girlie'’ magazines V. Foreign Travel A. Carada - Resided in Montreal aprroximetely 1) months ae Pan Suinuer of Loy f B. Mexico - Entered 10/7/67 in Puerto Vallarta Jalisio, Mexico until 11/13/67. Spent -considerabre-t ine With. Mexican prostitute, ema -Novakes, he MW 35037 Doocld: 32959551 Page 200
VI. Known residences and travel in the U. S. Birmingham, Alabama - 9/12/67 to 10/7/67 Los Angeles, California ~ 12/15/67 to 3/17/68 Atlanta, Georgia - 3/24/68 to 3/31/68 Memphis, Tennessee ~ 4/3/68 to 4/4/68 Traveled from Los Angeles to New Orleans, Louisiana and returned to Los Angeles from 12/15/67 to 12/21/67. VII. Prison associates NR nee Ne ge 4 Ae Raymond Louis Curtis - serving life sentence for murder 1. Curtis served time with Ray on three different occasions ‘ 2e Says Ray told him he engaged in burglaries and payroll jobs while overating out of Quincy, Illinois . 3. Ray claimed to have hoodlum contacts in Chicago, Detroit, Tampa and Tijuana 4. Ray allegedly told Curtis a dozen times that if { Martin Le King was alive when he “got out c of prison he would like to collect a bounty of $1,000,000 on king B. James T. Bond 1. States he knew Ray in Missouri State Priscn 2. Claimed Ray was dealer in amphetamine, 3. Said Ray was avid reader of sex books ~5- HW 35057 Doold: 32959551 Page 201 | EE