ATTORNEY GENERAL RAMSEY CLARK ANNOUNCED TODAY THAT ERIC STARVO GALT IS BEING SOUGHT BY THE FBI AS A FUGITIVE ON A FEDERAL CHARGE ARISING FROM THE FATAL SHOOTING OF REV. DR. MARTIN KING.

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Records Related to the Assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 00463173
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: July 16, 2025

104-10178-10438
araVVEll FOR Rana 1994
CM HISTORICAL REMY PROGRAIN
Attorney General Ramsey Clark announced today-Thar-- tit/
Eric Starvo Galt is being sought by the FBI as a fugitive on a Federal
�
charge arising from the fatal shooting of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 4, 1968.
..-- -
Director J. Edgar Hoover stated that a Federal complaint
was filed by the FBI in Birmingham, Alabama, today charging Gait with
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' conspiring to violate the civil rights of Dr. King in violation of Title 181. ..
_
-_Section 241, of the United States Code.
The FBI complaint charges that "On or about March 29,
1963, at Birmingham, Alabama, ...Eric Starvo Galt and an individual
<
whom he alleged to be his brother, entered into a conspiracy which
continued until on or about April 5, 1968, to injure, oppress, threaten,
or intimidate Martin Luther King, Jr., ...in the free exercise or enjoy-
ment of a right secured to him by the Constitution or laws of the United
States; namely, the right to freely travel from state to state. In.
. . furtherance of this conspiracy, Eric Starvo Galt did, on or about March 30,
1968, purchase a rifle at Birmingham, Alabama...."
.TQ,s 7F-1),(o--
17,i) )
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A � +
According to Mr. Hoover, a 30.06 rifle equipped with
a telescopic sight was found near a rooming house on. South Main
Street in Memphis immediately after the fatal shooting of Dr. King.
occurred. The rooming house Overlooks the Lorraine Hotel and Motel
where Dr. King was staying.
Mr. Hoover said that FBI Agents determined that the.
30.06 rifle had been purchased from a gun dealer in Birmingham,
Alabama, on March 30, 1968. The telescopic sight also was �
purchased from this dealer.
The FBI Director said that Galt, who has used the:
.
names of John Willard and Harvey Lowmyer in the past, is the owner
of a 1966 white Mustang bearing Alabama license plates which was
'located abandoned in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 11, 1968. Investigation
disclosed that Galt purchased this ear from .aprivate citizen in
Birmingham on August 30, 1967. The Mustang's odometer showed that
it had been driven more than 19,000 miles between late August, 1967,
and early April, 1968.
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According to Mr. Hoover, Gait's travels in the
Mustang included trips to Los Angeles, California; New Orleans, .
Louisiana; Birmingham, Alabama; and Mexico, as well as to
Memphis, Tennessee, and Atlanta, Georgia. C�alt was reported to � �
have been in Memphis on April 3 and 4, 1968, and to have departed
�.; .
from there for Atlanta. � � "
Intensive investigation by the FBI has disclosed that
�
Galt has claimed to have been employed as a cook on Mississippi
...�
River vessels and as a merchant seaman. .11-e is said to be an avid
dancer and took dancing lessons in New Orleans in 1964 and 1965; in
� Birmingham during September and October, 1967; and in Long Beach,'..1...
California, from December, 1967, to February, 1968.
-Galt left Los Angeles on December 15, .1967, and drove-.
� his white Mustang to New Orleans, where he claimed he contacted
either an engineering or a contracting firm. He left New Orleans on
� -
December 19th and arrived back in Los Angeles on December 21, 1967..
�,
�
While in-the Los Angeles area early this year, Galt �
� took a course at school of bartending and was graduated-on March 2,.
1963.
The fugitive is described as a white male. .1-1e .is
mately 5 feet 8 inches to 5 feet 11 inches tail an weighs between 1.60.
. and 175 pounds. He is said to be a neat dresser and has a-mt.-caum build.'
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Galt hs brown hair, which he wears in a "brush" cut.
He reportedly has blue eyes; hls nose is straight and narrow; his teeth
. .
� � are straight and clean; and he has given his date of birth as July 20, 1934'. � �
The fugitive is said to have a nervous habit of occasionally.'.....i;
; �
. pulling. at an ear lobe with his hand. His left ear protrudes farther from,:
� his head than his right .ear.
� According to Mr. Hoover, persons who have met Gait, ,
describe him as a "loner" and state his language and diction have a
� "rural" quality and suggest that he probably does not have a high degree
of education. He is said to drink alcoholic beverages and has a preference � '
. �
� for voca.a and beer. He is a fan of western and country music.,
�
firae.L.o) :�7 � � �
Galt should ho considered armed and. dangerous. Any .
information concerning him should be furnished immediately to the'
nearest FBI office.
,
e 53,g_ 75 -'2-�
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t'N � '
id 0 ta
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a Dr
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caarocterf, :n
r:fied so.
nod toe ;�.:4
; arc.a
. �
The aLine Of the raan litted on
ca:71 of the
' whi:e I�it..,:aaz car lini.cd to tho
is!ayiag is "Eric Starvo Galt."
The Fi;1 has beunable to Lad
anylmm; to ind;cate toot any
suzli a pc.:,..utt
:a Ayr. rizr.d'a cowl, "At-
Shruggcr:." tte leader of a
itlinta:ty of pzc,ple
s.::bect asab:e, creative and
tra-cor.servative is "Jan. Calt.".
sO.r.0 of ILn
Rend sio:ies, the :ean:.!
:cremy el' the str.tcs quo :s called
� Ayn :tame.% r.ovel bC1.n1, with
toe quote: "Vim./ is John GLit?", � ,:�..
er.:.racter f.O,g5 hid-
a from the reader for 014...'
i:rne
�.:�pears arc deLveis C
, :aci:..tion of :;aci4.v thsit!
some ti poe5 of ir.00n.;
4e. �
"Calt" lives MI
tl.e United State:: of tho fut'are iri
wtich the economy is my:iter-,
:y
�
� ._ � ,
.1:1 artist's 1:0oe:1
of (rti.
,i.en of ;.;;;: �
iwlj,k the givedy ,, .
:are ta:iin,r, ever.
of the compe:e:.t
,,iart of
the �!aoters 01:1
c�:;:sa ab.c men
�
Lee there CZ:11 be a
toc.al order.
'fo Loctr-,
�
1,'?'.1 1? 1C2 ,
r-z:�1 1
!t
���1 .
LAI .�
cri nre al:er,.13.
wlio ore:
evil l.a kl,;:�,,.oycsl. Galt ;
oakl
l'iN/s011. 00011.1
l.:�-11 of the ',Icon:, tax. a:, ad to
v: SO: i..; tv,:';'::1;e:
'Aegis:a:ion. At the cad.
and Ms caborts lie to the:r At.;
lamis thoy see NOV N't:rk
in in its last
Ernst Stavra Llac:d is the;,
much-less philosophical villain�,
of "Thunderb:.11" t.nd Lo Oalet;
Fl.:mir.; novels.
If the man who murdered
Iiing was 1:law:aced by the
views of the fictional characters,
or even just com.so.tee. an alias
from a comhin..ti.nt of tht
nar.;es, an invcsti;;:itor
ch�aw the coac:usi.:m the fu
Is a r.ta.1 5i0,i:i�eilik'5
lion or affinity for readir.;:. Per.
� sons 'who e::,,rn to seen ill
� sus:yeet, before and atiet tit
April 4 assassination, crh
;11....a M�esse,.: an
we:I-spoken.
The:T is sonic s',1.�.c:::atiaa (hi
he is 0 prefess:om.:
:hastill "airi,-..teix."
iarcs:ors rr
cletd.ls of the :.:ase sayiher
Is na reason to put I:lore en
in one idea of the