na March 5, 1968, Ray gafere a ihu nwughari (rhinoplasty), rụrụ site Dr. Russell Hadley. na March 18, 1968, Ray hapụrụ Los Angeles na malitere a cross-mba mbanye Atlanta, Georgia. -Abata na Atlanta na March 24, 1968, Ray enyocha n'ime a ụlọ. Ọ zụtara a map nke obodo. FBI elekọta mgbe e mesịrị hụrụ nke a map mgbe ha chọọ ụlọ nke ọ na-anọ na Atlanta. Na map, na ọnọdụ nke chọọchị na ebe obibi nke Martin Luther King Jr. e circled.Ray bụ n'oge na-adịghị na-aga ọzọ na ụgbọala ya Mustang ka Birmingham, Alabama. E nwere, na March 30, 1968, ọ zụtara a Remington 760 Gamster.30-06-caliber egbe na a igbe nke 20 cartridges si Aeromarine Supply Company. Ray zụrụ a Red Harvey 2-7x rifle, nke ọ na-enyocha na a ụlọ.
Memphis, Tennessee