TRUE CRIME FRIDAY: THE DEATH OF BILLY THE KID

Ninetoes goes back to the New Mexico Territory and digs into the legend, lore, and facts behind Billy the Kid’s alleged execution at the hands of his best friend.

Hey there, true crime lovers! It is your favorite investigator, Ninetoes, coming to you from Ninetoes HQ, and I am on the beat with the death of Billy the Kid. I have my notebook in hand and coffee in my system, so let’s get to it!

On February 18, 1879, William H. Bonney and his friend Tom O’Folliard were in Lincoln, New Mexico. There, they witnessed the murder of attorney Huston Chapman, and then watched as Jesse Evans set his body on fire. The two claimed they were held at gunpoint as this was done. On March 13, Bonney wrote to Governor Lew Wallace and offered to provide details of what he had witnessed in exchange for amnesty. On March 15, Wallace wrote back agreeing to a secret meeting. The two met on March 17. During this meeting and in subsequent letters, Wallace promised to provide protection and grant clemency to Bonney in exchange for his testimony before a grand jury.

By March 20, 1879, Wallace wrote Bonney, telling him that he had put Sheriff Kimbrell in charge of Bonney’s arrest and promised that no violence would be used. Bonney agreed the same day to the arrest and being held in jail for his own safety. Bonney was arrested on the 21^st and provided testimony in court. The district attorney refused to set Bonney free after his testimony. After several weeks in jail, Bonney suspected that Wallace would never grant him amnesty, so he escaped from the county jail.

Billy saw some violence in 1880, most notably killing a man named Joe Grant, who had every intention of killing Billy. The end of the year found Billy at Jim Greahouse’s ranch, where he met Dave Rudabaugh. On November 29, they were cornered at the ranch by a posse led by sheriff’s deputy James Carlylse. Billy claimed to have Greathouse as a hostage. Carlysle offered to take Greathouse’s place, which Billy agreed to. When Carlysle tried to escape, Billy shot him three times, killing him. The posse withdrew, and Billy, Rudabaugh, and another man got away.

A few weeks after this incident, Billy and five other men rode into Fort Sumner. What they did not know was that Sheriff Par Garrett and his posse were waiting for them. Garrett men opened fire, killing Billy’s friend, Tom O’Folliard. Billy and the others got away.

On December 13, 1880, Governor Wallace posted a $500 bounty for Billy’s capture. Pat Garrett kept up the hunt. On December 23, Billy and three other men were captured by Garrett at Stinking Springs. The men were shackled and taken to Fort Sumner, and then to Las Vegas. From here, the men were taken to Santa Fe.

After arriving in Santa Fe, Billy still sought clemency from Governor Wallace and sent him four letters over the next three months. Wallace refused to intervene. In April 1881, Billy went to trial. Following two days of testimony, Billy was found guilty of killing Sheriff Brady during the Lincoln County War.

This was the only conviction received for any of the combatants of the war.

On April 13, 1881, Judge Warren Bristol sentenced Billy to hang. His execution date was set for May 13. Billy was then moved to the Lincoln County Courthouse, where he was held on the top floor until the sentence could be carried out.

On the evening of April 28, 1881, Deputy Bob Olinger took five prisoners across the street for a meal, leaving Deputy James Bell alone with Billy, who needed to use the outhouse that was behind the courthouse. On the way back up to the jail, Billy walked ahead of Deputy Bell and was able to hide behind a blind corner and slip out of his cuffs. When Bell caught up to him, Billy beat him with the cuffs and took his revolver. Billy shot Bell in the back, killing him. Billy then broke into Pat Garrett’s office and took the shotgun left behind by Deputy Olinger. When Olinger responded to the gunshot that killed Bell, Billy was by an open window and called out, “Look up, old boy, and see what you get.” When Olinger looked up, Billy shot him with the shotgun. An hour later, Billy was able to free himself from the leg irons with an axe, took a horse, and rode out of Lincoln.

Governor Wallace placed a new $500 bounty on Billy the Kid’s head.

Three months after Billy’s escape, Pat Garret heard rumors that he was in the vicinity of Fort Sumner. He left with two deputies to head there. Garrett went to question Pete Maxwell, a friend of Billy’s and the son of land baron Lucien Maxwell. The two spoke for several hours.

Around midnight, Garrett and Maxwell were speaking in Maxwell’s darkened bedroom when Billy came in. Billy was unable to recognize Garrett. He called out, “Quien es? Quien Es?” (Who is it in Spanish). Garret recognized Billy’s voice and fired twice in that direction. The first bullet struck Billy in the chest, above his heart. The second bullet missed.

A few hours after the shooting, the justice of the peace assembled a coroner’s jury of six people. They agreed that the body was indeed that of William H. Bonney. There was a wake by candlelight for Billy the Kid, and he was buried the next day, with a wooden marker denoting where he was placed.

The acting Governor, William G. Ritch, refused to pay Pat Garrett the $500 bounty.

Citizens of Las Vegas, Mesilla, Santa Fe, White Oaks, and other New Mexico cities raised over $7,000 in reward money for Garrett.

A year and four days after Billy the Kid’s death, the New Mexico Territorial legislature passed a special act to pay Pat Garret the $500 bounty.

Darren “Ninetoes” Perdue is a book and media reviewer. When he is not reading, he is watching true crime shows, cooking for his family, or working on a plan for universal domination. If you see him on his porch, say hi. He does not bite…much.

PLEASE NOTE: The views and opinions of the staff of Memento Mori Ink do not necessarily represent those of Memento Mori Ink or Crystal Lake Publishing. Thank you for understanding.