Billy the Kid Shot Dead: Pat Garrett Ends the Legend
Pat Garrett had been tracking Billy the Kid for months when he got a tip that the outlaw was hiding at Pete Maxwell's ranch in Fort Sumner, New Mexico. On July 14, 1881, Garrett entered Maxwell's darkened bedroom to ask about Billy's whereabouts. The Kid walked in moments later, saw a figure in the shadows, and asked "Quien es?" Garrett fired twice. One bullet struck Billy in the chest, killing him instantly at age 21. William Henry McCarty, alias William Bonney, alias Billy the Kid, had killed at least four men, escaped from custody twice, including a double murder during a jailbreak, and become the most wanted man in the American Southwest. The legend grew far larger than the man.
July 14, 1881
145 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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