WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT ONE
OF AMERICA'S GREATEST OUTLAWS, BILLY THE KID, WASN'T
KILLED BY SHERIFF PAT GARRETT, BUT LIVED FOR DECADES LONGER
THAN ANYONE KNEW? MOST BELIEVE BILLY
WAS GUNNED DOWN IN COLD BLOOD ON JULY 14, 1881,
AT FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO. BUT THE ONLY WRITTEN ACCOUNT
OF THE EVENTS WAS AUTHORED BY GARRETT HIMSELF. [ GUNSHOT ] SOME SAY THERE'S NO WAY GARRETT COULD HAVE CAUGHT
THE NOTORIOUS GUNSLINGER BY SURPRISE AND CERTAINLY NO WAY
BILLY COULD HAVE BEEN OUTDRAWN BY THE BARTENDER TURNED LAWMAN. SINCE BILLY'S SUPPOSED DEATH
130 YEARS AGO, MULTIPLE MEN
HAVE CLAIMED TO BE THE KID, BUT ATTEMPTS TO TEST
THE DNA OF THESE MEN AGAINST THE TRUE OUTLAW'S MOTHER HAVE BEEN THWARTED
BY THE COURTS. AND TO TOP IT OFF, THE GRAVE WHERE GARRETT
REPORTEDLY BURIED THE KID HAS TWICE FLOODED, LEAVING THE WHEREABOUTS
OF THE BODY IN QUESTION. SO WHAT REALLY HAPPENED? IT'S TIME TO DECODE
BILLY THE KID. I'M BRAD MELTZER. I'VE SPENT MY LIFE
COLLECTING STORIES -- SIGNS, SYMBOLS, AND CODES
HIDDEN IN PLAIN SIGHT. SOME HAVE BECOME THE BASIS
FOR MY NOVELS, BUT I'VE ONLY SCRATCHED
THE SURFACE. AND NOW HISTORY
HAS GIVEN ME THE RESOURCES TO INVESTIGATE THE REST. THIS IS "DECODED." THE STORY OF BILLY THE KID
AND PAT GARRETT DOESN'T START AT FORT SUMNER. IT STARTS IN LINCOLN COUNTY,
NEW MEXICO. BILLY'S MOTHER DIED
WHEN HE WAS 14, AND AFTER A QUICK STAY
IN A FOSTER HOME, HE FORGED OUT INTO THE WORLD
ALONE. AT 16, HE'D BEEN ARRESTED
AND BROKEN OUT OF JAIL FOR THE VERY FIRST TIME. AND AT 17,
HE DECIDED TO GO LEGIT, COMING TO LINCOLN WITH THE GOAL
OF WORKING AS A CATTLE HAND. Gardner: IT'S BEEN CALLED
THE DEADLIEST MILE IN AMERICA. IN 1878 AND '79,
IT WAS PRETTY BAD. BILLY HAS BECOME A FOLK HERO, AND HE'S THAT
LARGER-THAN-LIFE FIGURE BECAUSE HE WAS LARGER THAN LIFE
IN HIS OWN TIME. Meltzer:
BILLY WAS AN ORPHAN. BY THE TIME HE HIT LINCOLN, HE'D ALSO ALREADY BEEN
A HORSE THIEF, A CATTLE RUSTLER,
AND A SMALL-TIME CROOK. HE SEEMED TO BE
ONE OF THOSE OUTLAWS WHO WOULD BURN OUT
INSTEAD OF FADE AWAY. BUT HE KNEW
THAT LIFE WAS PERILOUS AND THAT TO LIVE THAT WAY
MEANT DYING YOUNG. SO WHEN HE DECIDED TO GO HONEST, HE NEEDED SOMEONE
TO TAKE A CHANCE ON HIM. ONE MAN DID -- JOHN TUNSTALL,
A WEALTHY CATTLEMAN. HE HIRED BILLY
TO WORK AS A RANCHER, AND THE KID WAS GRATEFUL AND
GREW VERY ATTACHED TO TUNSTALL. BUT SOON AFTER BILLY STARTED,
TUNSTALL WAS ASSASSINATED, ENRAGING THE KID. THIS ONE DEATH PUT BILLY BACK
ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE LAW. [ GUNSHOT ] Levy: DO WE KNOW
WHO BILLY THE KID WAS? Gardner: ALL WE KNOW
IS WHAT THE PEOPLE THAT KNEW HIM AND WERE CLOSE TO HIM TELL US. HE SPOKE FLUENT
NEW MEXICAN SPANISH. HE WAS REPUTED TO BE
A WONDERFUL DANCER. HAD A SINGING VOICE. HE WAS FUN-LOVING.
HE WAS FULL OF MISCHIEF. Meltzer: DURING HIS LIFE,
HE WAS KNOWN BY VARIOUS NAMES. THE KID WAS BORN
TO CATHERINE McCARTY, AND AS A CHILD, HE WAS KNOWN AS
WILLIAM HENRY McCARTY. HIS MOTHER THEN REMARRIED
A MAN NAMED ANTRIM, AND HE'S OFTEN REFERRED TO
IN HIS TEENS AS WILLIAM ANTRIM. AND THEN LATER IN LIFE,
ON HIS SUPPOSED TOMBSTONE, HE'S REFERRED TO
AS WILLIAM H. BONNY. SO HOW'D HE GET THE NICKNAME
"THE KID"? HE USED TO USE THE ALIAS
"KID ANTRIM." ANTRIM WAS
HIS STEPFATHER'S NAME. HIS SMALL SIZE AND APPEARANCE THEN LED TO HIM USING
JUST "THE KID." BUT LITTLE IS KNOWN
ABOUT EXACTLY WHERE BILLY WAS IN THE YEARS
BETWEEN HIS MOTHER'S DEATH AND HIS APPEARANCE IN LINCOLN. IN FACT, HE WAS SO ANONYMOUS, THERE'S ONLY ONE
AUTHENTICATED IMAGE OF THE GUY. AND IT SOLD AT AUCTION
FOR $2.3 MILLION. Gardner: HE WAS NOT PHOTOGENIC.
[ CHUCKLES ] THAT'S THE WORST $2.3 MILLION
PHOTO I'VE EVER SEEN. [ Laughing ]
I THINK SO, TOO. WHAT'S SO INTERESTING
IS THAT THE PHOTO DOESN'T LOOK LIKE
THE DESCRIPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AS FAR AS HOW ATTRACTIVE HE WAS. AND I THINK THERE WAS
SOMETHING ABOUT HIM, HIS PERSONALITY,
THAT WAS LARGER THAN LIFE. AND IT'S HARD TO TRANSFER THAT. I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE A DESCENDANT
OF BILLY THE KID. THAT IS CORRECT.
I'M HIS GREAT-GRANDSON. THIS IS SORT OF GROUND ZERO
FOR THE LINCOLN COUNTY WAR. THIS IS WHERE
IT ALL KIND OF STARTED. TUNSTALL HAD A BITTER RIVAL
IN LINCOLN, AND THE BATTLE
FOR CONTROL OF THE AREA QUICKLY BECAME KNOWN
AS THE LINCOLN COUNTY WAR. IT WAS VIOLENT. THEY DECIDED
THEY WOULD KILL TUNSTALL. AND THEY SHOT HIM. [ GUNSHOT ] COLD BLOOD,
AS WE KNOW IT NOWADAYS. SO BILLY GOT MAD.
HE SAYS, "YOU KILLED MY BUDDY. YOU KILLED MY BOSS.
YOU CAN'T GET AWAY WITH THAT." Gardner:
WHEN JOHN HENRY TUNSTALL WAS MURDERED
IN FEBRUARY OF 1878, BILLY WENT WILD. HE SAID, "I'LL GET SOME OF THEM
BEFORE I DIE." THEY RODE INTO TOWN,
AND THEY GOT DEPUTIZED, AND THEY CALLED THEMSELVES
THE REGULATORS. THEY WERE GONNA REGULATE
THINGS. Meltzer: BILLY AND HIS BAND OF
OUTLAWS ONLY WANTED ONE THING -- THE THING EVERY GREAT WESTERN
IS BASED ON -- REVENGE. THE REGULATORS BELIEVED THE LOCAL JUDGE AND SHERIFF
WERE MURDERERS AND THIEVES. SO WHEN THEY SOUGHT TO BRING
TUNSTALL'S KILLERS TO JUSTICE, MOST OF THE LOCALS
ABSOLUTELY AGREED WITH THEM. BILLY THE KID KIND OF SOUNDS
LIKE A HERO AT THIS POINT. WELL, YOU KNOW,
THE HISPANICS IN THAT DAY, THEY DID REFER TO HIM
AS A ROBIN HOOD-TYPE GUY BECAUSE HE PALLED AROUND,
HE UNDERSTOOD, HE TOOK THE TIME
TO COMMUNICATE WITH THEM. RIGHT. WHILE SOME VIEW BILLY THE KID
AS A HERO, MOST THOUGHT OF HIM
AS AN OUTLAW. BUT LIKE ALL THINGS WITH BILLY, THERE'S DEBATE ABOUT JUST
HOW MANY CRIMES HE COMMITTED AND A HUGE AMOUNT
OF BACK-AND-FORTH ABOUT JUST HOW MANY MEN
HE KILLED. SOME SAY 26.
OTHERS SAY 21. SOME BELIEVE IT WAS AS FEW
AS NINE OR EVEN FOUR. BUT WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THAT BILLY ESCAPED FROM
THREE JAILS IN HIS LIFETIME, AND THE LIST OF CRIMES
HE COMMITTED WAS A LONG ONE, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMEONE
WHO WAS JUST 21 YEARS OLD. SO, WHO DID BILLY THE KID
ACTUALLY KILL TO GET IN SO MUCH TROUBLE,
THOUGH? HE WAS INDICTED
FOR KILLING SHERIFF BRADY. SO, HERE'S WHAT HAPPENS. SHERIFF BRADY
REFUSES TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE MURDER
OF BILLY'S FRIEND TUNSTALL. SO WHAT DO THE REGULATORS DO? THEY BLAST SHERIFF BRADY
DEAD IN THE STREET. AND NOW THERE'S A DEAD SHERIFF,
WHICH MEANS ONE THING -- SOMEONE HAS TO HANG. BUT LINCOLN NEEDED A BRAND-NEW
SHERIFF TO TRACK THE REGULATORS. Levy: WHERE DOES PAT GARRETT
COME INTO PLAY? PAT GARRETT, HE RUNS
FOR SHERIFF, HE GETS ELECTED. AND HE RUNS ON,
YOU KNOW, THE PROMISE, "I'M GONNA GET BILLY THE KID."
AND HE DOES. Meltzer:
BEFORE PAT GARRETT WAS A LAWMAN, HE WAS A BARTENDER
AND A BUFFALO HUNTER, BUT HE WAS GOOD WITH A GUN AND
A LOGICAL CHOICE TO BE SHERIFF. STANDING 6'4", GARRETT
POSSESSED A COMMANDING PRESENCE, AND IT DIDN'T TAKE HIM LONG
TO HUNT DOWN BILLY. HERE'S HOW IT HAPPENED --
JUST BEFORE CHRISTMAS 1880, GARRETT'S POSSE
TRACKED THE REGULATORS TO AN ABANDONED BUILDING, AND HE TRAPPED THEM INSIDE
WITH NO FOOD. BUT GARRETT WAS SMART. HE IMMEDIATELY STARTED COOKING, INVITING BILLY TO COME OUT
AND JOIN HIM FOR BREAKFAST. BILLY QUICKLY TOLD GARRETT,
"GO TO HELL." BUT FACING STARVATION, BILLY EVENTUALLY HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO TURN HIMSELF IN. THAT'S HOW BILLY THE KID
GOT CAPTURED. AND THAT'S THE POWER OF BACON. BILLY WAS TRIED, AND HE WAS SENTENCED TO HANG
IN LINCOLN. THE JUDGE TOLD THE JURY, WHO
COULDN'T UNDERSTAND ENGLISH -- THEY WERE ALL MEXICANS -- HE TOLD THEM, "MAKE SURE
YOU FIND THIS GUY GUILTY." SO IT WAS JUST RIGGED.
BUT HE'S CONVICTED THERE. IT WAS RIGGED. HE'S CONVICTED
AND SENTENCED TO HANG. AND THEY BROUGHT HIM BACK
TO LINCOLN TO THIS COURTHOUSE AND THEY PUT HIM UPSTAIRS. IT WASN'T A JAIL.
IT WAS JUST A ROOM. AND THAT WAS THEIR
FIRST MISTAKE, HUH? GARRETT HAD BILLY
UNDER 24-HOUR SURVEILLANCE, ASSIGNING TWO GUARDS TO HIM
AT ALL TIMES TO MAKE SURE
THE OUTLAW COULD NOT ESCAPE. BUT BILLY WAS RESOURCEFUL WHEN
HE WAS BACKED INTO A CORNER. DON'T FORGET, HE'D ALREADY
BROKEN OUT OF TWO JAILS. PLUS, GARRETT WAS NEW
TO THE LAW GAME. HE WAS SIMPLY OUTMATCHED
BY THE KID. SAYING HE NEEDED TO PREPARE THE
GALLOWS FOR THE KID'S HANGING, PAT GARRETT LEFT TOWN AND MADE
THE BIGGEST MISTAKE OF ALL -- HE TOOK HIS EYES OFF THE KID. RIGHT THERE, BILLY ESCAPED, KILLING TWO OF GARRETT'S GUARDS
IN THE PROCESS AND FLEEING WEST. BUT HERE'S WHAT MAKES NO SENSE. WHY DID GARRETT LEAVE TOWN WHEN HE COULD HAVE SENT
ANY OF HIS DEPUTIES -- ANYBODY, REALLY --
TO PREPARE THOSE GALLOWS? Levy:
LET'S CALL BRAD. [ CAR SYSTEM BEEPS ] Woman:<i>
CALL BRAD MELTZER ON CELL.</i> I LOVE HER. How goes the search? THE PROBLEM IS THAT PAT GARRETT LITERALLY
WROTE THE BOOK ON BILLY THE KID. THE WINNER GETS TO WRITE HISTORY
IN THIS CASE. IT'S A LITTLE SUSPICIOUS. WHAT'S INTERESTING TO ME IS THAT EVEN THE HISTORICALLY
ACCEPTED VERSION IS KIND OF FLIMSY. I hear you,
but let's not forget there are other people telling
a very different story. Remember, Pat Garrett
had Billy in his custody, so for Garrett
to kill the kid in Fort Sumner, that means he first has to
let him escape from Lincoln. If we want to test that theory, we should look into
exactly how Billy managed to get out of the courthouse,
kill those guards, and become the outlaw
known as Billy the Kid. WELL, WE'D BETTER PUT ON
SOME WESTERN MUSIC AND JUST GIDDYUP. Meltzer:
THE LEGENDS OF THE WILD WEST ARE, FOR THE MOST PART,
IMPOSSIBLE TO VERIFY. THEY ALL SOMEHOW START IN TRUTH, BUT THEN THEY VEER
IN A VARIETY OF DIRECTIONS. THE STORY OF BILLY THE KID
IS NO EXCEPTION. MOST BELIEVE BILLY WAS SHOT
BY SHERIFF PAT GARRETT ON JULY 14th
AT FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO. BUT FROM THE BEGINNING, SOME HAVE DOUBTED
THE ACCOUNTS OF THE STORY. AND HERE'S WHY. EVERYTHING WE KNOW ABOUT BILLY'S
DEATH COMES FROM ONE BOOK -- "THE AUTHENTIC LIFE
OF BILLY THE KID." AND THAT BOOK WAS LITERALLY
WRITTEN BY PAT GARRETT, THE MAN WHO KILLED HIM. IT'D BE LIKE JACK RUBY WRITING
OSWALD'S BIOGRAPHY -- AN AWESOME READ,
BUT NOT EXACTLY TRUSTWORTHY. McKinley:
HEY, BILLY. THAT SAID,
HERE'S WHERE IT GETS GOOD. WHAT WE DID
WAS WE STARTED BREAKING IT DOWN LIKE YOU WOULD
ANY KIND OF SHOOTING -- LOOKING AT THE FACTS,
LOOKING AT THE WITNESSES, AND THEN LOOKING
TO THE FORENSICS. MY OPINION IS THAT THEIR STORIES
DON'T MAKE SENSE. AS AN INVESTIGATOR, I WOULD LIKE
TO BE ABLE TO LOOK AT GARRETT AND GO, "WAIT A MINUTE. THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN,
AND YOU KNOW IT DIDN'T HAPPEN." WOW. SO, WHEN YOU
LOOK AT SOMETHING LIKE THE KIND OF
HISTORICAL PARTY LINE, IS THERE ANYTHING
THAT SEEMED FISHY TO YOU ABOUT THOSE PROCEEDINGS? ALL OF IT. ALL OF IT? ALL OF IT. Meltzer:
ACCORDING TO GARRETT'S BOOK, BILLY THE KID STOLE A GUN
FROM THE ARMORY, AND AS DEPUTY BELL
TRIED TO RUN AWAY, GARRETT CLAIMS THAT BILLY
SHOT THE DEFENSELESS DEPUTY IN THE BACK
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS. SHOOTING A MAN IN THE BACK? GARRETT'S VERSION
MAKES BILLY OUT TO BE A COLD-BLOODED, RUTHLESS KILLER. THE WERE TWO DEPUTIES
GUARDING THE KID. OLLINGER WAS ONE OF THEM. HE TOOK FIVE PRISONERS
ACROSS THE STREET TO THE WORTLEY HOTEL
TO HAVE DINNER. THE KID WAS LEFT HERE
WITH BELL -- J.W. BELL. WE KNOW THAT J.W. BELL TOOK
THE KID OUTSIDE TO THE OUTHOUSE. WHEN THEY CAME BACK IN
IS WHEN EVERYTHING GETS MURKY. WE BELIEVE
THAT THE EVIDENCE WOULD SUPPORT THAT THERE WAS A GUN
IN THE OUTHOUSE. REALLY? Levy: WOW. I THOUGHT THAT BILLY THE KID
TOOK THE GUN FROM THE OFFICER. THERE'S DOCUMENTS OUT THERE
FROM A FRIEND OF GARRETT'S THAT SAYS THAT BELL'S GUN
WAS STILL IN HIS HOLSTER, SO THAT GUN'S
ACCOUNTED FOR. Meltzer: GARRETT SAID BILLY
GOT THE GUN OUT OF THE ARMORY. OTHERS BELIEVE THE KID SHOT
DEPUTY BELL WITH BELL'S OWN GUN, AND NOW WE HEAR THAT DEPUTY
BELL'S GUN WAS STILL ON HIS BELT WHEN HE WAS FOUND DEAD. SEE WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE? SOME EXPERTS, LIKE STEVEN, BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING
MUCH MURKIER WAS GOING ON. GARRETT SAYS THE KID
QUIETLY RUSHES UP THE STEPS, HE BREAKS INTO THE ARMORY,
HE GETS A GUN. WELL, IF YOU
REALLY BREAK THIS DOWN, YOU'VE GOT CHAINS -- 17 INCHES
OF CHAIN BETWEEN YOUR LEGS. YOU COME UP THE STAIRS QUIETLY,
THAT DOESN'T WORK. YOU BREAK INTO AN ARMORY, YOU
HAVE TO PUT YOUR SHOULDER TO IT. EVEN IF THE LOCK'S BAD,
IT'S GONNA MAKE SOME NOISE. YOU PICK UP A GUN THAT
YOU DON'T KNOW IS LOADED OR NOT AND YOU APPROACH A GUY
AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS WITH A LOADED PISTOL. AS A COP,
NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE. WITH THOSE CHAINS
ON HIS LEGS, THERE'S NO WAY HE WAS
SNEAKING IN TO THAT ARMORY, WHICH MEANS
BILLY POTENTIALLY HAD HELP -- THAT AN ACCOMPLICE LEFT THAT GUN
IN THE OUTHOUSE. GARRETT LIES
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED HERE BECAUSE HE SAYS THAT BELL WAS
SHOT AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STEPS. WE FIND THE BLOOD
AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS. HERE'S WHY THE BLOOD
ON THE STAIRS MATTERS. IF THE BLOOD IS AT THE TOP OF
THE STAIRS AND NOT THE BOTTOM, THAT DOESN'T JUST MEAN
GARRETT HAD IT WRONG. IT MEANS HE POTENTIALLY LIED ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED
AT THAT COURTHOUSE, CASTING DOUBT
ON HIS ENTIRE STORY. YOU ACTUALLY FOUND BLOOD
ON THE FLOOR? YES. HOW DID YOU DO THAT? THE FORENSIC TEAM
SPRAYED LUMINOL ON THE FLOOR. SO LUMINOL WAS ACTUALLY ABLE
TO FIND BLOOD THAT HAD BEEN THERE
FOR WELL OVER 100 YEARS? YEAH. I WAS SHOCKED. YEAH, ME TOO. LUMINOL IS A CHEMICAL COMPOUND THAT'S USED TO DETECT BLOOD
AT CRIME SCENES. IT EMITS A BLUE GLOW WHEN IT REACTS
WITH THE IRON FOUND IN BLOOD, IN THIS CASE,
FROM AN INVISIBLE STAIN. SEDERWALL FOUND
DEFINITE EVIDENCE OF SOME BLOOD
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, AND NONE
AT THE BOTTOM OF THE STAIRS. AND YES,
I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING. HOW DO WE KNOW
IT'S THE DEPUTY'S BLOOD? SO LET ME TELL YOU FIRST, SEDERWALL FOUND
TWO LITERS OF BLOOD. THAT'S 40%
OF THE BLOOD IN YOUR BODY -- CONSISTENT WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND. AND THERE WERE NO OTHER REPORTED
SHOOTINGS IN THE COURTHOUSE. SEDERWALL EVEN FOUND RECORDS
FROM THE TIME OF THE SHOOTING. AFTER GARRETT LEFT, THE NEXT SHERIFF'S WIFE
REPORTS HAVING TO CLEAN UP BLOOD RIGHT THERE
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS. AND THEN COUPLED WITH THAT,
WHY IS GARRETT OUT OF TOWN WHEN HIS PRIZE PRISONER
IS RIGHT HERE IN THIS CORNER? I'D LIKE TO KNOW. YEAH.
[ CHUCKLES ] DOES THAT MAKE YOU WONDER
ABOUT GARRETT? IT MADE ME WONDER
RIGHT UP FRONT. IF I'M THE SHERIFF AND I GET ELECTED
BY WHAT PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT ME, THIS IS THE BIGGEST STORY
IN THE TERRITORY. THEN THERE'S RUMORS THAT HE WAS GETTING THE WOOD
FOR THE GALLOWS. WELL, IF I'M THE SHERIFF,
I'M GONNA SEND YOU, DEPUTY, TO GO GET THE WOOD
FOR THE GALLOWS. I'M GONNA STAY HERE
WHERE THE STORY'S AT. SO WE COULDN'T FIGURE OUT
WHY WOULD GARRETT LEAVE. WE KNOW GARRETT LIED
FROM THE FORENSIC. WHY DID HE LIE? OH, AND BY THE WAY, THERE'S A $500 REWARD
THAT PAT GARRETT COLLECTED. YEAH, YEAH. SO DO YOU THINK
THEY WERE IN ON IT? YOU DECIDE. NOT ONLY IS HE SAYING THAT
THE COMMONLY ACCEPTED ACCOUNT OF THE SHOOTING WASN'T TRUE. HE'S SAYING THAT PAT GARRETT, BILLY THE KID'S
SUPPOSED MORTAL ENEMY, IS THE ONE
WHO HELPED BILLY ESCAPE. AND THE CRAZY PART IS, GARRETT HELPING THE KID
MAKES A TON OF SENSE. THAT EXPLAINED
WHY GARRETT WENT OUT OF TOWN AND TURNED HIS BACK
ON A KNOWN ESCAPE ARTIST. WHEN BILLY ESCAPES, NOW
THEY GET TO SPLIT THE REWARD. AND THINK ABOUT THE STORY
GARRETT TOLD. DID BILLY SHOOT
THE DEFENSELESS DEPUTY BELL IN THE BACK AS HE RAN AWAY? OR WAS BILLY FORCED
TO SHOOT BELL AS THEY STRUGGLED
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS? AND IF THE SHOOTING DID TAKE
PLACE AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS, COULD DEPUTY OLLINGER
HAVE HEARD IT ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STREET? ANSWERING THESE QUESTIONS
WILL GO A LONG WAY TO ADDRESSING WHETHER OR NOT GARRETT WAS CREATING
THE STORY OF A RUTHLESS VILLAIN IN ORDER TO MAKE HIMSELF
AN EVEN BIGGER HERO. LET'S SHOOT GUNS. ALL RIGHT. [ LAUGHS ] I'M GONNA KEEP THAT UP. SURE THAT WAS
A GOOD IDEA? [ CHUCKLES ] THIS IS THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
RIGHT HERE. THIS IS THE STAIRWELL. Levy: AND THIS WHERE
YOU FOUND THE BLOOD HERE AT THE TOP
OF THE STAIRS? FOR THE REENACTMENT,
BILLY DIDN'T HAVE THIS YET, SO I'M GONNA
PUT IT DOWN HERE. Rolle: WHY DON'T I RUN OVER
TO THE WORTLEY HOTEL, AND THEN I'LL LET YOU KNOW
WHETHER I HEAR THIS THING, OKAY? KEEP IN TOUCH WITH ME
ON THE RADIO. OKAY. ALL RIGHT. WILL YOU TAKE US THROUGH
WHAT HAPPENED UP HERE? BELL HAS JUST TAKEN THE KID
TO THE OUTHOUSE. THE KID FINDS A GUN
IN THE OUTHOUSE, PUTS IT UNDER HIS SHIRT. HE'S COMING UP THE STEPS
IN FRONT OF BELL. WHAT HE DOES IS WHEN HE
GETS TO THE TOP OF THE STEPS, HE PULLS THE GUN OUT
FROM UNDERNEATH HIS SHIRT, HE TURNS ON BELL. WHAT HAPPENS IS BELL LUNGES
WITH HIS RIGHT HAND, GRABS THE GUN
AND LINES IT UP. HE'S LIKE THIS, SO THAT EXPLAINS
WHEN GARRETT TALKS ABOUT HE'S SHOT RIGHT TO LEFT
UNDER THE ARMPIT. THE KID TRIES TO STEP BACKWARDS.
HE'S OFF BALANCE, GOES DOWN. WHAT HAPPENS IS ALL YOUR MUSCLES
TIGHTEN UP WHEN THAT HAPPENS. WHEN IT DID,
HIS TRIGGER FINGER TIGHTENED UP, BELL'S GOT THE GUN
LINED UP. THAT'S HOW I SEE IT. OKAY. WELL, I GUESS WE'VE GOT TO
CHECK IT OUT. SCOTT, LET US KNOW WHEN
YOU'RE SET UP AT THE WORTLEY. OKAY, BUDDY,
I'M IN THE ROOM IN THE HOTEL, ACTUALLY IN THE DINING ROOM WHERE OLLINGER
WOULD HAVE HEARD THE SHOT FIRED. I'M READY TO GO. WOULD YOU
LIKE TO DO THE HONORS? McKinley:
I'D LOVE TO. Levy:
ALL RIGHT. CAREFUL. ALL RIGHT. [ GUN COCKS ] OKAY, THERE'S A SCUFFLE.
BILLY'S PULLED THE GUN. HE'S GONNA SHOOT! [ GUNSHOT ] OKAY.
I DEFINITELY HEARD IT. IT'S CLEAR THAT IT'S A GUNSHOT. AND YOU CAN HEAR IT FROM
OVER HERE, NO QUESTION ABOUT IT. AND THIS DOES NOT JIBE WITH
WHAT PAT GARRETT SAID HAPPENED. THE BLOOD
IS AT THE TOP OF THE STEPS. PAT GARRETT SAYS
THAT THE KID SHOOTS BELL WHEN HE'S 12 STEPS DOWN. IT DIDN'T HAPPEN THAT WAY.
IT HAPPENED RIGHT HERE. LEVY:
All right, Ollinger. Hey, head on over here to
the corner of the courthouse. AND BILLY'S GOT
A DOUBLE-BARREL FOR YOU. OKAY, SO,
BELL'S DOWN UPSTAIRS. HE'S BLEEDING OUT
ON THE STAIRS. AND OLLINGER IS HAULING ASS
OVER HERE TO SEE WHAT HAPPENED. IN GARRETT'S RECOUNTING
OF THE EVENTS THAT DAY, HE ALWAYS CLAIMED BILLY KILLED
DEPUTY BELL WITHOUT REMORSE. BUT PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE KID SAID HE REGRETTED KILLING BELL,
WHO WAS FRIENDLY WITH HIM. BUT HERE'S WHERE THERE'S
NO DISPUTE -- THE KID HATED DEPUTY OLLINGER. MANY HAVE SAID THAT
OLLINGER LOVED TORMENTING BILLY, SO MUCH SO
THAT HE EVEN WENT OUT OF HIS WAY TO BUY A NEW 10-GAUGE SHOTGUN
TO GUARD HIM WITH. SO WHAT DOES THE KID DO? HE GOES OUT OF<i> HIS</i> WAY
TO FIND OLLINGER'S NEW SHOTGUN AFTER HE SHOOTS BELL. AND HE LINES UP FOR A KILL SHOT
AT OLLINGER. SO WHEN THE DEPUTY
COMES RUNNING ACROSS THE STREET TOWARD THE BACK DOOR
OF THE BUILDING, BILLY'S PERFECTLY POSITIONED
TO PICK HIM OFF. SOME MAY SEE HIM AS A HERO,
BUT WELCOME TO THE WILD WEST. BILLY THE KID IS STILL A KILLER. SO HE'S IN THAT WINDOW,
BILLY THE KID, WITH THAT KIND OF SHOTGUN. Levy:
DOUBLE-BARREL. SHOT HIM
WITH HIS OWN GUN. OOH. WITH HIS OWN GUN? HIS OWN GUN. SEE, HE HAD TO SHOOT BELL, BUT HE JUST WANTED TO
SHOOT OLLINGER. THAT'S KIND OF
WHAT I'M THINKING, YEAH. THERE'S NO DISPUTING
THAT BILLY KILLED TWO GUARDS DURING HIS ESCAPE,
BUT FROM WHAT WE CAN TELL, THE EVIDENCE DOESN'T LINE UP WITH THE ACCOUNT
THAT PAT GARRETT CREATED. SO NOW WE'VE GOT TWO INSTANCES
WHERE GARRETT MAY HAVE LIED ABOUT THE DEATH
OF BILLY THE KID. AND IF THAT'S THE CASE, WHAT ELSE DID GARRETT LIE ABOUT
AND WHY? BILLY THE KID BECAME
BILLY THE KID ON THIS NIGHT. YEAH. I THINK
IF THEY'D HAVE HUNG HIM, HE'D HAVE BEEN
A FOOTNOTE IN HISTORY. WHEN HE ESCAPED UP HERE, KILLS
TWO DEPUTIES, THE STORY STARTS. NOW HE'S A LEGEND. THAT'S IT. BILLY THE KID WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST LEGENDS OF THE WILD WEST. HE WAS GLORIFIED AND
MYTHICALLY DEIFIED BY THE PRESS. GUNFIGHTS, JAILBREAKS,
HORSE CHASES, BILLY THE KID BUSTING OUT OF
THE LINCOLN COUNTY COURTHOUSE. HERE WERE THE BEGINNINGS
OF THE VERY FIRST OUTLAW STORY. BUT BILLY'S NOT THE ONLY LEGEND
TO EMERGE FROM LINCOLN COUNTY. PAT GARRETT BECAME A LEGEND
WHEN HE KILLED THE KID, BUT AS WE LOOK
AT THE EVIDENCE -- AT THE BLOOD ON THOSE STEPS -- SOME OF HIS STORY
JUST DOESN'T HOLD UP. SO ASK YOURSELF --
WHO'S THE ONE PERSON WHO COULD HAVE KNOWN THE INNER
WORKINGS OF THE COURTHOUSE AND THE GUARDS' SCHEDULE AND
THE BEST PLACE TO HIDE A PISTOL AND WHO COULD MAKE SURE THAT
THE SHERIFF WAS OUT OF TOWN? I'LL TELL YOU WHO -- THE SHERIFF HIMSELF,
PAT GARRETT. SO DO YOU THINK THAT,
BASED ON THE FORENSIC EVIDENCE AND EVERYTHING ELSE
THAT YOU'VE BEEN ABLE TO PROVE HERE AT THE COURTHOUSE,
THAT HISTORY IS CHANGED? I THINK IT'S CLARIFIED. Levy: GARDNER WROTE THE
PARTY LINE OF THE GARRETT STORY, BUT THEN SEDERWALL BLEW
A BUNCH OF HOLES IN THAT STORY. AND THE HOLE BIG ENOUGH
TO RIDE A HORSE THROUGH, FOR ME, IS WHY WOULD
GARRETT LEAVE TOWN JUST BEFORE BILLY'S ESCAPE? WAS HE WORKING OUT A DEAL
WITH BILLY IN THE MEANTIME OR SOMETHING? IF BILLY AND PAT GARRETT
WERE IN CAHOOTS, THEN WE NEED TO QUESTION WHETHER GARRETT
WOULD HAVE REALLY KILLED HIM. THE LEGEND
HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE SAME -- THAT ON JULY 14, 1881, BILLY THE KID ENTERED A DARKENED
ROOM IN FORT SUMNER, NEW MEXICO, WITH A GUN IN HIS HAND. SHERIFF PAT GARRETT
JUST HAPPENED TO BE IN THAT ROOM LOOKING FOR BILLY. AND HE DIDN'T WAIT. HE DREW FIRST
AND SHOT BILLY IN COLD BLOOD. [ GUNSHOTS ] NOW BUDDY, MAC, AND SCOTT HAVE FOUND HOLES
IN GARRETT'S STORY. SO WE UNDERSTAND YOU'RE THE
SECOND COUSIN OF BILLY THE KID. SECOND COUSIN,
ONCE REMOVED. DID YOU HAVE
REASON TO BELIEVE THAT HE LIVED LONGER
THAN THE REST OFS THINK? YES. MY GRANDFATHER
TALKED TO BILLY THE KID IN A BAR IN NEW MEXICO LONG AFTER
HE HAD SUPPOSEDLY DIED. HE WAS SURPRISED TO SEE HIM,
AND HE ASKED HIM WHAT HAPPENED. YOU KNOW,
"WHY AREN'T YOU DEAD?" AND BILLY TOLD HIM
THAT A MEXICAN MAN HAD BEEN KILLED
BY PAT GARRETT AND THAT THEY HAD
SUBSTITUTED HIS BODY FOR BILLY AND THAT
BILLY TOLD MY GRANDFATHER THAT HE HAD GONE
TO GLOBE, ARIZONA, AND HE HAD MARRIED A MEXICAN
WOMAN AND HAD A BOY AND A GIRL. OKAY.
TIME TO CALL CRAZY COINCIDENCE. HERE'S PAT GARRETT'S
VERSION OF THE STORY. HE KNOWS BILLY THE KID
IS ON THE LAM AND HIDING AT PETE MAXWELL'S
HOUSE IN FORT SUMNER. SO GARRETT TAKES
TWO OF HIS DEPUTIES TO TOWN, AND WHEN HE'S TALKING TO MAXWELL
IN MAXWELL'S DARKENED BEDROOM, WHO WALKS IN? WHAT GOOD LUCK.
IT'S BILLY THE KID. GARRETT DRAWS FIRST AND KILLS
BILLY WITH A SHOT TO THE HEART. [ GUNSHOT ] BUT ELAINE IS SAYING THAT
PAT GARRETT SHOT THE WRONG GUY AND PASSED HIM OFF AS BILLY. IF GARRETT
SHOT A MEXICAN BOY BY MISTAKE, IT WOULD HELP EXPLAIN
ONE PIECE OF THE STORY THAT I NEVER UNDERSTOOD. GARRET CLAIMED THAT HIS DEPUTIES WERE STATIONED OUTSIDE
THE HOUSE. BUT IF THAT WERE TRUE, HOW COULD THE MOST WANTED OUTLAW
IN THE TERRITORY WALK BY THEM UNNOTICED
AND GET INSIDE THE HOUSE? YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW? IT WASN'T BILLY
WHO WALKED PAST THEM. SO PAT GARRETT KILLED SOMEONE
THAT NIGHT, ACCORDING TO BILLY. AND THE BODY
WAS SUBSTITUTED. BUT IT WAS A MISTAKE. IT WAS
NOT LIKE SOME SORT OF PLOT. RIGHT. WHEN DOES HE REALIZE
THAT IT WASN'T BILLY THE KID? WELL, IT WAS DARK
WHEN HE SHOT THE MAN. IT WAS AT
PETE MAXWELL'S HOUSE. Meltzer: MAXWELL
RAN A LARGE CATTLE RANCH. HE'D HIRED THE KID
AS A RANCH HAND AND INTRODUCED HIM
TO HIS SISTER PAULITA. SOME EXPERTS THINK
SHE'S THE REASON THAT BILLY
REFUSED TO LEAVE FORT SUMNER. THAT PETE AND BILLY WERE
GOOD FRIENDS IS BEYOND DISPUTE, BUT WE ALL KNOW
THAT NO ONE LIKES IT WHEN THEIR BUDDY
IS DATING THEIR SISTER. SOME HAVE THEORIZED THAT MAXWELL
SET UP THE FAMOUS OUTLAW AS A WAY TO GET BACK AT HIM. STILL, THE REAL QUESTION IS WHETHER THE PERSON
WHO WAS SHOT THAT NIGHT WAS BILLY OR SOMEONE ELSE. ARE YOU TELLING ME
THAT BILLY THE KID DID NOT DIE
AT THE HAND OF PAT GARRETT? I AM. WE FOUND ENOUGH EVIDENCE
TO CONVINCE US THAT THE OLD MAN
KNOWN AS WILLIAM HENRY ROBERTS WAS, IN FACT,
BILLY THE KID. THE MAN W.C. IS REFERRING TO
IS KNOWN AS "BRUSHY BILL." WAS HE BILLY THE KID?
MAYBE, MAYBE NOT. ONE OF THE MOST
COMPELLING PIECES OF EVIDENCE IS A
PHOTO COMPARISON STUDY. WE GOT
A FACE-ON IMAGE OF ROBERTS, AND WE USED THE BILLY THE KID,
THE TINTYPE IMAGE. A LABORATORY IN TEXAS COMPARED PHOTOGRAPHS
OF THE KID WITH BRUSHY BILL USING
FACIAL RECOGNITION SOFTWARE THAT'S UTILIZED BY THE FBI,
THE CIA, AND INTERPOL. THE RESULTS WERE SHOCKING. THE MAN WHO CONDUCTED THE STUDY
CALLED US AND SAID, "YOU NEED TO COME DOWN
AND LOOK AT THIS." HE SAYS, "YOU'RE GETTING READY
TO REWRITE HISTORY. THIS IS THE SAME MAN." PEOPLE THAT KNEW THE KID
SAID THAT HE HAD THE SAME WALK, HE HAD THE SAME LAUGHTER, HE
HAD THE SAME MANNER OF SPEECH, HE HAD TWO JUG EARS
JUST LIKE BILLY THE KID DID. BILLY THE KID
HAD UNUSUAL EYES. THEY WERE BLUE-GRAY
WITH FLECKS OF BROWN IN THEM. ROBERTS HAD THE SAME EYES. BRUSHY BILL
IS SAID TO HAVE KNOWN THINGS ABOUT BOTH
THE LINCOLN COUNTY WAR AND BILLY'S ESCAPE
FROM THE COURTHOUSE THAT ONLY THE KID
COULD HAVE KNOWN. HE HAD SCARS AND EVEN BULLET
WOUNDS THAT MATCHED THE KID'S, AND THERE WERE MULTIPLE PEOPLE
WHO KNEW THE KID BACK IN 1881 AND LATER MET BRUSHY, SWEARING
THEY WERE THE SAME PERSON. BUT TO ME, WHETHER YOU
BELIEVE BRUSHY'S STORY OR NOT, IT MATCHES THE STORY ELAINE
McREYNOLDS AND ELBERT GARCIA, BILLY'S KIN, ARE TELLING. THEY'RE ALL
SAYING THE SAME THING -- THAT PAT GARRETT SHOT
THE WRONG MAN IN FORT SUMNER AND PASSED THE VICTIM OFF
TO THE ENTIRE WORLD AS BILLY THE KID. HOW COULD
PAT GARRETT BENEFIT FROM MISREPRESENTING
WHAT HAPPENED? GARRETT REALIZED
THAT HE HAD SHOT THE WRONG MAN. BUT HE SAW THAT IF HE CLAIMED
THAT HE HAD SHOT BILLY THE KID THAT HIS QUEST FOR
THE GOVERNORSHIP OF NEW MEXICO WOULD BE
ENHANCED CONSIDERABLY. THE AMBITIOUS GARRETT HAD DREAMS
OF BEING A POLITICIAN. BUT HIS CAREER STALLED
AFTER KILLING BILLY. WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS GOING TO BE
HIS TICKET TO THE BIG TIME ENDED UP ALIENATING THE PUBLIC. IN FACT,
HE WASN'T EVEN RE-ELECTED LINCOLN COUNTY SHERIFF
FOR ANOTHER TERM. GARRETT
WOULD LATER RUN FOR STATE SENATE AND FOR SHERIFF
IN ANOTHER COUNTY, AND BOTH TIMES HE LOST. HIS NOTORIETY DID GET HIM INTRODUCED
TO PRESIDENT TEDDY ROOSEVELT, WHO GAVE GARRETT A JOB
AS A CUSTOMS DIRECTOR IN TEXAS. BUT GARRETT
EVENTUALLY WORE OUT HIS WELCOME, AND SOME SAY
HE EVEN EMBARRASSED ROOSEVELT, WHO DIDN'T EVEN APPOINT HIM
TO A SECOND TERM. THIS WAS THE BEGINNING OF
THE END FOR THE FORMER SHERIFF. THE BROKE GARRETT WAS FORCED
TO BORROW LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY FROM FAMILY AND FROM FRIENDS, AND AN ARGUMENT
OVER ONE OF HIS DEBTS ESCALATED INTO A GUNFIGHT
ON FEBRUARY 29, 1908. GARRETT
REPORTEDLY REACHED FOR HIS GUN, BUT THIS TIME,
HIS OPPONENT DREW FIRST. THE MAN WHO SUPPOSEDLY
SHOT AND KILLED BILLY THE KID DIED THE EXACT SAME WAY --
BY GUNSHOT -- 2 1/2 DECADES
AFTER THE FAMOUS OUTLAW. WOULDN'T BILLY THE KID,
AT SOME POINT, COME FORWARD AND SAY,
"I DIDN'T GET SHOT"? GARRETT PROBABLY KNEW THE KID
WELL ENOUGH TO KNOW THAT HE WOULD SKEDADDLE
FOR PARTS UNKNOWN AND NEVER SURFACE AGAIN BECAUSE HE WAS
UNDER SENTENCE TO HANG. McReynolds:
THE STORY WAS THAT AFTER THEY DISCOVERED THAT
THEY HAD KILLED THE WRONG MAN, THEY DIDN'T
LET ANYBODY SEE THE BODY AND THAT PAT GARRETT
AND TWO OF HIS DEPUTIES, ONE OF WHICH
WAS A COUSIN OF BILLY'S, DECIDED THAT THEY WOULD
SPLIT THE REWARD. PAT GARRETT WAS WORKING WITH
A COUSIN OF BILLY'S? YES. TO GO GET BILLY? YES. BUT, SEE, THEY ALL
GREW UP TOGETHER IN NEW VALLEY AND IN SOUTH TEXAS. SO YOU'RE SAYING THAT
PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THE KID WERE FRIENDS. ABSOLUTELY.
THEY WERE. Meltzer:
WAIT A MINUTE HERE. SO BILLY'S FAMILY
BELIEVES THE KID ACTUALLY KNEW PAT GARRETT
ALL ALONG, THAT THEY GREW UP TOGETHER
IN TEXAS? ELAINE WENT ON TO SAY
THAT BILLY AND GARRETT ALSO KNEW EACH OTHER
IN LINCOLN COUNTY BEFORE PAT BECAME SHERIFF. BUT HERE'S ANOTHER CONNECTION. REMEMBER PETE MAXWELL
AND HIS SISTER, PAULITA? THEY OWNED THE PLACE WHERE BILLY
WAS EVENTUALLY GUNNED DOWN. WELL, GUESS WHO WORKED FOR THEM
IN 1878? THAT'S RIGHT -- PAT GARRETT. HE WAS ALSO
A COW POKE ON THE RANCH, AND A GOOD FRIEND OF PETE'S. SO GARRETT GOES
TO MAXWELL'S HOUSE, AND OUT OF ALL THE DEPUTIES
HE CAN CHOOSE, HE CHOOSES TO TAKE
BILLY'S COUSIN WITH HIM. COULD GARRETT AND THE KID HAVE
BEEN USING THEIR BUDDY'S HOUSE AS A PLACE TO MEET UP AND FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE A
BAD SITUATION GOOD FOR EVERYONE? THAT'S THE KEY QUESTION. THEY ALSO PLANNED
TO DIVIDE THE REWARD MONEY. OH, MY. SO, "WE'LL PRETEND
WE GOT BILLY THE KID, AND THEN WE'LL SPLIT THE
REWARD MONEY WITH YOUR COUSIN"? YES. SO THE COVER-UP WOULD HAVE
BENEFITED BILLY THE KID, BUT IT ALSO WOULD HAVE BENEFITED
PAT GARRETT. Meltzer: IF IT'S TRUE, NOW
YOU'VE GOT THE CLASSIC WIN/WIN. BILLY BECOMES A FREE MAN
AND A FOLK HERO ALL AT ONCE. PLUS, HE DOESN'T HAVE TO
LIVE THE REST OF HIS LIFE LOOKING OVER HIS SHOULDER
WORRIED ABOUT WHO'S CHASING HIM. AND GARRETT GETS TO SAY HE TOOK DOWN THE BADDEST OUTLAW
THE COUNTRY'S EVER SEEN, WHILE BECOMING A
LEGENDARY LAWMAN IN THE PROCESS. HERE'S THE THING THAT TROUBLES
ME, THOUGH, WITH THIS SCENARIO IS THAT OTHER PEOPLE
WOULD HAVE KNOWN BILLY THE KID AND WOULD HAVE
MENTIONED TO EACH OTHER, "OH, YEAH, HE WASN'T KILLED." AND THAT WOULD HAVE
GOTTEN AROUND. WELL, MY MOTHER
ASKED MY GRANDFATHER, SAID, "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ANYONE?" AND HE SAID,
"I DIDN'T WANT TO GET SHOT." OOH. SO EVERYONE
WAS SWORN TO SECRECY, AND THEY COVERED IT UP. I STARTED OUT NOT REALLY
BELIEVING ELAINE'S STORY, BUT SHE HAD PRETTY GOOD ANSWERS
TO ALL OF MY QUESTIONS. NOW IT'S NOT HARD
FOR ME TO BELIEVE THAT BILLY AND PAT GARRETT
COULD HAVE BEEN FRIENDS. IS THERE ANY SCENARIO IN WHICH
BRUSHY BILL, W.H. ROBERTS, NEAR THE END OF HIS LIFE, WOULD WANT PEOPLE TO KNOW
WHO HE REALLY WAS? WHAT HE SAID,
AND THIS IS ROBERTS' OWN WORDS, HE SAID, "YOU KNOW,
IN THE LAST 69 YEARS, I HAVE LIVED A GOOD LIFE." HE SAYS,
"I HAVE LIVED AN HONEST LIFE, AND I'VE TRIED TO
DO GOOD THINGS." AND HE SAID,
"I WOULD LIKE TO BE PARDONED FOR ALL OF THE THINGS
THAT I WAS CHARGED WITH." A PARALEGAL
ARRANGED FOR AN INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR
OF NEW MEXICO. THIS WAS TO BE A PRIVATE MEETING
WITH THE GOVERNOR. IT TURNED INTO A CIRCUS. AS BRUSHY TRIES TO STEP FORWARD, THE GOVERNOR INVITES THE PRESS,
HE INVITES GARRETT'S FAMILY, HE EVEN INVITES
THE FEW REMAINING SURVIVORS OF THE LINCOLN COUNTY WAR. HERE'S OLD BRUSHY TRYING TO
GET SOME SORT OF CLOSURE, AND WHAT DOES THE GOVERNOR DO? HE INVITES ALL OF BILLY THE
KID'S ENEMIES TO THE SIT-DOWN. AND THE OLD MAN
WAS VERY INTIMIDATED BY THIS. IT WAS
A VERY NERVOUS GATHERING. WELL, I BET. IN FACT, DURING THE MEETING
WITH THE GOVERNOR, ROBERTS HAD A HEART ATTACK. AND JUST A FEW WEEKS AFTER THAT,
HE PASSED AWAY. HE HAD ANOTHER HEART ATTACK AND DIED ON THE STREETS
OF HICO, TEXAS. YOU JUST TOLD ME
THAT FROM THE DAY THAT PAT GARRETT
SUPPOSEDLY SHOT BILLY THE KID, HE WENT ON
AND LIVED ANOTHER 69 YEARS AND LIVED A HAPPY LIFE. HE LIVED
AN ADVENTUROUS LIFE. HE SERVED
IN THE CUBAN CAMPAIGN. HE SERVED
IN THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION. OKAY, THAT'S
A HELL OF A YARN, MAN. IN A CARD GAME,
WOULD YOU GO ALL-IN ON THIS? I WOULD. THE LEGEND OF BILLY THE KID IS ONE OF THE GREATEST STORIES
EVER TOLD. HE WAS A YOUNG OUTLAW
WHO RODE BY HIS OWN CODE AND LIVED HARD, DYING YOUNG. THE KID WAS RENOWNED FOR HIS ABILITY
TO ESCAPE FROM ANY JAIL CELL, AND HE BROKE OUT
OF AT LEAST THREE OF THEM. THE LEGEND SAYS
THE THE KID HAD LARGE WRISTS BUT SMALL HANDS, AND IT GAVE HIM THE ABILITY
TO SLIP OUT OF HANDCUFFS. SO WE KNOW HE ESCAPED
FROM GARRETT'S CUSTODY IN APRIL. BUT DID THE SHERIFF CATCH UP
TO HIM THAT FATEFUL DAY IN JULY? AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT, WAS THE MAN
WHO GARRETT SHOT ACTUALLY BILLY, OR WAS IT SOMEONE ELSE? Rolle: I CAN'T BELIEVE
THEY HAVE A CAGE AROUND IT BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE CHIPPING OFF
PIECES OF THE GRAVESTONE AND STEALING IT. OH, WOW. Levy: THE GUY BROKE OUT OF
EVERY JAIL THEY EVER PUT HIM IN. AND NOW
HE'S IN ANOTHER ONE. NOT THIS ONE. OH, MAN. YOU KNOW WHAT'S ODD,
THOUGH, IS THAT PRESUMABLY
THE PECOS FLOODED IN 1904 AND WASHED AWAY
HIS BONES. IT DOESN'T
SAY ANYTHING ABOUT THAT. MAYBE
THEY DON'T WANT TO SAY THAT BILLY THE KID
MAY OR MAY NOT BE HERE. HE WAS SHOT
IN THE HOUSE. UH-HUH. THEY IDENTIFIED HIM. HE WAS MOVED HERE,
AND, IRONICALLY, THE BODY OF BILLY THE KID
MAY NOT EVEN STILL BE HERE. I KNOW. YOU KNOW,
BUT THAT SORT OF UNDERSCORES HOW LITTLE THAT IS REALLY KNOWN
ABOUT BILLY THE KID. THE PROBLEM FOR ME IS THAT PAT GARRETT
WAS ASSIGNED TO KILL THIS GUY, AND IF HE DID
KILL THE WRONG GUY, HE'S NOT GONNA
SAY HE KILLED THE WRONG GUY. AND THEN TO
PUBLISH HIS OWN STORY ABOUT IT, YOU'RE ONLY GONNA GET IT
FROM HIS POINT OF VIEW. WELL, I DO THINK WE HAVE TO
LOOK AT UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES PAT GARRETT WOULD BE INVOLVED
IN THAT KIND OF COVER-UP. MORALLY, I MEAN,
PAT GARRETT -- WE COULD EVEN STILL SAY
PAT GARRETT'S A GOOD GUY, WE COULD PUT THE
WHITE COWBOY HAT BACK ON HIM. HE DOESN'T WANT TO
KILL ANYBODY ELSE. HE KILLS THE WRONG GUY,
AND HE SAYS TO BILLY THE KID, "GET THE HELL
OUT OF THE COUNTRY, AND I WON'T BOTHER
YOU ANY MORE." WHY
TAKE ANOTHER MAN'S LIFE? HE COULD HAVE
DONE SOMETHING VERY ETHICAL. I'M MUCH MORE INTERESTED IN WHO ACTUALLY SAW THE BODY
OF THE ALLEGED BILLY THE KID AND WHETHER
THEY IDENTIFIED HIM. HOW MANY PEOPLE
AND EXACTLY HOW THEY DID IT. AND I WANT TO KNOW
IF THEY KNEW HIM. IF THEY'RE FRIENDS OF HIS,
THEY'RE GONNA SAY, "YEP, YOU GOT HIM. THAT'S HIM.
THANKS, PAT GARRETT." ARE WE COMFORTABLE THINKING THAT
BILLY THE KID IS RIGHT HERE? I DON'T KNOW. AT THIS POINT,
I HAVE NO IDEA. Meltzer: THERE SEEMS TO BE
A MOUNTAIN OF EVIDENCE THAT GARRETT'S
ACCOUNT OF THE SHOOTING DIDN'T PLAY OUT
EXACTLY THE WAY HE TOLD IT. BUT TO KEEP THIS ALL FAIR, YOU KNOW
WHO WE HAVEN'T HEARD FROM YET? PAT GARRETT'S FAMILY. IT'S TIME TO TALK RIGHT NOW
TO PAT'S KIN. Levy: COULD YOU TELL US
PAT GARRETT'S VERSION OF THAT FATEFUL NIGHT
ON JULY 14, 1881. I THINK BOTH THESE MEN,
PAT GARRETT AND BILLY THEY KID, THEY GOT TO
KNOW EACH OTHER. PAT GARRETT KNEW THAT BILLY
THE KID WAS QUICK WITH THE GUN, AND HE JUST MIGHT USE IT ON ANYBODY HE WISHES
FOR ANY REASON. BILLY THE KID WAS ALREADY TAKEN
IN BY PAT GARRETT ONE TIME. IF HE SAW GARRETT
AND GARRETT SAW HIM, ONE OF THEM
WAS GONNA DIE. Meltzer: WHAT YOU'VE
GOT TO REMEMBER ABOUT GARRETT WAS HE MADE PROMISES
TO GET ELECTED SHERIFF. HE SAID IF HE WAS ELECTED, HE'D RESTORE PEACE AND ORDER
TO LINCOLN. HE RAN ON THE SAFETY TICKET, SAYING HE'D ROUND UP
THE RUSTLERS. SO HIS FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS
WAS TO HUNT DOWN BILLY THE KID, BUT BILLY'S LEGENDARY ABILITY
TO AVOID THE LAW PUT HIM ON THE RUN
AFTER HIS ESCAPE FROM CUSTODY. AND GARRETT, RIGHT THERE, FOUND HIMSELF
IN THE MIDST OF A MANHUNT. BILLY, HE WAS EXTREMELY PARANOID
AT THAT TIME. BUT HE WAS HANGING AROUND
FORT SUMNER. BILLY HAD WORKED FOR
PETE MAXWELL, SO DID PAT GARRETT
IN THE PAST. SO PAT FIGURED HE COULD GET
SOME INFORMATION FROM PETE. THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE THAT PETE MAXWELL, WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO BE
BILLY'S FRIEND, MAY HAVE BEEN THE ONE
WHO TURNED HIM IN. YOU SEE, BILLY HAD A THING
FOR PETE'S SISTER, PAULITA, AND PAT GARRETT
USED TO WORK FOR HIM. SO THERE'S AT LEAST TWO REASONS MAXWELL
MIGHT HAVE LET GARRETT KNOW WHERE THE KID WAS HANGING OUT. SO BILLY'S GIRLFRIEND'S BROTHER
TURNED HIM IN. EXACTLY. WOW. WELL, WHAT'S A BIG BROTHER TO DO
WHEN YOUR SISTER'S GOING OUT WITH THE MOST NOTORIOUS OUTLAW
IN THE TERRITORY. YEAH, NO WONDER. GARRETT WENT DIRECTLY, YOU KNOW,
WITH HIS DEPUTIES TO THE HOUSE. THE DEPUTIES
WERE ON THE PORCH. AND HE WENT IN THERE.
PETE WAS SLEEPING. IT'S ABOUT MIDNIGHT. AND HE SAT ON THE
EDGE OF THE BED NEXT TO PETE AND STARTED TO
TRY TO WAKE HIM UP. AND HE SAID, "HEY, YOU KNOW,
HAVE YOU SEEN THE KID AROUND?" THE WAY FATE HAS IT, THE KID
IS WALKING DOWN THE STREET TO GO
GET SOMETHING TO EAT. AND HE WENT BAREFOOTED,
THEY SAY, WITH HIS GUN IN ONE HAND
AND A KNIFE IN THE OTHER. HE SPOTTED
THE TWO DEPUTIES ON THE PORCH AND REALLY GOT PARANOID. "WHAT'S THIS?
I DON'T KNOW THESE GUYS." AT THAT MOMENT,
WHEN GARRETT'S LIKE SHAKING HIM AND, "HEY, DUDE, WAKE UP.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE KID?" AND IN WALKS THE KID. AND THE KID WAS SAYING,
"¿QUIéN ES? WHO ARE THOSE GUYS OUT THERE,
PETE?" AND HE COMES UP
TO THE EDGE OF THE BED, AND GARRETT'S
RIGHT THERE. AND THE SHADOWS WERE CAST
IN THE ROOM, SO HE WAS HIDDEN. AND HE WAS
WITHIN A FOOT OFAT. PAT SAID, "I COULD REACH OUT
AND TOUCH HIM IF I WANTED TO." AND THERE WAS TWO SECONDS
TO REACT. AND HE SHOT. [ GUNSHOT ] PAT SHOT? PAT SHOT,
HIT HIM IN THE HEART. Rolle: SO PAT GARRETT DIDN'T ASK
BILLY THE KID TO SURRENDER? NO. I DON'T THINK
THERE WAS MUCH TIME. IF HE WOULD HAVE SAID "MOO,"
HE WOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD. WHAT DO YOU ALL,
AS GARRETT DESCENDANTS, SAY ABOUT
ALL OF THE ALTERNATE VERSIONS THAT HAVE SURFACED
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. WELL, YOU KNOW, ACTUALLY
YOU'VE GOT TO REFLECT BACK TO WHY PAT GARRETT
WROTE THE BOOK, YOU KNOW? THE MAIN REASON WHY WAS BECAUSE HE WANTED TO
SET THE FACTS STRAIGHT. HE COULD HAVE SET A PICTURE
OF, YOU KNOW, A BIG SHOOT-OUT LIKE BACK
IN THE 1950s WESTERNS. YOU KNOW,
HE COULD HAVE SAID, "I JUMPED UP FROM THE BED.
BILLY DREW FIRST" -- HE COULD HAVE
PAINTED ANY SCENARIO HE WANTED, BUT INSTEAD HE JUST STUCK WITH
THE PRETTY BASIC, SIMPLE TRUTH. "I SENSED BILLY.
I HEARD HIS VOICE. I PULLED MY GUN, AND I FIRED."
PBHT. YOU KNOW? Levy:
THE THING THAT STRUCK ME IS THAT IN THE GARRETT'S VERSION
OF THE STORY, PAT GARRETT
WASN'T THIS BRAVE HERO. HE SOUNDED SCARED
AND AFRAID OF BILLY. IT DIDN'T SEEM LIKE
THE KIND OF STORY YOU'D MAKE UP. SO, GIVEN EVERYTHING
YOU KNOW AND HAVE HEARD, CAN YOU TWO SAY
BEYOND A SHADOW OF A DOUBT THAT PAT GARRETT
SHOT AND KILLED BILLY THE KID? ABSOLUTELY. YEAH. McKinley: I'M JUST SURPRISED
AT HOW EMOTIONAL THEY ARE. IT'S LIKE
IT HAPPENED LAST WEEK. Levy: YEAH, THEY'RE
PRETTY CLOSE TO THE STORY. SO "THE KID'S
TOMBSTONE STOLEN." "TOMBSTONE RECOVERED."
AH, LOOK AT IT. "THE KID
IS VERY MUCH DEAD." Rolle: "BUT RUMORS STILL PERSIST
THAT HE IS ALIVE." SO HERE WE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE
OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO BILLY, AND THE GUYS
RUN ACROSS AN ARTICLE THAT SAYS THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE
WHO BELIEVE THAT BILLY
DIDN'T DIE AT FORT SUMNER. I BET YOU DIDN'T SEE
THAT ONE COMING. IS THIS
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS? OOH! "EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF BILLY THE KID
UNEARTHED." WHO'S EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT? Rolle: OH, LOOK.
"JOHN POE." "JOHN POE." THAT'S ONE OF HIS DEPUTIES
WHO WAS THERE THAT NIGHT. AND HE BECAME THE NEXT SHERIFF
OF LINCOLN COUNTY. WHEN WAS THAT WRITTEN, MAC?
DOES IT SAY? 36 YEARS
AFTER THE DEATH OF THE KID. YEAH. THEN YOU COME OUT
WITH YOUR EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT? "I HEARD A GROAN
AND A GASP OR TWO, "AS IF
SOMEONE DYING IN THE ROOM. "A MOMENT OR TWO LATER, GARRETT
CAME OUT, BRUSHING AGAINST ME. 'THAT WAS THE KID THAT CAME IN
THERE, AND I THINK I GOT HIM.'" WELL, IT'S AN EYE-WITNESS
ACCOUNT OF THE NIGHT, BUT HE WASN'T IN THE ROOM. OH. "'PAT, THIS KID
WOULD NOT COME TO THIS PLACE. 'YOU HAVE
SHOT THE WRONG MAN. 'WHEN I SAID THIS,
GARRETT SEEMED FOR A MOMENT 'TO DOUBT HIMSELF
AND THEN SPOKE AND SAID, 'I KNOW HIS VOICE TOO WELL
TO BE MISTAKEN. I'M SURE
IT WAS THE KID.'" SO GARRETT HAD A MOMENT OF DOUBT
ABOUT WHO HE HAD SHOT. HE ONLY IDENTIFIED HIM
BY HIS VOICE, NOT BY
WHAT HE LOOKED LIKE. ACCORDING TO COURT RECORDS,
AFTER BILLY WAS SHOT, HIS BODY WAS LAID OUT AND VARIOUS PEOPLE
WERE SUMMONED TO IDENTIFY HIM. BUT YOU KNOW
WHO THEY BROUGHT IN? THEY BRING IN MEMBERS
OF THE REGULATORS AND BILLY'S DEAREST FRIENDS. SO WOULD THOSE PEOPLE HAVE HAD
A MOTIVE TO MISIDENTIFY BILLY SO THAT HE COULD
ESCAPE FROM JUSTICE? THAT IS WHAT GREAT CONSPIRACIES
ARE MADE OF. Levy:
OH, THERE IT IS. SWEET. AN 1873 WINCHESTER REPEATING,
LEVER-ACTION RIFLE. THESE ARE AWESOME. CHECK THIS OUT. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL -- ONE
OF 27 ORIGINAL REWARD POSTERS. 500 BUCKS
"TO ANY PERSON OR PERSONS "WHO WILL CAPTURE WILLIAM BONNY
ALIAS BILLY THE KID. SATISFACTORY PROOFS OF IDENTITY
WILL BE REQUIRED FOR REWARD." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE
THEY GOT THE RIGHT GUY BEFORE
THEY GIVE YOU THE MONEY. GARRETT WAS GIVEN THE REWARD, BUT I'M STILL NOT SURE
WHETHER OR NOT I BELIEVE
HE HAD SUFFICIENT PROOF THAT WHO HE HAD
WAS REALLY BILLY. Meltzer:
THE LEGEND OF BILLY THE KID STARTED MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, YET IT REMAINS
ONE OF THE MOST INDELIBLE IN OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY. WHAT WAS IT
ABOUT THIS YOUNG OUTLAW THAT SO CAPTURED
AMERICA'S ATTENTION? THE ANSWER IS AN INTRIGUING ONE. BILLY CAPTURED THE OUTLAW SPIRIT THAT ALL AMERICAN'S
HAVE DEEP IN THEIR CORE. 'CAUSE LET'S BE HONEST, AMERICANS DON'T LIKE TO
BE TOLD WHAT TO DO. WE ABIDE BY THE LAW,
BUT WE PUSH BACK HARD WHEN WE FEEL LIKE IT'S UNJUST OR WHEN WE THINK THAT IT'S STRAYING TOO FAR
INTO OUR PERSONAL LIVES. THAT'S WHAT BILLY DID, AND THAT'S WHY HE REMAINS ONE OF
OUR MOST CHERISHED LEGENDS TO THIS VERY DAY. Rolle: I GUESS WITH EVERYTHING
WE KNOW, WHAT DO YOU THINK? I MEAN, FIRST OF ALL,
IS PAT GARRETT'S STORY TRUE? I THINK PAT GARRETT SHOT
BILLY THE KID IN FORT SUMNER. YEAH. THERE ARE PROBLEMS
IN HIS STORY. THERE'S PROBLEMS
WITH THAT INQUEST, BUT I HAVE TO BELIEVE
THAT PAT GARRETT, AS A LAWMAN, WAS TELLING THE TRUTH. FOR ME,
UNLESS THERE'S BETTER EVIDENCE TO ILLUSTRATE THAT PAT GARRETT
DIDN'T SHOOT BILLY THE KID, I HAVE TO AGREE WITH WHAT
THE PREPONDERANCE OF HISTORY HAS TOLD US
UP TO THIS TIME. PAT GARRETT SHOT BILLY THE KID
IN FORT SUMNER, AND THAT NIGHT,
BILLY THE KID TURNED INTO ONE OF THE GREATEST LEGENDS
IN THE AMERICAN WEST. I DON'T TRUST
PAT GARRETT ANYMORE. I MEAN, NO DISRESPECT
TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN, WHO I DO TRUST, BUT THERE ARE TOO MANY HOLES
IN PAT GARRETT'S STORY. THERE ARE JUST TOO MANY. BUT, YOU KNOW, THEY MADE
A REALLY GOOD POINT, AND THAT IS WHY DID PAT GARRETT
NOT GLAMORIZE A VERSION THAT MADE HIM
MORE EXOTIC? RIGHT. BECAUSE THAT WASN'T HIS REASON.
HIS REASON WAS TO HELP BILLY. THE BLOOD
AT THE TOP OF THE STAIRS SHOWS THAT THE STORY THAT
PAT GARRETT TOLD IS NOT TRUE. BUT HERE'S WHAT REALLY WAS
THE ICING ON THE CAKE FOR ME -- AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL,
WHEN YOU'RE GOING INTO THE ROOM LOOKING FOR THE
MOST WANTED MAN ON YOUR LIST, YOU'RE NOT GONNA
TELL YOUR TWO DEPUTIES, "YOU GUYS STAY OUTSIDE.
LET ME GO IN." AND WHEN HE CAME OUT AND SAID, "I THINK I SHOT BILLY THE KID,"
CASE CLOSED. I THINK THERE WAS
A CORONER INVESTIGATION, WHICH I AGREE WITH YOU,
McKINLEY, WAS A LITTLE BIT SHODDY. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS STUFFED
WITH A BUNCH OF FRIENDS. SO, I DO NOT BELIEVE
PAT GARRETT'S STORY. I DO NOT THINK HE SHOT
BILLY THE KID THAT NIGHT. WHAT THEN HAPPENS
TO BILLY THE KID? THAT'S A TOUGH ONE FOR ME,
BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT WE'RE ABLE TO PROVE
WITH WHAT WE'VE HEARD THAT BRUSHY BILL
WAS BILLY THE KID. I PICTURE AT FORT SUMNER
A SCENARIO LIKE THIS, WHERE PAT GARRETT COMES UP
TO HIM AND SAYS, "DISAPPEAR." LIKE,
GO AWAY COMPLETELY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE
DON'T KNOW WHO BILLY THE KID IS AFTER THAT. I THINK THAT ALL THE
OTHER PEOPLE THAT SAY
THEY WERE ARE IMPOSTERS. RUSTLERS AND OUTLAWS DON'T LEAVE
REALLY CLEAN PAPER TRAILS AS WE'VE SEEN HERE. BUT THIS IS PART OF THE PROBLEM
WHEN YOU HAVE A MYTHOLOGY THAT LIVES ON
LONG AFTER THE PERSON IS GONE. RIGHT. THERE'S A REASON THIS HASN'T
BEEN FIGURED OUT SINCE 1881. I CAN SEE WHY. ALL RIGHT, WELL,
HERE'S TO BILLY THE KID. HE IS HARD TO KILL. Meltzer: ONE OF MY FAVORITE
STORIES ABOUT BILLY THE KID IS THE ONE
THAT HE ONCE HAD DINNER WITH HIS FELLOW OUTLAW
JESSE JAMES. JESSE SUPPOSEDLY INVITED BILLY
TO JOIN THE JAMES GANG, BUT BILLY SAID NO THANKS. HE WASN'T INTERESTED IN ROBBING
BANKS OR HOLDING UP TRAINS. THAT WASN'T
WHAT BILLY WAS ABOUT. LIKE MOST OF THE STORIES
ABOUT BILLY THE KID, IT'S HARD TO SAY
IF THIS ONE'S TRUE. BUT THE POINT IS, THESE ARE THE KINDS OF STORIES
THAT PEOPLE TELL ABOUT HIM. HE WASN'T IN IT FOR THE MONEY
OR THE ATTENTION. HE BECAME AN OUTLAW TO RETALIATE
FOR SOMEONE KILLING HIS FRIEND, A FRIEND
WHO TOOK A CHANCE ON HIM. SO, WHETHER BILLY WAS WORKING
WITH PAT GARRETT OR WORKING AGAINST HIM,
EITHER WAY, NO MATTER WHO TELLS THE STORY, BILLY THE KID IS SOMEONE WHO UNDERSTANDS
THE VALUE OF FIERCE LOYALTY AND THE VALUE OF FRIENDSHIP. AND THAT'S THE PART
OF BILLY THE KID THAT HAS LIVED ON LONG AFTER
THE LAST SHOTS WERE FIRED.
