Unsolved Mysteries Of 1950s America

April 2024 · 2 minute read

One of the most legendary American outlaws of the 19th century, William H. Bonney — aka Henry McCarty, aka Billy the Kid— became notorious thanks to an adolescence spent committing countless crimes. Of these, the most notorious were an estimated 21 killings, before his famous death in a shootout with New Mexico sheriff Pat Garrett in 1881, at the age of just 21. However, there are those who believe that the Billy the Kid story doesn't end there.

As outlined in an investigation published in The Salt Lake Tribune, while the outlaw certainly has one grave in New Mexico, there is another approximately 500 miles away in Hamilton, Texas. The reason? Decades after Billy's supposed death, a man by the name of "Brushy" Bill Roberts made himself famous by claiming that he was really Billy the Kid, and had survived the shootout only to escape to Texas and live under an assumed name.

Many have derided Roberts' claim to be Billy the Kid as nothing more than a hoax, but nevertheless, there are those that believe the Billy the Kid legend actually runs right up until 1950 — the year that Roberts traveled to New Mexico to try to convince state officials of his true identity. He died months later, and whether Brushy and Billy were, in fact, the same person remains a matter for debate.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7qL7Up56eZpOkunB9kW1oa21nZMKvv86lrZ6cXaLGtMDEq6Ceq11mhnZ80maYpp2inrCiew%3D%3D