Cold-blooded killer? Folk hero? Petty thief? Billy The Kid, who met his end on 14th July, 1881, was all of the above. His luck finally ran out in a dark bedroom in New Mexico, where his old friend, Sheriff Pat Garrett, ensured that he would be the one to live to tell the tale.

Born Henry McCarty but also known by numerous aliases like William H. Bonny and Kid Antrim, ‘The Kid’ was just 21 when he died, having killed at least four men. The media of the time glamorised his escapades, creating a larger-than-life persona that overshadowed the harsh reality of his actions—a series of thefts and fatal altercations driven by desperation and survival.

In this episode Arion, Rebecca and Olly uncover Billy’s most audacious jail escapes; marvel at his astonishing firearm skills; and consider the claims of those who have purported to be the famous outlaw long after his apparent death…

Further Reading:

• ‘Pat Garrett: The Truth About The Man Who Killed Billy The Kid’ (Grunge, 2023): https://www.grunge.com/188477/pat-garrett-the-truth-about-the-man-who-killed-billy-the-kid/

• ‘Wild West Outlaw Billy the Kid: Who Was He Really?’ (TIME, 2015): https://time.com/3766171/billy-the-kid-history/

• ’Caught on camera: Billy The Kid’ (CBS, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmcTikY-E1k

Image: By Ben Wittick - Brian Lebel's Old West Show and AuctionFile:Billy the Kid tintype, Fort Sumner, 1879-80.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=15657780

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The Retrospectors are Olly Mann, Rebecca Messina & Arion McNicoll, with Matt Hill.

Theme Music: Pass The Peas. Announcer: Bob Ravelli. Graphic Design: Terry Saunders. Edit Producer: Ollie Peart

Copyright: Rethink Audio / Olly Mann 2025.

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