Now, there’s been more stories about Billy the Kid; his deeds and escapes and how he was finally captured and died than a body could shake a stick at, but accordin’ to most folks this how it happened:

The kid and his gang had been on the run for a long time and there was a reward on Billy’s head; whether he was brought in alive or not. Governor Wallace had his fill up Billy and his friends and was pretty much determined to put a stop to it one way or ‘other. Pat Garrett, the sheriff of Lincoln County, had been hot on his trail for awhile but always seemed to just miss him. Along ‘bout the winter of 1880 Billy and his friends holed up inside n abandoned house and kept the posse that had tracked ‘em down busy for near two days with a stand-off. When the Kid and his gang ran out of ammo they didn’t see much of a choice but to surrender, so they finally gave in, but that wasn’t to be the last of it for Billy and his friends; no sirree!

Garrett hauled the Kid back to stand trial for murder and he was sentenced to be hung. Well, while he was awaitin’ for his turn in the noose, Billy got the bright idea to escape from jail. Now, here’s where the story takes a few different turns but most folks stand by the fact that the Kid told his jailer he needed to use the privy and then used the chance to make his getaway. He managed to grab some guns and shoot the two jailers, then make his way out of town.

When Garrett heard about the Kid’s escape he was madder than a wet hen and decided nothing was going to stop him from seeing the Kid swing from a noose. It took him some time but he finally tracked the Kid down to a ranch in New Mexico where he was visiting a certain young senorita.

Garrett managed to make his way in the house and laid in wait for the Kid. Little did the outlaw know that his long time enemy was waitin’ ‘round a darkened doorway for him. As the Kid came into the house, Pat Garrett fired and took out the Kid right where he stood.

Some people say that Garrett shot the Kid in the back, others say he didn’t shoot the Kid at all and it was someone else who had the dubious honor. The truth may never be known.