Billy the Kid's Grave - A History of the Wild West's Most Famous Death Marker

"Quien es?"

The answer to this incautious question - "Who is it?" - was a bullet to the heart.

That bullet -- fired by Lincoln County Sheriff Patrick F. Garrett from a .40-44 caliber single action Colt pistol -- ended the life of Billy the Kid, real name William Henry McCarty.

But death - ordinarily so final - only fueled the public's fascination with Billy the Kid.

• What events led to Billy's killing? Was it inevitable? Was a woman involved? If so, who was she?


• Why has Billy's gravestone become the most famous - and most visited - Western death marker? Is Billy really buried in his grave? Is the grave in the right location?


• Is it true that Pat Garrett's first wife is buried in the same cemetery? Is Billy's girlfriend buried there also?


• The Fort Sumner cemetery where Billy's grave is located was once plowed for cultivation. Why?


• What town, seeking a profitable tourist attraction, tried to move Billy's body, using a phony relative to justify the action?

These questions -- and many others - are answered in this book.

Over 60 photos, including many historical photos never previously published.