Low-tech edition
Low-tech edition
Lawrence, Kansas
In Cold Blood: A Legacy
Perry Edward Smith, born October 27, 1928, in Elko County, Nevada, was one of the two killers convicted in the Clutter murders. His parents were rodeo performers, and, when they left the rodeo circuit, the family moved across the west, looking for odd jobs during the height of the Depression. His mother eventually became an alcoholic and left her husband, taking her children with her. Every member of the family except one sister either died an early death (mother's and another sister's were related to alcohol) or committed suicide. Smith was nearly crippled by a motorcycle accident in 1952 that left his legs broken and stunted. Until the murders, Smith only had been a small-time criminal, serving time for burglary. He was executed in April 1965.
An extended, web-only collection of photos related to "In Cold Blood: A Legacy." Launch slide show | View thumbnails »
"I was born after the incident and right before the convicted men were put to death. But I grew-up in the atmosphere of the shock in the community. My mom described the incident where trust was brought to a halt...."—Posted by charlie.
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Read a review of In Cold Blood: A Legacy from the Garden City Telegram. Go »
Herbert Clutter, born in 1911; owner of River Valley Farm in Holcomb; killed in his home by Smith and Hickock on Nov. 15, 1959.
Bonnie Clutter, born in 1914; Herbert Clutter's wife; she was Smith and Hickock's last victim.
Perry Smith, born October 27, 1928, in Elko County, Nevada; executed April 1965.
Dick Hickock, born June 6, 1931; executed April 1965.
Truman Capote, then 35, spent months in Kansas researching the Clutter murders, the subject of "In Cold Blood."
More personalities from "In Cold Blood" »
Read Journal-World stories on the Clutter murders, the investigation, and Smith and Hickock's trial, from November 1959 to March 1960. Go »
"In Cold Blood: A Legacy," the story of people hoping for decades that the world will forget, premiered on Sunflower Broadband Channel 6 on Sunday, April 2, 2005. Watch online »
Read about the students and teachers behind "In Cold Blood: A Legacy." Go »
View JPG's or PDF's of the print version of "In Cold Blood: A Legacy." Go »
