who was in the clutter family

In the early morning hours of November 15, 1959, four members of the Clutter family

– Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and their teenage children Nancy and Kenyon – were murdered in their rural home, just outside the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas.

Full Answer

Who was Herb Clutter in the Clutter family murder?

Clutter Family Murders. Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Edward Smith were in prison when they heard from another prisoner that Herb Clutter was very wealthy and he had money stashed in a safe in his house. This prisoner, who told Hickock and Smith this, had previously worked for the Clutter family.

What happened to the Clutter family in Holcomb?

. . . Just after midnight on the morning of November 15, 1959, ex-convicts Perry Edward Smith and Richard Hickock broke into the Clutter family home in Holcomb, Kansas while the family slept.

Where did the Clutter family live?

The Clutter family of six were farmers who lived in Holcomb, Kansas. Their farmhouse was large, with 14 rooms and acres of agricultural land surrounding it. Herbert Clutter had made his fortune using new technology to grow wheat and had been interviewed by The New York Times for what was considered a pioneering move at the time.

What happened to the Clutter family in Kansas?

Clutter family murders From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia In the early morning hours of November 15, 1959, four members of the Clutter family – Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and their teenage children Nancy and Kenyon – were murdered in their rural home, just outside the small farming community of Holcomb, Kansas.

Who survived in the Clutter family?

Only the Clutters' eldest daughters, Beverly and Eveanna, survived as they were staying elsewhere at the time. Smith and Hickock were later convicted and put to death for the slayings, which they committed in the mistaken belief the family had thousands of dollars stashed in a safe.

Are the surviving Clutter sisters still alive?

Both sisters now live in the Newton, Kan., area. Eveanna had lived in western Nebraska until 1970 when her first husband, Donald Jarchow, died. In the wake of that loss, she moved to Newton, where English and her husband were farming his family's land.

Who found the Clutters?

Susan KidwellAfter a long drive, they pull up to the Clutter home with a shotgun and knife in hand. That morning, the bodies are discovered by Susan Kidwell and another of Nancy's friends.

Why were clutters killed?

Smith and Hickock bound the family in separate rooms throughout the house and searched for money and valuables. Their hunt turned up very little cash and nothing of value, but instead of fleeing the scene, the thieves decided that they would kill the family to avoid further imprisonment.

Who owns the Clutter home now?

The Maders got to know Byrd's son and daughter-in-law well in the 1980s over cards and coffee. The old Clutter family farmhouse today is a substantial home enlivened by a family with children and grandchildren. The house, which is owned by Donna and Leonard Mader, still draws visitors from around the world.

Why do you think Nancy was not gagged?

Why do you think Nancy was not gagged? Nancy was not gagged because she was supposed to feel more pain. Discuss the evidence the KBI has accumulated so far. Some of the evidence the KBI has accumulated so far is they found footprints in the blood in one photograph they took of the mattress.

What were Hickock's last words?

The last words of Hickock were, "No, I guess I don't." But then he motioned for KBI Agent Roy Church, who played a major role in the arrest of the two men, to come to where he (Hickock) was standing.

Who killed the Clutter family in Kansas?

Perry Edward SmithDiedApril 14, 1965 (aged 36) Kansas State Penitentiary, Lansing, Kansas, U.S.Cause of deathExecution by hangingOccupationCriminal, seaman, soldierCriminal statusExecuted24 more rows

Where did the Clutter family live?

They went to the Clutter home outside of Holcomb, Kansas when four of the six family members happened to be home.

Who was the first officer to arrive at the scene of the Clutter murder?

Mrs. Clutter was bound and gagged, Nancy only bound. Each had been shot in the head. Garden City Police Department Chief Mitchell Geisler was one of the first officers to arrive to the horrific scene. Accompanying him was Assistant Chief Ritch Roh leder.

Who was in prison for herb clutter?

Richard Eugene Hickock and Perry Edward Smith were in prison when they heard from another prisoner that Herb Clutter was very wealthy and he had mo ney stashed in a safe in his house. This prisoner, who told Hickock and Smith this, had previously worked for the Clutter family. After being released from prison, Hickock and Smith immediately drew up ...

Who killed the Clutter family?

For four of the six members of the Clutter family - a father, a mother, and their two youngest children - this tradition of trust sealed their demise on the evening of November 15, 1959, when two men, Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, brutally murdered the entire family with the hopes of finding cash in the home.

How old were Bonnie Clutter and Nancy Clutter?

Once the family members were secured, the pair commenced to placing a bullet through the head of Mrs. Bonnie Clutter, 16-year-old Nancy Clutter, and 15-year-old Kenyon Clutter.

What was Kenyon Clutter known for?

She was known for her kindness, intelligence, and diligence to her duties as class president and leader of Holcomb's 4-H program. Kenyon Clutter was known as a bit of a loner. When his sole buddy found a girlfriend, Kenyon was left to do what he loved in solitude: disassemble electronics gadgets and rebuild them.

Why did the killers choose death for their victims?

The killers could have fled the scene once they realized there was no cash in the home and hoped never to be recognized for breaking and entering. Instead, they chose death for their victims. With their dreams of loot completely dashed, the murderers took out the anger at their own folly on the family.

Where was the Clutter murder trial?

The Trial For The Clutter's Killers Was Over Within A Week. In March of 1960, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith were put on trial in Garden City, Kansas, each for four counts of first degree murder. Because of the gruesome nature of the crime, the pair were media sensations.

Where was Herb Clutter killed?

Instead, Herb Clutter was killed in the basement. His wife was killed in her room upstairs. His daughter, 16-year-old Nancy, was killed in her own bedroom.

Who was the father of the family in the murder of the house?

They located Herbert Clutter, the father of the family, woke him, and then an interrogation began.

Who produced the Clutter family murders?

Cold Blooded: The Clutter Family Murders, produced by Joe Berlinger ( Paradise Lost ), taps into the mother lode of unpublished pictures of Herb, Bonnie, Nancy, and Kenyon Clutter as well as Hickock and Smith.

Where were the clutters murdered?

The same few pictures of the four members of the Clutter family who were murdered in 1959 in Holcomb, Kansas, have shown up in the media for decades. Fresh perspective. You might also have a pent-up need for more insight into the Clutters.

Why did Nancy Clutter break up with Bobby Rupp?

Nancy Clutter’s boyfriend Bobby Rupp said that he looked up to her father as a role model despite that the book alleged Herb Clutter pressured Nancy to break up with Bobby because he was Catholic and the Clutters were Methodists. 6.

Why did Bonnie Clutter hate Cold Blood?

1. The surviving relatives of Bonnie Clutter who hated In Cold Blood because it portrayed her as emotionally impaired weren’t necessarily just being defensive. The docuseries features people who knew her well and remember her as a great hostess and a lot of fun.

What did Richard Hickock's family do to make amends?

The family of killer Richard Hickock tried to make amends once Dick turned into a petty criminal. They would give a gift of a horse to parties he had wronged. 3. Although she didn’t appear on camera, one of Herb and Bonnie Clutter’s granddaughters gave voice interviews to the documentary makers.

Who were the killers in Cold Blood?

The wholesome farm family and their killers — Perry Smith and Dick Hickock — were the subjects of In Cold Blood, which established the nonfiction novel genre and made Truman Capote the most glamorous writer in the U.S. Well, now Sundance TV can help you out.

Who is Perry Smith's mother?

Flo Buckskin was Perry Smith’s mother. 9. The filmmakers somehow managed to get hold of two photos of Perry Smith’s parents, Flo Buckskin and Tex Smith, who performed in rodeo shows together before they had four kids and she sank into alcoholism. 10. “Olathe” (as in “Olathe, Kansas”) is pronounced “oh-lay-thuh.”.

Where did Herbert Clutter live?

The Clutter family of six were farmers who lived in Holcomb, Kansas. Their farmhouse was large, with 14 rooms and acres of agricultural land surrounding it. Herbert Clutter had made his fortune using new technology to grow wheat and had been interviewed by The New York Times for what was considered a pioneering move at the time.

How much did the Clutter family home cost?

In April last year, the home with a dark history went back on the market. What was once home to the Clutter family was said to fetch between $150,000 and $200,000 in price.

Why did Smith and Hickock kill the family?

Their hunt turned up very little cash and nothing of value, but instead of fleeing the scene, the thieves decided that they would kill the family to avoid further imprisonment.

What was the problem with being part of a small community?

The problem with being part of a small community was that everyone knew each other’s business, and the town knew that the Clutters were wealthy.

Who was the prisoner that knew the killers?

Logan Sanford, the Director of the KBI in Topeka, called Dewey to tell him that Floyd Wells, a former prisoner at Kansas State Prison, knew who the killers were and was willing to talk in return for the reward money and early release from prison.

Did Herb Clutter own a safe?

They woke Herb Clutter and demanded to know where the safe was, but Herb didn’t own a safe. The robbers had been hugely misled about the supposed loot in the farmhouse. Herb famously always paid in cheque form rather than cash, and anyone in the town could have told them this information.

When did the Clutter family break into the home?

Photo by: Dick Hickock [Kansas Bureau of Investigation] Dick Hickock [Kansas Bureau of Investigation] They arrived at the Clutter home early on the morning of the 15th and broke into the home while the family was sleeping.

Who were the two ex-cons in the Clutter farmhouse?

Two ex-cons recently paroled from the Kansas State Penitentiary went hunting for a safe in the Clutter farmhouse. The men, Richard Eugene Hickock (above left) and Perry Edward Smith (above right), had been talking to another prisoner named Floyd Wells before their parole. Wells claimed to have worked for Clutter as a farmhand for a while ...

What did Herbert give the men?

Herbert had been roused first, and while he gave them what little cash he had, he also told the men that there was no more cash. While the family was subdued, the two men ransacked the home. They only came up with about 50 dollars in cash, a transistor radio, and a pair of binoculars.

When was Herbert Clutter murdered?

HOLCOMB, KS — You may not immediately recognize the name Herbert Clutter or know of his family, but you may still be familiar with their story. On November 15, 1959, Clutter and three other members of his family were brutally murdered in a robbery/homicide that would gain infamy thanks to Truman Capote and his book In Cold Blood.

When did the Clutter murders happen?

After being interrogated separately, the duo ended up confessing to the Clutter murders and stood trial in early 1960. They were convicted of the murders on March 29, 1960, and sentenced to death. It took five years for them to work through the process, and they finally went to the gallows on April 14, 1965. YouTube.

Did Herbert's father volunteer for the safe?

Once again, they tried to get information from Herbert on the safe, but the father continued to not volunteer any information on where any cash might have been stored. The two men had to face the notion that there was no safe, and there was no abundance of cash.

Who were the Clutters' daughters?

Only the Clutters’ eldest daughters, Beverly and Eveanna, survived as they were staying elsewhere at the time. Smith and Hickock were later convicted and put to death for the slayings, which they committed in the mistaken belief the family had thousands of dollars stashed in a safe.

Who directed the Clutter family?

Directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Joe Berlinger, the four-hour docuseries features new information about the case, never-before-seen footage and photographs and, for the first time ever, on-camera interviews with Clutter family members. “Grandpa accomplished a lot of things in his 48 years.

What did the Clutter granddaughter tell Berlinger about the killings?

The two sisters, the Clutter granddaughter told Berlinger, dealt with the killings and its aftermath “with their faith and family and the close friends that supported them — but mainly their faith: knowing that it doesn’t end here, that they’re going to see them again.”. in-cold-blood-3.

What did Berlinger learn about the family?

During his time with the family, Berlinger says, he learned they are “terrific people who don’t understand why this story continues to fascinate people.”. Respecting the family’s desire for privacy, he declined to share details about the two surviving sisters or their children.

How old was Herbert Clutter's daughter?

Amid the fanfare and dizzying success of Capote’s book, which was quickly adapted into a 1967 film, surviving members of the Clutter family felt that the loved ones they lost that night — Herbert Clutter, his wife, Bonnie Mae, their 16-year-old daughter, Nancy, and 15-year-old son Kenyon — were secondary to the story of their deaths and were not accurately portrayed.

What is the story of the cat and dog cuddle?

Long before Making a Murderer or Serial captivated audiences, there was In Cold Blood — Truman Capote ’s non-fiction account of a Kansas family’s brutal farmhouse slaying in 1959, which gripped the nation and shattered its sense of security.

Who were the people who shot the Clutter family?

Capote’s 1966 book was a bestseller, garnering acclaim for its author and shining a spotlight on killers Perry Smith and Richard Hickock, who bound and shot four members of the Clutter family at their Holcomb, Kansas, home in November 1959. Get push notifications with news, features and more.

About This Location

Just after midnight on the morning of November 15, 1959, ex-convicts Perry Edward Smith and Richard Hickock broke into the Clutter family home in Holcomb, Kansas while the family slept. The patriarch of the Clutter family, Herbert Clutter, was a prominent farmer in Holcomb and was thought to have a large sum of money in a safe by Smith and Hickock.

Finding the Location

Holcomb is located about 4 hours west of Wichita in a very rural area of Kansas. The Clutter home is on the east side of town, and sits at the end of a long, private drive. The home is surrounded by acres of farmlands and can't be seen from the public road.

1959: Clutter Murders

Front page of the Lincoln Star from Nov. 16, 1959, reporting the Clutter murders.

1959: Clutter Murders Home

In November 1959, this was the home in Holcomb, Kansas,of the clutter family, were all four of whom were killed in the shotgun murders carried out by two ex-convicts which later were the subject of both the book and the film "In Cold Blood." The home is shown Nov. 2, 1979. (AP Photo)

1959: Clutter Murders Service

The caskets containing the bodies of the slain members of the Herbert Clutter family are loaded into hearses before the Garden City Methodist Church, on Nov. 18, 1959. A crowd of about 1,000 people attended the service. (AP Photo)

1959: Clutter Murders Hickock, Smith

File photos show Richard Hickock, left, and Perry Smith, the two men hanged for the Nov. 15, 1959 murders of Herb and Bonnie Clutter and their children in Holcomb, Kan. that became infamous in Truman Capote's true-crime book "In Cold Blood." (AP Photos/File)

1959: Clutter Murders Weapons

The knife and shotgun, used in the slaying of the Clutter family, were shown by investigating officers in Garden City, Kansas, on Jan. 5, 1960. Left to right: Finney County deputy Mickey Hawkins; Garden City police investigator Rich Rohloder; Kansas Bureau of Investigation Chief Logan Sanford; Finney County undersheriff Wendle Meier. (AP Photo)

1959: Clutter Murders Smith

Perry Edward Smith is led by police officers into the courthouse at Garden City, Kan. Smith was arrested in Las Vegas and charged with first degree murder in the slaying of four members of the Herbert Clutter family at their farm house in Holcomb, Kan. (AP Photo/William Straeter, FILE)

1959: Clutter Murders Home

This was the side door of the Herbert Clutter home where Hickock and Smith entered the house to rob Clutter, but ended up slaying the family of four. Clutter himself was sleeping in the side room to the left of the door and the rest of the family were sleeping on the second floor on the night of Nov. 15, 1959. (AP Photo)