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Truman Capote: The Millionaire Wife and the Murder of the Century

Dylan Mitchell

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Published in Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote The Millionaire S Wife And The Murder Of The Century

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In 1959, Truman Capote was at the height of his literary career. His novel "Breakfast at Tiffany's" had been a critical and commercial success, and he was considered one of the most promising young writers in America. But Capote was restless. He wanted to write something different, something that would challenge him as a writer and push the boundaries of the true crime genre.

Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote, the Millionaire's Wife, and the Murder of the Century

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One day, Capote read a brief news article about the brutal murder of a wealthy farm family in Holcomb, Kansas. The story intrigued Capote, and he decided to travel to Holcomb to investigate the crime firsthand. Capote spent the next six years interviewing the people of Holcomb, including the family's friends, neighbors, and the law enforcement officers who investigated the case. He also spent time with the two men who were eventually convicted of the murders, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith.

Capote's book, "In Cold Blood," was published in 1966 and was an immediate critical and commercial success. The novel is a masterpiece of literary journalism, and it is considered one of the greatest true crime books ever written. Capote's writing is both lyrical and unflinching, and he paints a vivid picture of the crime and its aftermath.

In "In Cold Blood," Capote explores the nature of good and evil, and he asks the question of whether some people are simply born to be criminals. He also examines the role of the media in covering crime, and he raises questions about the ethics of true crime writing.

Capote's book has had a profound impact on the true crime genre. It has inspired countless other writers to take a more literary approach to the genre, and it has helped to legitimize true crime as a form of literature.

"In Cold Blood" is a powerful and moving book that is sure to stay with you long after you finish reading it. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in true crime or literary journalism.

The Characters

The Clutter family was a wealthy farm family who lived in Holcomb, Kansas. The family consisted of Herb Clutter, his wife Bonnie, and their two children, Nancy and Kenyon. The Clutters were well-respected members of the community, and their murders shocked the town.

Richard Hickock and Perry Smith were the two men who were convicted of the Clutter murders. Hickock was a career criminal, and Smith was a drifter who had spent time in prison. The two men had met in prison, and they decided to rob the Clutters after reading about them in a newspaper article.

Truman Capote was a writer who became obsessed with the Clutter murders. He traveled to Holcomb to investigate the crime, and he spent the next six years interviewing the people involved. Capote's book, "In Cold Blood," is a masterpiece of literary journalism, and it is considered one of the greatest true crime books ever written.

The Crime

On the night of November 15, 1959, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith drove to the Clutter farm. They entered the house through an unlocked window, and they found the family asleep in their beds. Hickock and Smith tied up the family members and then ransacked the house.

After they had stolen everything they could find, Hickock and Smith took the family members to the basement and shot them to death. They then fled the scene in the Clutters' car.

The Investigation

The Clutter murders were investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The lead investigator was Alvin Dewey, who was a close friend of Truman Capote. Dewey and Capote worked closely together on the case, and they eventually became good friends.

Dewey and his team of investigators quickly identified Hickock and Smith as the suspects in the murders. The two men were arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada, and they were extradited back to Kansas to stand trial.

The Trial

The trial of Richard Hickock and Perry Smith began in March 1960. The prosecution presented a strong case against the two men, and they were both convicted of murder. Hickock and Smith were sentenced to death, and they were executed in 1965.

The Aftermath

The Clutter murders had a profound impact on the community of Holcomb. The town was never the same after the crime, and the residents were left with a sense of fear and insecurity. The murders also had a profound impact on Truman Capote. He was haunted by the crime for the rest of his life, and he never fully recovered from the experience.

Capote's book, "In Cold Blood," is a powerful and moving account of the Clutter murders and their aftermath. The book is a must-read for anyone who is interested in true crime or literary journalism.

Truman Capote's "In Cold Blood" is a seminal work of true crime that tells the story of the brutal murder of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas. Capote's novel is a masterpiece of literary journalism, and its influence can still be seen in true crime writing today. Capote's book is a powerful and moving account of a senseless crime and its aftermath. It is a must-read for anyone who is interested in true crime or literary journalism.

The Clutter Family Deliberate Cruelty: Truman Capote The Millionaire S Wife And The Murder Of The Century