True Romance

“The people I murdered had murdered me. They murdered me slow like”

-Charles Starkweather

So cool.

The role of Starkweather’s companion, 14-year-old Caril Fugate, would be more controversial. Fugate maintained that, after dating Starkweather for several months, she had broken up with him on Sunday, Jan. 19. She also claimed that on Tuesday, Jan. 21, when she got home from school, the house was empty except for Starkweather who said that her family was being held captive and would be killed if she didn’t cooperate. By that time, however, Fugate’s stepfather, Marion Bartlett, her mother, Velda Bartlett and Caril’s 2-year-old half sister Betty Jean Bartlett were probably already dead and their bodies stowed in outbuildings on the property.

Caril Fugate, 14 at the time of the 1958 crimes, was sentenced in Nebraska to life in prison and paroled after 18 years. Casper College Western History Center.For the next six days, the couple stayed in the family’s Lincoln, Neb., home. Caril turned away all visitors, including her sister, grandmother, brother-in-law and Charlie’s brother, telling them her family was sick. She even posted a warning on the door: “Stay a way. Every body is sick with the flue. Miss Bartlett,” with Miss Bartlett underlined twice. Caril said that was her attempt to signal trouble since the home’s only “Miss Bartlett” was her 2-year-old sister. [11]

But when Caril’s grandmother threatened to summon the police, Charlie fled with Caril, driving 15 miles southeast to Bennet, Neb., where his friend August Meyer lived. The unsuspecting Meyer opened his door to the pair, even offering his horses to free their car bogged down in mud. But, as the 70-year-old Meyer led them to the stables, Starkweather pulled his shotgun and killed the old man. He then beat the old man’s dog to death, breaking his shotgun in the process. According to Fugate, the unexpected brutality and Charlie’s earlier threats convinced her that her only option was to obey Starkweather.

Later that night, 17-year-old Robert Jensen of Bennet and his 16-year-old girlfriend Carol King offered Charlie and Caril a ride, becoming the next victims. Starkweather brutally raped King, shot both King and Jensen, and left their bodies in a storm cellar.

After returning to Lincoln in Jensen’s car, Starkweather and Fugate drove to an upper middle-class neighborhood looking for a place to hide. C. Lauer Ward, a prominent local businessman, was the unfortunate homeowner they selected for sanctuary. The next day, Ward; his wife, Clara; and Lillian Fencil, their maid, were found dead. [12]

Starkweather and Fugate used Ward’s 1956 Packard to flee Nebraska, heading west for Washington state where Charlie’s brother lived. Some ten hours later, near Douglas, Wyo., Starkweather decided to ditch the Packard because it was “too hot.” [13] Near the turnoff to Ayers Natural Bridge, he spotted Merle Collison, a 37-year-old shoe salesman from Great Falls, Mont., parked alongside the highway, napping. Starkweather approached the vehicle, tapped on the window to awaken Collison, then fired through the side window as he demanded Collison exit. When he didn’t, Starkweather fired several more rounds. [14]

At about the same time, Joe Sprinkle [15], a Sinclair oil landman from Casper, Wyo., came upon the scene. Seeing two cars parked on the highway, Sprinkle stopped to offer assistance. Starkweather asked Sprinkle to help him release the newfangled emergency brake on Collison’s car. By the time Sprinkle saw Collison’s body stuffed under the dashboard, Charlie had pulled a shotgun. Sprinkle realized “that if [Starkweather] won, I would be dead.” [16] Sprinkle, six feet tall, had a physical advantage over the smaller man and he began wrestling him for the gun. Although the gun “looked bigger every time I looked at it,” Sprinkle managed to wrench it away. [17]

As the two wrestled, Natrona County Deputy Sheriff William Romer drove up. When he got out to investigate, a young girl bolted from Collison’s car and ran towards Romer, screaming, “He’s going to kill me. He’s crazy. He just killed a man.” Meanwhile, Starkweather jumped into the Packard, turned it around and headed back towards Douglas. Romer, staying behind with Fugate who had identified the fleeing man as Starkweather, radioed for help. [18]

Douglas Police Chief Bob Ainslie and Converse County Sheriff Earl Heflin [19] immediately set up a roadblock near the Douglas city limits. When Starkweather blew through it, Ainslie gave chase at speeds exceeding 100 miles per hour through downtown Douglas, while Heflin fired out the window. East of town, a bullet finally shattered the Packard’s rear window, spraying glass. Starkweather suddenly slammed on the brakes and came to a screeching halt. After several tense moments, punctuated by additional demands and gunfire from the lawmen, Starkweather surrendered.

Asked why Charlie gave up, Heflin replied: “I guess he thought he was bleeding to death. That’s the kind of yellow SOB he is.” [20] Flying glass had nicked Starkweather’s ear lobe and right hand. He had also run out of ammunition for his remaining gun. Otherwise, he boasted, he would have shot it out: “They would never have caught me if I hadn’t stopped.” [21]

A day later, Starkweather appeared before Converse County Justice of the Peace Harry Wise to be charged with the first-degree murder of Merle Collison. [22]