On February 29, 1908, Patrick Floyd Jarvis 'Pat' Garrett, the former sheriff of Lincoln County and the man who had famously killed outlaw Billy the Kid, met a tragic end near Las Cruces, New Mexico. Garrett, aged 57, was traveling with Carl Adamson in Adamson's wagon, headed towards Las Cruces to finalize the sale of his ranch in Bear Canyon. Along the way, they encountered Wayne Brazel, a local cowboy who had been leasing Garrett's farm for goat-raising.
The events leading to Garrett's death are marked by controversy and conflicting accounts. According to the narrative provided by Brazel and Adamson, Brazel appeared on horseback and had an argument with Garrett and Adamson. Brazel allegedly left after the argument, but soon caught up with them again. While Adamson was relieving himself a few miles outside of Las Cruces, Garrett was shot and killed. Brazel later confessed to the shooting, claiming it was an act of self-defense, although this claim is dubious given the circumstances. Garrett was shot in the back of the head while standing beside the buggy, urinating, with one glove off and no weapon in hand.
Following the shooting, Brazel and Adamson left Garrett's body by the side of the road and continued on to Las Cruces. Upon arriving, Brazel surrendered to Deputy Sheriff Felipe Lucero, exclaiming, 'Lock me up I've just killed Pat Garrett!' Brazel also pointed to Adamson, stating that he had witnessed the entire incident and knew that the shooting was in self-defense. Lucero incarcerated Brazel and summoned a coroner's jury to investigate the scene of the crime.
The investigation into Garrett's murder was complex and involved several key figures. Dr. W.C. Field performed the autopsy and found that Garrett had been shot with a. 45 slug, which could also have been a. 44–40 Winchester bullet, consistent with either a Colt revolver or a Winchester rifle. Field concluded that Garrett had been killed in cold blood, categorizing the crime as murder in the first degree. Governor George Curry of the New Mexico Territory instructed Attorney General James M. Hervey and Captain Fred Fornoff of the Territorial Mounted Police to conduct an independent investigation. They interviewed Adamson and examined the crime scene, finding freshly fired Winchester. 44–40 shells, which led them to question the validity of Adamson's story.
Despite the suspicions and the lack of a convincing self-defense claim, Brazel was tried for Garrett's murder. His trial concluded on May 4, 1909, with Brazel being represented by attorney Albert Bacon Fall, who would later become the Secretary of the Interior. Brazel was ultimately acquitted of the crime, despite many believing that the self-defense claim was dubious.
The case remains shrouded in mystery, with many speculating about the true circumstances of Garrett's death. There were rumors of a conspiracy involving powerful factions, including the Cox/Lee/Fall faction, and some even suspected that Jim Miller, a notorious figure, might have been involved. However, these claims were never substantiated, and the case officially remains solved with Brazel's acquittal, though the controversy surrounding it persists.
