On This Day in History: May 23

Bonnie and Clyde

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It was a spring morning in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. A young couple, very much in love and completely devoted to one another, drove a 1934 Ford Deluxe V-8 along a rural road and encountered one of their friends, his truck broken down at the side of the road. When they slowed to help, six men sprung out of the bushes and fired over a hundred shots at the pair, killing them both.

--On This Day in History, Shit Went Down: May 23, 1934--

Don’t feel bad for Bonnie and Clyde. They sucked. The two met in 1930 in Dallas when Bonnie Parker was 19 and Clyde Barrow was 20. They were instantly smitten with one another. Aw, ain’t that sweet? Nah. Fuck them. They were murderous assholes who’d dropkick Baby Yoda into a woodchipper to escape the consequences of their criminal actions. 

During the first two years of their relationship, Clyde spent much of it in prison. Bonnie did her own stint in stir as well. In 1932, their reign of terror began. They formed a small criminal gang and robbed some banks, but mostly small “mom and pop” gas stations and grocery stores. Neither wanted to return to prison and they were willing to kill when cornered in order to escape. Over the next two years they murdered nine police officers and four civilians. 

The police knew the pair wasn’t willing to be arrested, so they didn’t try it. I’m not forgiving of the police use of violence; it’s a fucking problem. But when you know that proven murderers have declared war and won’t surrender, it’s logical you’ll just have to kill them. So that’s what the cops did. 

In early 1934, Texas Ranger Frank Hamer was convinced to come out of retirement to lead the manhunt. After three months of analyzing the pair’s movements, he set up the ambush for May 23, 1934 near the small town of Gibsland. 

Ivan Methvin was the father of Henry Methvin, a murderous motherfucker who was a member of Bonnie and Clyde’s gang. The cops told Ivan that if he helped set up the ambush, his son wouldn’t get the death penalty for murders he’d committed. So Ivan parked his truck in a spot where it was believed Bonnie and Clyde would be traveling and removed a wheel to pretend to need assistance. 

As the criminal couple approached, Clyde slowed the vehicle and a rifle shot rang out, fired by one of the six police hiding in the bushes. The shot hit Clyde in the head, killing him instantly. Bonnie screamed as the vehicle rolled to a stop and the other cops began unloading their weapons into the vehicle. Dead Clyde was perforated with several more bullets, and an equally ventilated Bonnie followed her boyfriend into the great beyond seconds later. 

The vehicle was filled with guns. They would not have gone quietly. Their bullet-riddled car can be viewed at Whisky Pete’s Casino in Nevada. 

Get the book On This Day in History Sh!t Went Down.

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