Final Days
Bonnie and Clyde took several months to recuperate, but by November 1933, they were back out robbing and stealing. They now had to be extra careful for they realized that local citizens might now recognize them and turn them in, as they had done at the Red Crown Tavern and Dexfield Park. To avoid public scrutiny, they lived in their car, driving during the day and sleeping in it at night.
Also in November 1933, W.D. Jones was captured and began telling his story to the police. During their interrogations with Jones, the police learned of the close ties that Bonnie and Clyde had with their family. This gave the police a lead. By watching Bonnie and Clyde's families, the police were able to establish an ambush when Bonnie and Clyde tried to contact them. When the ambush on November 22, 1933 endangered the lives of Bonnie's mother, Emma Parker, and Clyde's mother, Cummie Barrow, Clyde became furious. He wanted to retaliate against the lawmen who had put their families in danger, but his family convinced him this would not be a good idea.
Rather than get revenge on the lawmen near Dallas who had threatened the lives of his family, Clyde took revenge on the Eastham Prison Farm. In January 1934, Bonnie and Clyde helped Clyde's old friend, Raymond Hamilton, break out of Eastham. During the escape, a guard was killed and several extra prisoners hopped into the car with Bonnie and Clyde.
One of these prisoners was Henry Methvin. After the other convicts eventually went their own way, including Raymond Hamilton (who eventually left after a dispute with Clyde), Methvin stayed on with Bonnie and Clyde. The crime spree continued, including the brutal murder of two motorcycle cops, but the end was near. Methvin and his family were to play a role in Bonnie and Clyde's demise.
The Final Shootout
The police used their knowledge of Bonnie and Clyde to plan their next move. Realizing how tied to family Bonnie and Clyde had become, the police guessed that Bonnie, Clyde, and Henry were on their way to visit Iverson Methvin, Henry Methvin's father, in May 1934.
When police learned that Henry Methvin had accidentally become separated from Bonnie and Clyde on the evening of May 19, 1934, they realized this was their chance to set up an ambush. Since it was assumed that Bonnie and Clyde would search for Henry at his father's farm, the police planned an ambush along the road Bonnie and Clyde were expected to travel.
While waiting along Highway 154 between Sailes and Gibsland, Louisiana, the six lawmen who planned to ambush Bonnie and Clyde confiscated Iverson Methvin's old truck, put it on a car jack, and removed one of its tires. The truck was then strategically placed along the road with the expectation that if Clyde saw Iverson's car pulled to the side, he would then slow down and investigate.
Sure enough, that is exactly what happened. At approximately 9:15 a.m. on May 23, 1934, Clyde was driving a tan Ford V-8 down the road when he spotted Iverson's truck. When he slowed down, the six police officers opened fire. With no advanced warning, Bonnie and Clyde had little time to react. Both Clyde and Bonnie died quickly from over 130 bullets that were fired at the couple. When the shooting ended, the policemen found that the back of Clyde's head had exploded and part of Bonnie's right hand had been shot off.
Both Bonnie and Clyde's bodies were taken back to Dallas where they were put on public view. Large crowds gathered to get a glimpse of the famous pair. Although Bonnie had requested that she be buried with Clyde, they were buried separately in two different cemeteries according to their families' wishes.
