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Second-Ever Photo of Billy the Kid Emerges - Esquire
A New Mexico man claims to have discovered the long-lost photo. It's even better than the first.
By John Hendrickson on September 18, 2014
For many of us, the image of Billy the Kid will always be a young, long-haired Kris Kristofferson wearing a jumbo Stetson and a leather vest. Kristofferson's portrayal of the gunslinger in 1973's Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid helped cement the duo's legacy in latter-day pop culture. Kristofferson had little to work with, visually. For decades, there was but a single photo of the outlaw, who was shot and killed at age 21.
Now, a New Mexico man claims to have discovered the second-ever picture of the folk hero.
As first reported by Albuquerque's KOB 4, Ray John de Aragon has had the picture in question tucked inside a photo album since the 1970s, but only recently decided to check its authenticity. In the faded sepia photo, Billy looks well put-together in a broken suit: pinstripe pants, a dark vest, and a traditional overcoat with high-button stance and miniature lapels, a rustic ensemble that attests to the suit's original functionality.
Forensic artist Lois Gibson examined de Aragon's photo side by side with the original, and believes it to be real.
"The interesting thing is, if you notice the pose, it's exactly the same as the tin type," de Aragon said. "His earring; the famous gambler's gold pinkie ring on his finger…and if you look at two photographs, they're almost identical, except one he has a cowboy outfit, and the other he has a suit."
Gibson, who is also a courtroom sketch artist in Houston, agrees.
"It's the same body, face and head.
"The dentition, it locks it in for me. Everything else lines up, but the dentition is so unusual."
For non-forensic specialists, "dentition" refers to the development and cutting of teeth.
Billionaire William Koch bought the first photo of Billy the Kid at an auction in Denver for $2.3 million in 2011. Nevertheless, de Aragaon says he has no plans to sell this one on account of it being "a family heirloom."
A New Mexico man claims to have discovered the long-lost photo. It's even better than the first.
By John Hendrickson on September 18, 2014
For many of us, the image of Billy the Kid will always be a young, long-haired Kris Kristofferson wearing a jumbo Stetson and a leather vest. Kristofferson's portrayal of the gunslinger in 1973's Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid helped cement the duo's legacy in latter-day pop culture. Kristofferson had little to work with, visually. For decades, there was but a single photo of the outlaw, who was shot and killed at age 21.
Now, a New Mexico man claims to have discovered the second-ever picture of the folk hero.
As first reported by Albuquerque's KOB 4, Ray John de Aragon has had the picture in question tucked inside a photo album since the 1970s, but only recently decided to check its authenticity. In the faded sepia photo, Billy looks well put-together in a broken suit: pinstripe pants, a dark vest, and a traditional overcoat with high-button stance and miniature lapels, a rustic ensemble that attests to the suit's original functionality.
Forensic artist Lois Gibson examined de Aragon's photo side by side with the original, and believes it to be real.
"The interesting thing is, if you notice the pose, it's exactly the same as the tin type," de Aragon said. "His earring; the famous gambler's gold pinkie ring on his finger…and if you look at two photographs, they're almost identical, except one he has a cowboy outfit, and the other he has a suit."
Gibson, who is also a courtroom sketch artist in Houston, agrees.
"It's the same body, face and head.
"The dentition, it locks it in for me. Everything else lines up, but the dentition is so unusual."
For non-forensic specialists, "dentition" refers to the development and cutting of teeth.
Billionaire William Koch bought the first photo of Billy the Kid at an auction in Denver for $2.3 million in 2011. Nevertheless, de Aragaon says he has no plans to sell this one on account of it being "a family heirloom."
