In Cold Blood Short Summary

In the story, Truman Capote focuses on the murder of the members of the Cutter family which took place in Kansas, the events that followed, and the final arrest of those who were involved. Herb Cutter is described as a wheat farmer who was well-known and attracted many respects the residents of rural Kansas. He also raised cattle. Cutter had four children with her wife, Bonnie. The children included Eveanna, Kenyon, Nancy, and Beverly.

Cutter was last seen alive on the 14^th of November 1959. It is a family friend that went to the house and found it abnormally silent. When the neighbors went to the family house, they first encountered Nancy’s dead body. The other family members were also tied and shot. When people heard about the tragic news, they were convinced that the person(s) responsible are those around the neighborhood. Alvin Dewey took the investigations seriously.

As the team led by Alvin Dewey continued with their investigations, the killers were on their way to Mexico and passed several areas such as Texas and Florida. They were arrested in Las Vegas in possession of evidence that directly linked them to the murder. It was Dick Hickock who sent the tip of their whereabouts to the team investigating the matter. After they were arrested, it is Hickock who confessed first pinning Smith to the murders. Though adamant at first, Smith also confesses saying he was the one that killed Nancy.

The two convicts faced trial for the murders in 1960. They were to be executed for these murders. They appealed several times that the execution sentence was too harsh. The appeals often led to delay in their sentence. All these appeals were denied, and they were finally hanged on the 14^th of April, 1965.