Were Bonnie And Clyde Serial Killers?

Bonnie and Clyde are one of the most famous criminal couples of all time.

But what did they do? Were Bonnie and Clyde serial killers?

We'll explore their world help you understand these infamous criminals.

Were Bonnie And Clyde Serial Killers?

No, Bonnie and Clyde were not serial killers. While they were infamous criminals, their crimes did not align with the definition of serial killing.

Who is Bonnie Parker?

Bonnie Parker is the woman in the infamous outlaw duo Bonnie & Clyde. According to the Texas State Historical Association, Bonnie Parker was the daughter of Henry and Emma Parker. She had an older brother and younger sister. She was born on October 1, 1910 (Libra) in Rowena, Texas and moved to West Dallas when her dad died in 1914.

Bonnie was an honor student who enjoyed poetry and romance novels. You would have never thought Bonnie would grow up to be one of the most famous outlaws of all time. She was only 4' 10" tall and weighed 85 pounds so she was a tiny woman.

At the age of 16 she married her longtime boyfriend Roy Thornton. The marriage was anything but blissful, but she wouldn't divorce him.

Bonnie worked at a cafe in Dallas until November 1929, when it closed. Around the same time, Thorton was sentenced to five years in prison. This set the stage for Bonnie to meet Clyde Barrow several months later.

Who Is Clyde Barrow?

Clyde Barrow is the second half of the infamous outlaw duo Bonnie and Clyde. Clyde Chestnut Barrow was born on March 24, 1909 (Aries). He was born in Ellis County Texas before his family of nine moved to Dallas during the 1920s.

Clyde Barrow committed his first known crime in 1926 when he was arrested for not returning a rental car. The rest of his life he was cracking safes, stealing cars, and robbing stores. His life of crime would continue to his untimely death, but first, he has to meet Bonnie Parker.

How Did Bonnie And Clyde Meet?

According to the Library of Congress Bonnie Parker met Clyde Barrow at a friend's house during January of 1930 and it was "love at first sight."

Shortly after meeting, Clyde went to prison for stealing a car, but that didn't stop Bonnie and Clyde from building a relationship. She would visit Clyde Barrow frequently in prison and on March 11, 1930 smuggled a gun into the prison to help him escape.

Clyde managed to evade capture for over a month before getting caught robbing a store in Middletown, Ohio. He was then sent to Eastham Prison Farm on April 21, 1930

Bonnie and Clyde would communicate through letters until Clyde was released in February 1932. You can read transcripts of the Bonnie and Clyde letters in The True Story Of Bonnie and Clyde.

Upon Clyde's release, Bonnie and Clyde became inseparable. Bonnie was desperate to prove her loyalty so she joined him and their crime spree began. They started robbing grocery stores, gas stations, and small banks.

The Barrow Gang: Clyde, Bonnie, And Friends

The Barrow Gang was a group of criminals who were operating between 1932 and 1934, during the height of the Great Depression. The Barrow Gang was led Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow, and included Clyde's brother Marvin "Buck" Barrow, Blanche Barrow, W. D. Jones, Henry Methvin, Raymond Hamilton, and Joe Palmer.

The Barrow Gang was known for travelling across the U.S. committing bank robberies, murders, kidnappings, and car theft. The gang was feared by the public but also romanticized because they were sticking it to the man during the Great Depression.

What Did Bonnie And Clyde Do?

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow met in Dallas, Texas when Bonnie was 19 and Clyde was 20. They immediately became smitten with each other and spent the next four years of their life running a travelling gang and robbing businesses across multiple states.

During their crime spree, they robbed numerous banks and committed other crimes, including multiple murders, tied to the robberies before their crime spree ended in death on May 23, 1934.

Wait! What? Bonnie and Clyde killed multiple people at different times, but aren't serial killers? Why?

Definition Of Serial Killers

A serial killer is someone who commits three or more murders with a "cooling-off" period between killings, AND psychological factors, such as a desire for power, control, or gratification often drive their murders.

How Many People Did Bonnie And Clyde Kill?

Bonnie and Clyde killed nine law enforcement and civilians but these murders were specifically to escape after their robberies. The murder wasn't the intent but a consequence of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. They also didn't show the compulsion or patterns that serial killers display.

Why Did Bonnie And Clyde kill people?

Bonnie and Clyde operated during the Great Depression, which means many people were suffering and desperate. Their ultimate goal was to steal money and things they needed, their killing was only to keep from getting caught.

How Were Bonnie And Clyde Classified?

Instead of serial killers, Bonnie and Clyde are better classified as spree killers or outlaws:

• Spree Killers: Bonnie and Clyde committed multiple murders during their two-year robbery spree. There wasn't a cool-down between incidents, so they would be considered spree killers.

• Outlaws: Bonnie and Clyde became notorious because many people romanticized doing the same during that time. Some people might describe them as outlaws because they lived outside the laws of the land.

How Did Bonnie And Clyde Die?

Bonnie and Clyde were driving to meet up with another of their gang members on May 23, 1934 on Louisiana State Highway 154.

Six police officers were waiting for them: four Texas officers, Hamer, Hinton, Alcorn, and Gault, and Louisiana officers Jordan and Oakley.

When the outlaws shot the car 130-ish times. A bullet caught Clyde in the head, and multiple bullets hit Bonnie. Both were dead at the scene.

Where Are Bonnie And Clyde Buried?

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are both buried in Dallas, Texas, but they are not buried together despite the couple's wishes.

Bonnie currently resides in Crown Hill Cemetery after being moved from Fishtrap Cemetery in 1945. Clyde is buried next to his brother Marvin in Western Heights Cemetery. A headstone with the quote "Gone but not forgotten" marks the shared grave.

Conclusion

While their crimes were violent and deadly, Bonnie and Clyde’s actions do not meet the criteria to classify them as serial killers.

Instead, their legacy fits the mold of infamous criminal outlaws whose exploits were shaped as much by media sensationalism as their actual deeds.