IN COLD BLOOD question. Which of the perps actually killed the members of the Clutter family?

[raccoon]

At first, Perry Smith said he killed the men in the family and Dick Hickock killed the two women. Later, Smith said he (Smith) killed all of them. I believe that he did.

Although Capote says in the book that Smith says at one point that he claimed responsibility for the murders so that Hickock’s mother wouldn’t have to think of her son as the murderer, I wonder about the truth of that. Also, in the book Hickock insisted that he didn't kill anybody; Smith killed them all. Of course, the credibility of either man is highly doubtful.

However, I’ve read that Alvin Dewey, KBI investigator, and Duane West, DA in Finney County at the time, believe that Smith killed the men and Hickock killed the women. I’d be curious to know why they believe that.

Any ideas?

[Tom Ripley]

1. I believe that Perry Smith killed all four of the Clutters.

I suspect that Dewey and West promote the "Hickock killed the women scenario" in order to strengthen the idea of his physical culpability. (although Dick was still legally culpable without pulling any triggers)

[raccoon]

2. Good thinking--that hadn't occurred to me. nt