The Mystery of Jesse James

Overview

According to the official account, Jesse James was shot by a man named Bob Ford, who fired one shot into Jesse's skull. But as THE MYSTERY OF JESSE JAMES shows, there are many reasons to question whether James really died on that day. From the newspaper stoires of the killing and the death photos--which show a man who does not quite resemble known photos of James--to recent exhumations, INVESTIGATING HISTORY probes the persistent rumors and illuminates new facets of the James's legend. As we follow the course of the exhumation at Neodesha, Kansas, requested by the James family, authors like Ron Pastore (The Jesse James Enigma) and Betty Dorsett (Jesse James Lived and Died in Texas) detail different theories as to his fate. Forensic specialist John Clayton reveals what the bones have to say, and the James family offers their personal take on the story that has long captivated scholars of the Old West.

Episode Information