In Cold Blood

by

Truman Capote

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Perry Edward Smith

Son of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Murdered the Clutter family with the aid of Dick Hickok. A sensitive, artistic type who entertains fantastic dreams of treasure hunting and working as… read analysis of Perry Edward Smith

Richard Eugene “Dick” Hickok

Son of Mr. and Mrs. Hickok. Murdered the Clutter family with the aid of Perry Smith. The son of modest farmers, Dick was a high school sports star who couldn’t afford to go… read analysis of Richard Eugene “Dick” Hickok

Herb Clutter

Proprietor of River Valley Farm, husband to Bonnie Clutter, and father of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, Nancy Clutter, and Kenyon Clutter. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Herbread analysis of Herb Clutter

Bonnie Clutter

Wife of Herb Clutter, mother of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, Nancy Clutter, and Kenyon Clutter. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Bonnie is a “nervous” woman who has… read analysis of Bonnie Clutter
Minor Characters
Nancy Clutter
Daughter of Herb Clutter and Bonnie Clutter, sister of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, and Kenyon Clutter. Girlfriend to Bobby Rupp, best friends with Susan Kidwell. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Nancy is 16 years old and “the town darling.”
Kenyon Clutter
Son of Herb Clutter and Bonnie Clutter, brother of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, and Nancy Clutter. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Kenyon is 15 years old and is an athletic, introverted boy.
Eveanna (Clutter) Jarchow
Daughter of Herb and Bonnie, sister of Beverly, Nancy, and Kenyon.
Beverly (Clutter) English
Daugher to Herb and Bonnie, sister of Eveanna, Nancy, and Kenyon.
Susan Kidwell
Nancy Clutter’s best friend and the daughter of Wilma Kidwell. Accompanied by Nancy Ewalt, she discovers Nancy’s dead body.
Bobby Rupp
Nancy Clutter’s boyfriend. Initially a suspect in the Clutter murder case.
Alvin Dewey
Husband to Marie Dewey and personal friend of the Clutters. Primary investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Special Agent Harold Nye
A primary investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Special Agent Roy Church
Investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Special Agent Clarence Duntz
Investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).
Floyd Wells
Former employee of River Valley Farm. Inmate at Kansas State Penitentiary and former cellmate of Dick Hickok’s. Primary informant responsible for cracking the Clutter murder case.
Mr. Hickok
Dick Hickok’s father, husband of Mrs. Hickok. A hardworking farmer who lives in Olathe, Kansas.
Mrs. Hickok
Dick Hickok’s mother, wife of Mr. Hickok.
Mrs. Bess Hartman
Proprietor of Hartman’s Café in Holcomb.
Josephine Meier
Undersheriff Meier’s wife. She forms a friendship with Perry Smith while he’s held in the Garden City county jail.
Willie-Jay
The man Perry Smith considers to be his truest friend. When Perry knows him, he is an inmate at Kansas State Penitentiary and serves as the prison chaplain’s clerk. Most likely homosexual. Deeply religious.
Don Cullivan
Perry’s old Army buddy, who visits Perry while he’s incarcerated for the Clutter murders. Deeply religious.
Undersheriff Meier
Josephine Meier’s husband. Undersheriff of Garden City.
Teddy
The Clutter family dog. Gun-shy.
Babe
The Clutter family horse.
Alfred Stoecklein
River Valley Farm’s “sole resident employee.”
John “Tex” Smith
Father of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, Fern Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Husband of Flo Buckskin. A former rodeo man who becomes a vagabond in his later years.
Julia “Flo” Buckskin
Mother of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, Fern Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Wife of Tex Smith. A former rodeo rider who succumbs to alcoholism in her later years. She is of Cherokee descent.
Barbara (Smith) Johnson
Daughter of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Sister of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, and Fern Smith. Seems to have escaped the Smith family curse, but is haunted by her past.
Bob Johnson
Insurance agent for the Garden City branch of the New York Life Insurance Company. Sells Herb Clutter a life insurance policy the day Herb is murdered.
Mrs. Hideo Ashida
Neighbor to the Clutters. Particularly friendly with Herb Clutter.
Clarence Ewalt
A friend of the Clutter family.
Nancy Ewalt
A friend of Nancy Clutter who attends church with the Clutters every Sunday.
Paul Helm
The husband of Mrs. Helm. He has a close bond with the Clutter family.
Mrs. Helm
Paul Helm’s wife. Housekeeper for the Clutter family.
Wilma Kidwell
Susan Kidwell’s mother and a music teacher at the local school.
Jolene Katz
A young girl local to Holcomb. Nancy Clutter teaches her how to bake a pie.
Mrs. Myrt Clare
Daughter of Mother Truitt. Holcomb’s Postmistress.
Vere English
Married to Beverly English.
Howard Fox
Brother of Bonnie Clutter.
Fern “Joy” Smith
Daughter of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Sister of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Fell out of a window under mysterious circumstances and died.
Jimmy Smith
Son of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Brother of Fern Smith, Barbara Johnson, and Perry Smith. Committed suicide soon after his wife (supposedly) did the same.
Lester McCoy
Resident of Holcomb who moves due to the Clutter family’s murder.
Marie Dewey
Alvin Dewey’s wife.
Logan Green
Primary attorney for the prosecution in the Clutter murder trial.
Lowell Lee Andrews
Death Row inmate. An obese young man who, as a teenager, killed his immediate family in cold blood.
George Ronald York
Death Row inmate.
James Douglas Latham
Death Row inmate.
Bonnie Jean Ashida
Mrs. Hideo Ashida’s daughter, killed in a car accident.
Judge Tate
Judge that presided over the Clutter murder trial, who later died of pneumonia.
Larry Hendricks
An English teacher from Holcomb who accompanies the police in their initial investigation of the Clutter home.
Mother Truitt
A mail carrier, who's real name is Sadie Truitt. She is the mother of Mrs. Myrt Clare.