Pat Garrett was born in Alabama on June 5, 1850. Shortly after the death of his parents in 1869, he went west to seek his future. He was a cowhand in Lancaster, Texas for several years before he became a buffalo hunter on the Southern Plains. He was remarkably adept at slaying buffalo and was able to slaughter between sixty and one hundred per day. He was so capable that the hide skinners could hardly keep up with his killing totals. One day in 1876, Pat found that he also possessed the ability to kill a person. Joe Briscoe, a co-worker in the hide trade, exchanged verbal barbs with Garrett. When Pat resorted to using ethnic slurs, Briscoe grabbed an axe and attempted to kill Garrett with it. Pat ran around a wagon trying to elude Briscoe who was relentless in his pursuit. Finally, Garret tired of the chase and pointed a "big fifty" buffalo rifle at his attacker and demanded he stop. Briscoe doubted Garret's resolve and continued at him with the axe. One round from the gun ended the dispute forever.¹²⁶

Though Pat was never charged with the killing it did mark the end of his buffalo hunting days. He moved to Fort Sumner, New Mexico and became a gambler. It was here that he would meet a young man who would help shape the legend of his life. His acquaintance, Henry McCarty (a.k.a. William Bonney), who would later be known in infamy as "Billy The Kid", was at this stage of his career known as "Little Casino" because of his slight stature. His associate, Pat Garret, was known as "Big Casino" because of his 6'4" frame. Many have speculated that during the Fort Sumner days Billy and Pat were the best of friends. This has never been fully substantiated, however, they were well acquainted and the nickname association between the two suggests it was more than a passing relationship.¹²⁷

After failing in several restaurant and saloon ventures, Pat decided to become a lawman. In 1880, he pinned on a star for the first time as a deputy sheriff of Lincoln County, New Mexico. Soon after this he ran for the top slot of sheriff. He was an affable and pleasant man and politics suited him well. He easily won the election. His first and greatest assignment was to stop the now prolific killer and outlaw, Billy The Kid, who was without question the most notorious desperado and killer in the Wild West. Billy had been on a killing binge for about half of his twenty-one years. Garrett and his posse first caught up with the Kid near Stinking Springs, New Mexico and returned him for trial. He was found guilty, and while awaiting his hanging, Billy managed to get hold of a pistol and killed both of his jailers during his escape from the County lock-up.¹²⁸

Garrett tracked the Kid back to Fort Sumner and located the hotel where he was staying. While The Kid was out celebrating with some senioritas, Garrett secreted himself in Billy's hotel room. Hidden in the shadows of the room Garrett awaited the outlaw's return. Garrett describes the scene:

"The Kid must have seen or felt the presence of a person at the head of the bed. He raised quickly his pistol, a self-cocker, within a foot of my breast. Repeating rapidly across the room he cried: Quien es? Quien es? (Who's that? Who's that?) All this occurred in a moment. Quickly as possible I drew my revolver and fired, threw my body aside and fired again. The second shot was useless; The Kid fell dead. He never spoke. A struggle or two, a little strangling sound as he gasped for breath, and The Kid was with his many victims".¹²⁹

The killing of the most noted desperado of the Wild West brought Garret instant fame and notoriety. His book, The Authentic Life of Billy The Kid, which was really written by an itinerant newspaperman named Ash Upson, hit the market within fifteen months after Garrett had killed Billy The Kid. Though the story line was exciting, and certainly newsworthy, Garret's life would be a less fortunate series of anticlimaxes. At the end of his term of office in 1882, Pat moved South and began another series of failed business ventures. He took on a short stint as a Texas Ranger that also failed and he resigned after only six months. In 1889, he was defeated in a contest for sheriff of Chavey County, despite all of his fame and prior reputation. In 1897, he accepted an appointment as the sheriff of Dona Ana County, New Mexico and he managed to get re-elected on two consecutive occasions. However, he surrendered his badge in 1900 after a series of political disputes.¹³⁰

A few months later Pat was appointed collector of customs in El Paso, Texas. President Theodore Roosevelt, who had read Garret's, or supposedly Garrett's book, was anxious to employ the man who shot the world's most notorious outlaw. Soon after considering Pat, Roosevelt began to receive a series of letters and telegrams questioning Garrett's ethics. Roosevelt began to have second thoughts about the decision, not only based upon Garrett's abilities and liabilities, but the issue over the actual authorship about the book was lingering. Garrett went to Washington D.C. to plead his case personally. Roosevelt handed Pat a printed note and asked him to read it aloud and sign it. The note stated:

"I, the undersigned Patrick F. Garrett hereby give my word of honor, that if I am appointed Collector of Customs at El Paso, Texas, I will totally abstain from the use of intoxicating liquors during my term of office".¹³¹

The purpose of the note was not to obtain an oath from Garrett but to abolish lingering doubts that Roosevelt had over Pat's literacy. This would clear rumors that Garrett could not have written his own book because he could not read or write.

Within five years of his appointment, Garrett fell from presidential grace and finally resigned his position. Again, Garrett failed at business, this time ranching. On February 29, 1908, Garrett was thirty-five hundred dollars in debt and forced to sell his ranch. A tenant farmer on his ranch named Wayne Brazel argued with Garrett over the ranch sale. When Garrett reached for a shotgun, Brazel killed him with a six-shooter. Incredibly, Brazel was acquitted using a self defense excuse. It was a remarkable verdict considering that Pat had been shot in the chest and through the back of the head. Footprints at the crime scene suggested the presence of multiple persons at the time of his death.¹³²