On November 16, 1959, The New York Times published an account of the murders:
Holcomb, Kan., Nov. 15 [1959] (UPI) -- A wealthy wheat farmer, his
wife and their two young children were found shot to death today in
their home. They had been killed by shotgun blasts at close range after
being bound and gagged ... There were no signs of a struggle, and
nothing had been stolen. The telephone lines had been cut....
This article interested Capote enough for him to travel to
Kansas to investigate the murders. Capote went to gain the
confidence of the locals. Capote did copious research for the book,
ultimately compiling 8,000 pages of notes. After the criminals were found, tried, and convicted, Capote held
personal interviews with both Smith and Hickock. Smith especially
fascinated Capote; in the book he is portrayed as the more sensitive and
guilt-ridden of the two killers. Rumors of a romantic and even sexual
relationship between Smith and Capote still linger to this day. The book was not completed until after Smith and Hickock were executed.
