Who was Pretty Boy Floyd?
Charles Arthur Floyd, known by his nickname ‘Pretty Boy Floyd’ was an individual who both masterminded and engaged in a various string of bank robberies between 1929 and his death in 1934. Pretty Boy Floyd was first arrested in 1929 for alleged vagrancy and robbery; however, Pretty Boy Floyd was only incarcerated for a number of his days prior to his release – subsequent to his release, Pretty Boy Floyd ensured that he would never again be subject to incarceration. Within his string of criminal activities, Pretty Boy Floyd was accused of crimes including robbery, as well as murder; however, the sole murder for which Pretty Boy Floyd was charged was for the killing of an Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) Agent on July 22nd, 1931:
During his crime spree, Pretty Boy Floyd was accused of the robbery of a multitude of banks; he was reported to have stolen thousands of dollars
Pretty Boy Floyd were amongst the main suspects with regard to the ‘Kansas City Massacre’, which is classified as a gunfight taking place between the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Pretty Boy Floyd’s gang; 4 FBI Agents were reported as being killed in this firefight on June 17th, 1933 – however, Pretty Boy Floyd was never convicted for any of the murders
The Case Profile of Pretty Boy Floyd
The following is a case profile of both the crimes of Pretty Boy Floyd, as well as a legal classification of statutory legislation associated with the case:
Date of Birth: Pretty Boy Floyd was born on February 3rd, 1904 in Adairsville, Georgia; he was killed on October 22nd, 1934 in East Liverpool, Ohio – he was 30 years old
Residence: Pretty Boy Floyd frequently changed residences with regard to his criminal activity and fugitive status; he typically resided within the area of Missouri
Dates of Crime: 1929 to 1934
Criminal Charges: Robbery, Resisting Arrest, and Murder
Notable Details and Personal Information: The following personal details have been considered to be contributory to the behavior and criminal actions undertaken by Pretty Boy Floyd; in addition, these case details were made mention within Pretty Boy Floyd’s criminal trial:
Pretty Boy Floyd has been reported as possessing and adamant hatred for the banking system and financial organizations; with regard to certain accounts, Pretty Boy Floyd was considered to be lauded by many civilians in accordance with his opposition of the banking industry
The apprehension of Pretty Boy Floyd was considered to be difficult due to the fact that many resident in the surrounding Kansas City provided him with refuge within their homes in order to avoid capture by law enforcement
Upon being pursued by the FBI, a pursuit led by famed FBI Agent Melvin Pervis, Pretty Boy Floyd was shot and killed; however, the implicit details within the death of Pretty Boy Floyd are still debated within modernity
Varying accounts of Floyd’s death suggest that he was shot by Pervis while in custody; however, this is flatly denied by both Pervis and the FBI
NEXT: Patricia Krenwinkel: A Murderer