Who is credited with the assassination of American outlaw Jesse James?

Robert Newton Ford was an outlaw from Missouri born on January 31, 1862. Ford, like many young people in Missouri at that time, grew up idolizing Jessie James as a civil war hero. Robert and his older brother Charles, finally got the chance to meet Jesse when they befriended him in 1880 while he was recruiting new members for his gang. Following the 1876 disastrous Northfield, Minnesota raid by the James-Younger gang, where both Younger Brothers were captured, meant Jesse and Frank James needed to rebuild.

Between February 1866 and December 1876, the James-Younger concentrated mostly on banks. After the Northfield raid the emphasis changed, for the most part, to trains, for which Jesse is probably most famous.

Although Ford was not involved in any robberies, his brother Charles was involved in at least one train robbery.

In December of 1881, Ford shot and killed Wood Hite who was Jesse's cousin. Fearing reprisal from Jessie, Ford accepted a deal from the Governor. He would receive a full pardon for the murder in exchange for the capture of either Jesse or Frank, dead or alive.

On April 3, 1882, Ford fatally shot Jesse James behind the ear at James' rented apartment in St. Joseph, Missouri. Ford surrendered to the authorities, pleaded guilty, and was promptly pardoned by the Governor.