Caril Fugate, Charles Starkweather: ‘A Crime To Remember’ Probes Teen Wasteland Murders On Investigation Discovery

The brutal crimes of Caril Fugate and Charles Starkweather have been talked about for decades, and this Tuesday, the Nebraska killing spree will raise its ugly head again in the documentary A Crime To Remember. In another new season on Investigation Discovery, A Crime To Remember will document old crime cases, some of which have been forgotten. The case of Caril Fugate and Charles Starkweather, the teen lovers who made headlines in the 1950s for their cross-country crime spree, is an unforgettable case, one that has inspired several movies, shows, and books. On A Crime To Remember’s episode titled “Teenage Wasteland,” Investigation Discovery viewers will most likely hear from some notable book authors and relatives of those who have intimate details of the murder.

Romance And Murder

Beginning in December 1957, Charles Starkweather, a 19-year-old teen, shot and killed a gas station attendant and got away with it. Emboldened by his actions, Starkweather embarked on a mass killing spree that lasted until he was caught in January 1958. In all, 11 people were murdered. His 14-year-old girlfriend, Caril Fugate, was with him.

Charles Starkweather met Caril Fugate in 1956. From there, they had a passionate love affair. He taught her how to drive a car, and he fueled Caril’s rebellious spirit even more. It was like a forbidden love between them. Charles Starkweather was too old to be dating Caril, and her parents couldn’t stand him. He worshiped James Dean and hated society.

Was Caril Fugate Really A Hostage Or A Willing Participant?

The fact is no one can agree on the answer. If you go by the court’s decision, the answer is yes. Charles Starkweather was found guilty and put to death in 1959 for killing 11 people in cold blood, and the courts also found Caril Fugate guilty of murder and gave her a sentence of life in prison. Caril Fugate has always denied being an accomplice. Many people believe her version of events. However, many believe that she was just as mean and sadistic as her lover.

Caril Fugate and Charles Starkweather have always been portrayed in the media as a ‘Bonnie and Clyde’ type of duo, a lethal pair of teen rebels who set out to commit these crimes for the fun of it. But Caril says that was the wrong depiction, and even today she maintains that she never participated in the crimes.

https://www.facebook.com/TSKTG/photos/a.250146201807243.1073741828.159837704171427/330477120440817/?type=3&permPage=1

Caril Fugate Paroled, Wanted Pardon

Only serving about 17 years for the murders, Caril Fugate was released from prison in 1976. She relocated, married, and lived a normal life. In 1983, Caril Fugate appeared on the show Lie Detector, where she hoped that she would prove to the world that she was innocent. The test results came back inconclusive. Caril was devastated, according to the Argus Press. In 2014, she asked for a pardon, according to the Daily Mail.

However you look at it, the only people who really know what really happened are Caril Fugate, Charles Starkweather, and the poor victims that were savagely killed.

The real Mickey and Mallory: Charles Starkweather and Caril Fugate (story that inspired Natural Born Killers) pic.twitter.com/ki30VS8GH2

— D?LL? LUX? (@DellaLux) July 10, 2016

To get the full story of Caril Fugate and Charles Starkweather, be sure to tune into A Crime To Remember this Tuesday, December 6, at 9/8 p.m. Central on Investigation Discovery. Last season on A Crime To Remember, the stories of Mack Herring and Nellie May Madison were covered.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0BEUfgEIkE

[Featured Image by Don Ultang/AP Images]