Roy Glenn Thornton

• Reference: FamilySearch Family Tree - SmartCopy: Jan 20 2016, 2:19:46 UTC

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He was married to Bonnie Parker of Bonnie & Clyde fame but they later separated. She still wore her wedding ring until her death. Roy was shot to death during an attempted prison escape along with Austin Avers who was serving time for participating in the 1934 escape of Raymond Hamilton, Joe Palmer and others.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Jan 20 2016, 3:08:30 UTC

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From The Spokane Chronicle, of Monday, Oct. 4, 1937

Convict slain in liberty dash

Huntsville, Texas, Oct. 4 (AP) - Two desperado convicts, pals of the late Raymond Hamilton and cigar-smoking gun woman, Bonnie Parker, were dead today and a third convict was near death, victims of two quick-shooting guards at Eastham State Prison.

The dead men, shot yesterday as they led an attempted mass break by the 27 inmates of the prison's special wing for incorrigible, were Roy Thornton, Bonnie Parker's husband, and Austin Avers, sentenced for a part in the death house escape of Hamilton, southwestern bandit. Thornton was serving 50 years for burglary.

Forrest Gibson, serving a sentence for slaying a guard at Retrieve Prison Farm in a break there last June, was shot three times and was not expected to live.

Clyde Thompson, convicted of killing two brothers, "just to see them kick," was slightly wounded.

Fashion key to gate

The men had fashioned a crude "key" to the gate of the incorrigible wing.

Thornton and Gibson overpowered Guard Theo Williams, took his pistol and walked 25 feet to jam it into the ribs of Guard W. A. Waller. They then released their comrades and ran outside.

Guard J. M. Thomas, atop the inmates' quarters, saw Thornton first and killed him instantly. He then shot Avers and wounded Gibson.

Dog Sergeant Flaurnoy heard the shooting. He ran around the building and shot Thompson.

The other convicts, frightened at the fire, surrendered meekly.

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