Oct. 28, 2025

Barney Riggs: The Deadliest Gunfighter You've Never Heard Of

Barney Riggs: The Deadliest Gunfighter You've Never Heard Of

Barney Riggs was one of the Old West’s most notorious and controversial gunfighters. Born in Arkansas in 1856, Riggs moved to Texas as a child, where violence quickly became a family tradition. At just 18, he killed a friend in what was called an accidental shooting. By his twenties, Riggs was in Arizona, working as a cowboy, stealing horses, and allegedly committing multiple murders. After being convicted of murder and sentenced to life at Yuma Prison, Riggs won a full pardon by saving the warden’s life during a bloody escape attempt. He returned to Texas, where he continued his violent ways, becoming embroiled in the infamous Frazer-Miller feud and serving as a deputy under a controversial sheriff. Repeated arrests, deadly shootouts, and family drama followed Riggs until his tragic demise in 1902.

 

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