Kathryn Kelly was one of the most infamous criminals in American history. She was involved in bootlegging, bank robbery, and kidnapping, along with her fourth husband, George Kelly Barnes, better known as “Machine Gun Kelly”. She was also the mastermind behind his notorious nickname and reputation. But what happened to her after she was released from prison? How did she die and what was the cause of her death?
Early Life and Criminal Career
Kathryn Kelly was born as Cleo Lera Mae Brooks on March 18, 1904 in Saltillo, Mississippi. She changed her name to Kathryn to sound more elegant and married her first husband, Lonnie Clyde Fry, at the age of 15. She gave birth to her only child, Pauline, in 1919 and divorced Fry two years later. She married twice more, but both marriages ended quickly and tragically. Her second husband, L. G. Brewer, left her and her third husband, Charlie Thorne, a bootlegger, was found shot to death with a typed suicide note, despite being illiterate. According to Crime Museum, the judge overlooked this fact and Kathryn was never convicted for the murder.
Kathryn moved to Fort Worth, Texas with her mother and stepfather and continued to live a lavish lifestyle with the money she inherited from Thorne and the cash she stole from robberies. She met George Kelly, another bootlegger and convicted bank robber, in 1930 and married him soon after. She bought him a machine gun and gave him the nickname “Machine Gun Kelly” to boost his image as a dangerous criminal. Together, they operated as bootleggers and bank robbers until 1932, when they decided to switch to kidnapping for higher profits.
The Urschel Kidnapping and Arrest
In July 1933, Kathryn and Machine Gun Kelly kidnapped Charles F. Urschel, a wealthy oil tycoon and businessman, from his home in Oklahoma City. They demanded a ransom of $200,000, which was the largest amount ever paid at that time. They hid Urschel at Kathryn’s mother’s farm near Paradise, Texas and released him after receiving the money. However, Urschel had a photographic memory and was able to provide detailed clues to the FBI about his captors and their location.
The FBI launched a massive manhunt for the Kellys and their accomplices. They arrested Kathryn’s parents and several others who were involved in the kidnapping. The Kellys managed to evade capture for 56 days until they were finally arrested in Memphis, Tennessee in September 1933. They were tried and convicted for the kidnapping of Urschel and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Later Life and Death
Kathryn Kelly spent 25 years in prison before she was released in 1958 along with her mother. They appealed their conviction on the grounds that the FBI had intimidated their lawyers and withheld evidence. The FBI refused to release the documents that could prove otherwise and the women were freed. Kathryn never saw Machine Gun Kelly again; he died in prison in 1954.
Kathryn changed her name to Lera Cleo Kelly and worked as a bookkeeper at the Oklahoma County Poor Farm, which was a hospital and nursing home at that time. According to Wikipedia, she lived a quiet and modest life until her death on May 28, 1985 at the age of 81. She was buried at Tecumseh Cemetery near Oklahoma City under her assumed name.
The cause of Kathryn Kelly’s death is not known for sure. Some sources say that she died of natural causes or old age, while others suggest that she may have committed suicide or died of an overdose of sleeping pills. There is no official record or autopsy report that can confirm or deny these speculations. However, one thing is certain: Kathryn Kelly died as a mysterious figure who left behind a legacy of crime and intrigue.
