Inspired by the film's "legend vs. reality" theme and its framing device of an old man claiming to be the real Billy the Kid, here is a story about a forgotten chapter of that journey. The Ghost of Old Fort Sumner
Back in 1881, after the escape from the Lincoln County jail, Billy hadn't headed straight for the border. He had circled back for one last look at the life he was leaving behind. He met Garrett in a sun-bleached canyon. There were no shots fired—just a long, quiet conversation between two men who had once shared a bottle and a dream of the West.
Are you interested in a specific from the movie, or Young Guns II (1990) - IMDb
According to Brushy Bill, they staged the "death" with the help of a drifter who had passed away from consumption. Garrett got his reward and his fame, and Billy the Kid vanished into the shimmering heat of the desert, becoming a ghost who watched his own legend grow on movie screens decades later.
"They say Pat Garrett killed me in the dark at Pete Maxwell’s place," Brushy Bill rasped, his voice sounding like gravel grinding together. "But Garrett was a better businessman than a lawman. He didn't want a corpse; he wanted a legacy." He began to tell a story that wasn't in the history books.
: The film is famous for its use of "Blaze of Glory" by Jon Bon Jovi and its portrayal of the Brushy Bill Roberts theory.
: You can find the movie on platforms like AMC+ or rent/buy it on Fandango at Home.