In Cold Blood Characters

Daughter of Herb Clutter and Bonnie Clutter, sister of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, and Kenyon Clutter. Girlfriend to Bobby Rupp, best friends with Susan Kidwell. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Nancy is 16 years old and “the town darling.”

Son of Herb Clutter and Bonnie Clutter, brother of Eveanna Jarchow, Beverly English, and Nancy Clutter. Murdered by Perry Smith and Dick Hickok. Kenyon is 15 years old and is an athletic, introverted boy.

Daughter of Herb and Bonnie, sister of Beverly, Nancy, and Kenyon.

Daugher to Herb and Bonnie, sister of Eveanna, Nancy, and Kenyon.

Nancy Clutter’s best friend and the daughter of Wilma Kidwell. Accompanied by Nancy Ewalt, she discovers Nancy’s dead body.

Nancy Clutter’s boyfriend. Initially a suspect in the Clutter murder case.

Husband to Marie Dewey and personal friend of the Clutters. Primary investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

A primary investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Investigator in the Clutter murder case. Works for the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI).

Former employee of River Valley Farm. Inmate at Kansas State Penitentiary and former cellmate of Dick Hickok’s. Primary informant responsible for cracking the Clutter murder case.

Dick Hickok’s father, husband of Mrs. Hickok. A hardworking farmer who lives in Olathe, Kansas.

Dick Hickok’s mother, wife of Mr. Hickok.

Proprietor of Hartman’s Café in Holcomb.

Undersheriff Meier’s wife. She forms a friendship with Perry Smith while he’s held in the Garden City county jail.

The man Perry Smith considers to be his truest friend. When Perry knows him, he is an inmate at Kansas State Penitentiary and serves as the prison chaplain’s clerk. Most likely homosexual. Deeply religious.

Perry’s old Army buddy, who visits Perry while he’s incarcerated for the Clutter murders. Deeply religious.

Josephine Meier’s husband. Undersheriff of Garden City.

The nurse Perry Smith had a love affair with during his hospitalization for a motorcycle accident. Perry, who bears a tattoo of her name on his arm, refers to Cookie as the girl he “almost married.”

The Clutter family dog. Gun-shy.

The Clutter family horse.

River Valley Farm’s “sole resident employee.”

Father of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, Fern Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Husband of Flo Buckskin. A former rodeo man who becomes a vagabond in his later years.

Mother of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, Fern Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Wife of Tex Smith. A former rodeo rider who succumbs to alcoholism in her later years. She is of Cherokee descent.

Daughter of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Sister of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, and Fern Smith. Seems to have escaped the Smith family curse, but is haunted by her past.

Insurance agent for the Garden City branch of the New York Life Insurance Company. Sells Herb Clutter a life insurance policy the day Herb is murdered.

Neighbor to the Clutters. Particularly friendly with Herb Clutter.

A friend of the Clutter family.

A friend of Nancy Clutter who attends church with the Clutters every Sunday.

The husband of Mrs. Helm. He has a close bond with the Clutter family.

Paul Helm’s wife. Housekeeper for the Clutter family.

Susan Kidwell’s mother and a music teacher at the local school.

A young girl local to Holcomb. Nancy Clutter teaches her how to bake a pie.

Daughter of Mother Truitt. Holcomb’s Postmistress.

Married to Beverly English.

Brother of Bonnie Clutter.

Daughter of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Sister of Perry Smith, Jimmy Smith, and Barbara Johnson. Fell out of a window under mysterious circumstances and died.

Son of John “Tex” Smith and Julia “Flo” Buckskin. Brother of Fern Smith, Barbara Johnson, and Perry Smith. Committed suicide soon after his wife (supposedly) did the same.

Resident of Holcomb who moves due to the Clutter family’s murder.

Alvin Dewey’s wife.

Primary attorney for the prosecution in the Clutter murder trial.

Death Row inmate. An obese young man who, as a teenager, killed his immediate family in cold blood.

Death Row inmate.

Death Row inmate.

Mrs. Hideo Ashida’s daughter, killed in a car accident.

Judge that presided over the Clutter murder trial, who later died of pneumonia.

An English teacher from Holcomb who accompanies the police in their initial investigation of the Clutter home.

A mail carrier, who's real name is Sadie Truitt. She is the mother of Mrs. Myrt Clare.