On July 14, 2012, one-hundred and thirty-one years after he was laid to rest, the Billy the Kid Outlaw Gang held a memorial service and candlelight vigil in Billy’s honor.  BTKOG President, Lori Goodloe, recounted the adventures of his short life and the story of his death for a crowd of Gang members and curious on-lookers.  In closing she recited the story of the Kid’s funeral during which a “sanctified Texan” spoke.  The Texan read a passage from the Bible, Job 14:1-2, and finished by saying, “Billy cannot come back to us, but we will see him again up yonder.  Amen.”

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Afterwards we celebrated twenty-five years of protecting, promoting, and preserving Billy the Kid’s history and that evening we gathered again at the Old Fort Cemetery and sat vigil with our outlaw.  To close the evening, Julian Leyba read from Psalm 23 and reminded those of us listening why we were there—why we’re still fascinated with the laughing boy with the dancing blue eyes even so long after his death.