U.S. Marshal, M D (Shorty) Thompson received a letter at his Fort Tularosa ranch, in western New Mexico. ‘Dear Shorty, it saddens me to let you know Matt was killed and robbed of eleven thousand dollars and was buried today. April 19, 1881. Almost half of the stolen money was to pay off our ranch which the bank will foreclose on the first day of September. I know who killed my husband but the law cannot find him. It has been told he has family in Montana. I need your help if at all possible, or the children and I shall lose the ranch.’ Sincerely, Nadine Rogers Matt was one of Shorty’s best friends, they had worked on ranches’ together back in their teen years and were as close as any brothers. Shorty told his partner Buffalo he may be gone for months, but will write when he can. That night he cleaned and oiled his guns. As the sun came up the next morning, he was miles closer to Big Spring, Texas.