John Dillinger was an infamous American criminal who became one of the most notorious bank robbers in U.S. history during the Great Depression.
He was born on June 22, 1903, in Indianapolis, Indiana, and had a difficult childhood after his mother died when he was only three years old.
Dillinger was known for his daring prison escapes, violent gang, and numerous bank robberies, which made him a headline news celebrity and one of the most feared gangsters of the 20th century.
He was declared the United States’ first “Public Enemy No. 1” and was known by nicknames such as Jackrabbit and America’s first celebrity criminal.
Dillinger’s life was cut short when he was shot to death by FBI agents on July 22, 1934.
In this article, we will delve into Dillinger’s biography, his personal life, criminal record, cause of death and more.
John Dillinger biography
Dillinger was an American gangster during the Great Depression, known for commanding the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations.
He was born on June 22, 1903, in the Oak Hill section of Indianapolis, a middle-class residential neighborhood.
His father, a hardworking grocer, raised him in an atmosphere of disciplinary extremes, which had a significant impact on his upbringing.
Dillinger’s criminal activities gained national attention between 1933 and 1934.
During this time, he and his gang terrorized the Midwest, committing various crimes, including killing 10 men, wounding 7 others, robbing banks and police arsenals and staging three jailbreaks.
Dillinger was imprisoned several times and managed to escape twice, which added to his notoriety.
He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana, police officer, who shot Dillinger in his bullet-proof vest during a shootout; it was the only time Dillinger was charged with homicide.
In March 1934, Dillinger stole a car and crossed state lines following a sensational prison break, giving the FBI jurisdiction to join the manhunt.
On July 22, 1934, FBI agents closed in on Dillinger outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago and shot and killed him as he reached for his pistol.
Dillinger’s death was surrounded by controversy, with some believing that the individual shot and killed by FBI agents was not John Dillinger, but perhaps a look-alike and petty criminal named Jimmy Lawrence.
However, forensic evidence and FBI records confirm Dillinger’s death.
Dillinger’s life and crimes made him Indiana’s most notorious criminal, and his story continues to captivate public interest to this day.
John Dillinger’s criminal record
Dillinger was a notorious American gangster during the Great Depression who was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations.
He was imprisoned several times and escaped twice.
Dillinger’s criminal record began in 1924 when he was arrested for attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
He was convicted of assault and battery with intent to rob and conspiracy to commit a felony and received joint sentences of two to 14 years and 10 to 20 years in the Indiana State Prison.
After serving eight-and-a-half years of his sentence, he was paroled from prison on May 10, 1933.
Almost immediately, Dillinger robbed a bank in Bluffton, Ohio.
He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana, police officer, who shot Dillinger in his bullet-proof vest during a shootout.
Dillinger was known for his daring prison escapes, including his escape from the Crown Point jail in Indiana in March 1934.
What were some of John Dillinger’s most famous crimes?
Some of Dillinger’s most famous crimes include;
- Robbing 24 banks and four police stations
- Killing 10 men and wounding 7 others
- Destroying thousands of mortgage records during bank robberies, which helped many poor people escape payments to banks
- Executing a series of daring prison escapes
- Robbing a bank in Bluffton, Ohio, immediately after being paroled from prison
- Robbing several banks in Indiana and Wisconsin and fleeing to Florida and then to Tucson, Arizona
- Executing a celebrated breakout from the Crown Point jail in Indiana by carving a fake pistol and using it to force his way past a dozen guards to freedom
These crimes contributed to Dillinger’s notoriety and solidified his reputation as one of the most infamous bank robbers and criminals in U.S. history.
How did John Dillinger become a celebrity criminal?
Dillinger became a celebrity criminal due to several factors that contributed to his notoriety and public fascination including media attention and the fact that it happened during the Great Depression Era.
His criminal activities took place during the Great Depression, a time when many Americans were struggling and felt helpless against forces they didn’t understand.
This environment led to the romanticization of outlaws who took what they wanted at gunpoint, making heroes out of individuals like Dillinger.
Additionally, Dillinger’s daring bank robberies, violent gang, and numerous prison escapes captured the national imagination and dominated headlines, making him a headline news celebrity and one of the most feared gangsters of the 20th century.
Some members of the public both feared and idolized Dillinger, with some viewing him as a modern-day Robin Hood who stole from the very institutions that were seen as oppressive during the Great Depression.
His ability to escape from prison, including his most-celebrated breakout from the Crown Point jail, where he carved a fake pistol and used it to force his way past a dozen guards to freedom, added to his legendary status.
Dillinger and his gang terrorized the Midwest, committing violent acts such as killing 10 men, wounding 7 others, robbing banks and police arsenals and staging jailbreaks, which stirred mass emotion to a degree rarely seen in the country.
His criminal activities, the era in which they occurred, and the media attention surrounding his exploits all contributed to his status as a celebrity criminal.
Therefore, Dillinger became a celebrity criminal due to the combination of his criminal activities, the era in which they occurred, and the media attention surrounding his exploits.
John Dillinger wife
Dillinger was involved with two women during his lifetime.
The first was Beryl Ethel Hovious, whom he married on April 12, 1924.
However, their marriage was short-lived as Dillinger was arrested and sent to prison soon after their wedding.
The second woman was Mary Evelyn “Billie” Frechette, whom he met in November 1933 at a dance hall.
They began a relationship soon after and were involved for about six months until Frechette’s arrest and imprisonment in 1934.
Frechette served two years in federal prison for harboring a criminal.
After Dillinger’s death, she sold her story and went on a speaking tour from 1936 to 1941.
John Dillinger cause of death
Dillinger died on July 22, 1934, when federal agents shot and killed him as he left a movie in Chicago, Illinois.
Dillinger was shot three times by federal agents and fell face down on the pavement; he was pronounced dead twenty minutes later at the Alexian Brothers Hospital.
The cause of his death was the result of a confrontation with FBI agents, during which he was shot multiple times.
John Dillinger last words
According to FBI reports, Dillinger had no last words.
However, it is rumored that he said, “You got me,” after he was shot.
In the film Public Enemies, Dillinger’s last words were “bye-bye blackbird,” but this was added by the director for dramatic effect and is not based on historical fact.
FAQ
Who was John Dillinger?
Dillinger was an American gangster during the Great Depression.
He commanded the Dillinger Gang, which was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations.
Dillinger was imprisoned several times and escaped twice.
He was charged with but not convicted of the murder of an East Chicago, Indiana, police officer, who shot Dillinger in his bullet-proof vest during a shootout; it was the only time Dillinger was charged with homicide.
How many banks did John Dillinger rob?
Dillinger was accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations.
How many people did John Dillinger kill?
Dillinger and his violent gang terrorized the Midwest, killing 10 men and wounding 7 others.
How did John Dillinger die?
Dillinger was shot and killed by FBI agents outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago on July 22, 1934.
Did John Dillinger have any last words?
According to FBI reports, Dillinger had no last words.
However, it is rumored that he said, “You got me,” after he was shot.
In the film Public Enemies, Dillinger’s last words were “bye-bye blackbird,” but this was added by the director for dramatic effect and is not based on historical fact.
Was John Dillinger ever caught?
Dillinger was imprisoned several times and escaped twice.
He was eventually caught by the FBI and killed outside the Biograph Theater in Chicago on July 22, 1934.
Was John Dillinger a hero or a villain?
During the 1930s Depression, many Americans, nearly helpless against forces they didn’t understand, made heroes of outlaws who took what they wanted at gunpoint.
Of all the lurid desperadoes, one man, Dillinger, came to evoke this Gangster Era and stirred mass emotion to a degree rarely seen in this country.
However, Dillinger was a notorious and vicious thief who killed and wounded many people during his crime spree.
What was John Dillinger’s childhood like?
Dillinger was born on June 22, 1903 in the Oak Hill section of Indianapolis, a middle-class residential neighborhood.
His father, a hardworking grocer, raised him in an atmosphere of disciplinary extremes, harsh and repressive on some occasions, but generous and permissive on others.
Dillinger’s mother died when he was three, and when his father remarried six years later, John resented his stepmother.
What is the controversy surrounding John Dillinger’s death?
There are some who believe that the individual who was shot and killed by FBI agents on the night of July 22, 1934 outside the Biograph Theatre in Chicago, IL was not Dillinger, but perhaps Dillinger-look-alike and petty criminal Jimmy Lawrence.
Dillinger had in fact been using the pseudonym Jimmy Lawrence around Chicago for quite some time.
What is the legacy of John Dillinger?
Dillinger’s life and crimes have been the subject of numerous books, films and documentaries.
He has become a legendary figure in American popular culture, representing both the romanticized image of the outlaw and the darker side of the American Dream during the Great Depression.
