In January 1958, Lincoln, Nebraska, witnessed a horrifying crime that left an indelible mark on American criminal history. The central figure in this chilling episode was Charles Starkweather, a 19-year-old garbageman with a bowlegged gait. Starkweather, along with his 14-year-old girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate, embarked on a violent rampage that shocked the nation and spawned a legend that continues to haunt the annals of true crime.

Starkweather, described as a rebellious and troubled youth, had developed a relationship with Caril Ann Fugate, a girl much younger than him. Their relationship, deemed inappropriate by many, spiraled into a dark journey that culminated in a series of brutal killings. The first of these occurred in Fugate's family home in Lincoln. Starkweather, in a fit of rage, murdered Fugate's mother, stepfather, and her two-year-old half-sister. This heinous act set the stage for what would become a notorious killing spree.

According to the legend that formed around this grisly event, Starkweather and Fugate remained in the murder house for six days after the killings. It's said that they nonchalantly drank soda pop and watched TV amidst the crime scene, displaying a chilling detachment from the gravity of their actions. This period of eerie calm was the prelude to a further eruption of violence.