Wilbur Underhill Jr.
The Tri-State Terror of the Great Depression
Wilbur Underhill Jr. was one of the most feared criminals of the early 20th century, earning the nickname “The Tri-State Terror” for his violent crime spree across Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri. A career criminal known for bank robberies, murders, and multiple prison escapes, Underhill was among the first gangsters to be hunted down by what would later become the FBI. Though he is often overshadowed by infamous criminals like John Dillinger and Pretty Boy Floyd, his brutality, daring escapes, and final shootout made him one of the most notorious outlaws of the Great Depression.
Early Life and Path to Crime
Born on March 16, 1901, in Joplin, Missouri, Wilbur Underhill Jr. grew up in a family that had already seen its share of trouble. One of seven children, his three older brothers, Earl, George, and Ernest, became career criminals, while his three sisters lived law-abiding lives. At just 12 years old, Wilbur’s life took a dark turn when his brother George was sentenced to life in prison for murder. Shortly after, Wilbur committed his first recorded crime, stealing silverware from a neighbor.
By 1918, at the age of 17, he was convicted of burglary and sentenced to four years in prison. Instead of reforming, prison only hardened him. Upon his release, he quickly returned to crime, earning the nickname “Lovers Lane Bandit” by robbing young couples in secluded spots around Joplin, Missouri. His crime spree ended when he was caught by a police decoy and sentenced to five years in the Missouri State Penitentiary.
Escalation to Murder and First Life Sentence
Released in late 1926, Underhill wasted no time returning to crime. On Christmas Day, he and his associate Ike “Skeet” Akins robbed a drugstore in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, where a customer, George Fee, was killed during the robbery. Arrested on January 7, 1927, both men were charged with armed robbery and murder.
Underhill, however, was not one to stay behind bars for long. On January 30, 1927, he escaped from the Okmulgee County Jail using smuggled hacksaws. He remained on the run for weeks, committing further crimes. On February 13, 1927, he robbed a movie theater in Picher, Oklahoma and, when confronted by authorities, killed deputized citizen Earl O’Neal before escaping once again.
Despite his violent escape, Underhill was captured again in Panama, Oklahoma, on March 20, 1927. He was convicted of George Fee’s murder and sentenced to life imprisonment in the Oklahoma State Penitentiary.
Prison Escapes and Murdering a Police Officer
Prison could not hold Wilbur Underhill. After multiple escape attempts, he finally succeeded on July 14, 1931. Within days of his escape, he returned to crime, robbing a Cherryvale, Kansas, theater on July 26, 1931, stealing $300. On August 12, 1931, he and his nephew Frank Underhill robbed a Wichita, Kansas gas station, making off with just $14.
The gas station robbery led to one of his most notorious crimes. After crashing his car, Underhill checked into a local Wichita hotel. The next day, patrolman Merle Colver knocked on his door, responding to reports of suspicious guests. Underhill opened fire, killing Colver instantly. As he fled, a running gunfight erupted with police, and a two-year-old child was killed in the crossfire. Underhill was shot in the neck and captured, earning his second life sentence, this time at Lansing State Prison in Kansas.
The Mass Escape of 1933
By the early 1930s, Underhill had become one of the most notorious criminals in Oklahoma. While serving time at Lansing State Prison, he participated in a mass escape on May 30, 1933, with 10 other inmates, including Harvey Bailey, Jim Clark, Frank Sawyer, Ed Davis, and Robert “Big Bob” Brady. The fugitives fled to Cookson Hills, Oklahoma, a region notorious for harboring outlaws. Underhill and Bailey soon formed a new gang, which launched a multi-state bank robbery spree.
Their spree included robbing a Black Rock, Arkansas bank on June 16, 1933, stealing $11,000 from a bank in Clinton, Oklahoma on July 3, 1933, and robbing a Kingfisher, Oklahoma bank on August 9, 1933. During this time, Underhill was also wrongly accused of participating in the Kansas City Massacre, an attack that resulted in the deaths of four law enforcement officers.
This photo shows the weapons used in the 1933 escape.
Marriage and the Beginning of the End
Despite his fugitive status, Underhill found time for romance. He married Hazel Jarrett Hudson, the sister of the outlaw Jarrett brothers, and even applied for a marriage license using his real name. This led law enforcement directly to him.
Federal agents, frustrated by local authorities’ failure to catch Underhill, assigned Agent R.H. Colvin to track him down. Underhill barely evaded capture twice—once in Oklahoma City, where police raided Hazel’s home just after they had left, and again in Konawa, Oklahoma, where police missed him by mere minutes during a raid on his honeymoon hideout.
The FBI’s First Targeted Killing: Wilbur Underhill Jr.
Although history often credits the FBI’s early campaigns against organized crime to famous encounters with gangsters like John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd, Wilbur Underhill Jr. holds the distinction of being one of the first criminals ever gunned down by federal agents. However, his place in history is often overlooked, overshadowed by the better-publicized takedowns of criminals who came after him.
By December 1933, Underhill was one of the most wanted fugitives in the country, having escaped from prison multiple times and carried out a string of violent robberies and murders. His status as a career criminal made him a high-priority target for the Bureau of Investigation (which would later become the FBI in 1935). Frustrated with local law enforcement’s failures to apprehend Underhill, J. Edgar Hoover assigned federal agent R.H. Colvin to track him down.
The confrontation came on December 26, 1933, in Shawnee, Oklahoma, when a 24-man strike force, including federal agents, state troopers, and local police, raided the house where Underhill was hiding. Rather than surrender, Underhill opened fire, igniting a ferocious gun battle. Though he was shot multiple times, he managed to escape from the house, running barefoot and bleeding for 16 blocks before finally collapsing in a furniture store. He was captured and transported to McAlester prison hospital, where he succumbed to his wounds on January 6, 1934.
While the FBI is often credited with killing John Dillinger in 1934, Underhill’s death came months earlier, making him one of the first, if not the first, gangster actively hunted and fatally wounded by federal agents. Despite this, he is rarely recognized in official FBI history, as later criminals—especially those tied to major national headlines—drew greater public attention. Nonetheless, his takedown marked a turning point in federal law enforcement’s pursuit of criminals, demonstrating the Bureau’s growing power and its shift toward armed intervention in the fight against crime.
Legacy of the Tri-State Terror
Wilbur Underhill’s reign of terror ended with his dramatic final stand, making him the first criminal ever gunned down by the Bureau of Investigation (later the FBI). Though he was eventually overshadowed by gangsters like John Dillinger and Baby Face Nelson, he remains one of the most notorious criminals in Oklahoma history. His story reflects the violent, lawless era of the Great Depression, where crime syndicates, daring robberies, and bloody shootouts defined the time.
Underhill may not have reached the same level of infamy as some of his contemporaries, but his legacy as a ruthless outlaw, skilled escape artist, and fearless gunman remains a chilling reminder of the darker side of American history.
