A man in New Mexico by the name of Ray John de Aragon claims to have found the second photograph ever taken of folk legend Billy the Kid.
De Aragon says the picture has been in a photo album that was passed on to him by his father, according to KOB 4 News. While the New Mexico man had the photo album since the 1970s, it wasn't until recently that he decided to look at the picture to see if it was real.
Lois Gibson, a world famous forensic artist and sketch artist for the Houston Police Department, also gave the picture a look to check its authenticity. De Argon believes that Harry W. Lucas, the photographer who shot the original picture, is responsible for taking the picture in his photo album.
"It was Harry W. Lucas, from Silver City ... he was an itinerant photographer. He traveled throughout New Mexico and Arizona territories," de Aragon said.
Gibson also believes that de Aragon's photo is the real deal, Esquire reported.
"The interesting thing is, if you notice the pose, it's exactly the same as the tin type," de Aragon said. "His earring; the famous gambler's gold pinkie ring on his finger ... and if you look at two photographs, they're almost identical, except one he has a cowboy outfit, and the other he has a suit."
The photo shows Billy standing in a broken suit that includes pinstripe pants, a dark vest, and an overcoat featuring high-button stance and miniature lapels. Gibson said de Aragon's photo has the same body, face and head as the original.
"The dentition, it locks it in for me. Everything else lines up, but the dentition is so unusual," she added.
De Aragon said he is excited to hear that his photo is legit, KOB 4 News reported. Gibson also said she was happy about the photo and especially for de Aragon and those interested in history.
The first photo of Billy the Kid was sold in 2011 in an auction in Denver to billionaire William Koch, who paid $2.3 million for the picture of the famous gunslinger, Esquire reported.
De Aragon, on the other hand, doesn't plan on selling his photo, and will instead keep it because he believes it is a family heirloom.
