William Hale was charged on January 26, 1929, eight years after the murders began. Over those eight years, the BoI spoke with many witnesses, only getting info after offering rewards. Still, many people that William Hale bribed never talked. From the information we gathered, we know that William Hale was given a life sentence, but he only ended up serving 18 years, being paroled in 1947. Several witnesses eventually talked, including Ernest Buckheart and John Ramsey. They both mentioned exchanges of large amounts of money, including one upwards of $6,000. Ernest Buckheart was the first to confess, revealing John Ramsey, William Hale, and Kelsey Morrison to be affiliated with the murders. Buckheart later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life imprisonment, but he was paroled after 20 years and then sent back for robbery charges. ​​​​​​​

McDonnell, Brandy. “Martin Scorsese Movie 'Killers of the Flower Moon' Delves into Tragic Osage Tribal History.” The Oklahoman, Oklahoman, 9 May 2021, www.oklahoman.com/story/entertainment/2021/05/09/martin-scorsese-killers-flower-moon-film-revisits-osage-tribal-history/4972107001/.