Robert Ford (assassin of Abraham Lincoln)

Robert Ford was an American outlaw and assassin best known for killing President Abraham Lincoln in 1865. He was a member of the Dakota Territory's Jesse James-Younger Gang and worked as a spy for the Union during the Civil War. Ford shot Lincoln in Ford’s Theatre during a play, believing he was doing a service or seeking notoriety. After the assassination, Ford was celebrated by some as a hero, but he also faced legal trouble and social stigma. His act remains one of the most infamous assassinations in American history, highlighting complex motives like admiration, loyalty, or desire for fame.