In a gunfight with FBI agents, he shot agent Sam Cowley. Mortally wounded, Cowley fired back and hit Nelson, then died a few moments later. Nelson, dying from Cowley's bullets, escaped in a car with his wife driven by an accomplice, Paul Chase. When they saw a roadblock up ahead, they dumped Nelson by the side of the road and left him to die, not wanting to get caught with him in the car. Nelson died shortly afterward. Chase and Nelson's wife were arrested and tried for robbery and murder. Chase got life in prison with no parole, and Nelson's wife got 25 years.