The silent film cowboy star Tom Mix was killed in 1940 after a heavy aluminum suitcase struck him in the head during a car accident near Florence, Arizona. The "Suitcase of Death" is now a featured attraction at the Tom Mix Museum in Dewey, Oklahoma. Details of the fatal crash: The vehicle: On October 12, 1940, Mix was driving his supercharged yellow 1937 Cord 812 Phaeton convertible on what is now Arizona State Route 79. The crash: While traveling at a high speed, Mix failed to see construction barriers for a washed-out bridge. He swerved, lost control, and rolled his car into a gully. Cause of death: During the rollover, a large aluminum Halliburton suitcase from the backseat flew forward and hit him in the back of the head. The impact broke his neck, and he died almost instantly. Contents of the suitcase: The suitcase reportedly contained a large sum of money, traveler's checks, and jewels. The memorial: A small stone memorial with a riderless horse figure marks the site of the crash along State Route 79. The gully where the car landed is now known as Tom Mix Wash.
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