William Woodward Jr. (June 12, 1920 – October 31, 1955) was the heir to the Hanover National Bank fortune (later Manufacturer's Hanover), the Belair Estate and stud farm and legacy,[1] , decorated war veteran, and a leading figure in racing circles before he was shot to death by his wife, Ann Woodward, in what Life magazine called the "Shooting of the Century".

His father was president and director of the Hanover Bank of New York, and was secretary to the ambassador to the Court of St. James's during the reign of Edward VII.

A young, tall, wealthy man, he was considered by some to be the most eligible bachelor in America,[2] and eventually became one of the country's finest horse breeders.

[4] After attending a dinner party for the Duchess of Windsor on October 30, 1955, Woodward and his wife returned to their home, the Playhouse, in Oyster Bay, New York.

A few hours later, Ann heard a noise on the roof and went into a darkened hallway with her gun, where she saw a shadowy figure standing in front of Woodward's bedroom door.

Police later arrested a man named Paul Wirths, who admitted that he had attempted to break into the Woodwards' house on the night of the shooting.

[4] Wirths confessed that he had been on the roof above Ann Woodward’s bedroom and was climbing into a hallway window, when he got scared by the sound of gunshots and then left.

[10][11] Woodward's mother Elsie, however, believed that the shooting had been deliberate but publicly supported her daughter-in-law in order to avoid further scandal.

[16] The story was also frequently gossiped about within the Woodwards' social circle, who speculated that Ann intentionally shot her husband to get his money.

[4] The case was brought back to public attention when, in 1975, chapters of author Truman Capote's novel Answered Prayers were set to be published in Esquire magazine's November issue.

[18] Despite Capote's claims that "almost everything" in Answered Prayers was true,[19] there is no evidence that Ann burgled the neighboring estates herself to create an excuse that a prowler was at large, then deliberately shot her husband to death in the shower and subsequently moved his body into the hallway.

[18] Both of the couple's children, William "Woody" III and James "Jimmy" Woodward, were asleep at the family home at the time of the shooting.