Felipe Nerio Espinosa ( – 1863) was a notorious

Mexican-American Mexican Americans are Americans of full or partial Mexican descent. In 2022, Mexican Americans comprised 11.2% of the US population and 58.9% of all Hispanic and Latino Americans. In 2019, 71% of Mexican Americans were born in the United State ...

murderer who killed an estimated 32 people in the

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throughout the spring and fall of 1863.

Early life

Felipe Nerio Espinosa was probably born in what is today El Rito Unincorporated Community,

Rio Arriba County Rio Arriba County () is a List of counties in New Mexico, county in the U.S. state of New Mexico. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 40,363. Its county seat is Tierra Amarilla, New Mexico, Tierra Amarilla. Its ...

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(at that time,

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) although some sources cite his place of birth as

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, Mexico. His parents were Pedro Ignacio Espinosa, who was born in Abiquiu, New Mexico, and Gertrudis Chavez. He had a brother named Vivian. The Mexican census of 1845 from El Rito, New Mexico lists several members of the Espinosa family, while the 1860 US Census lists a Felipe Nerio Espinosa living in Conejos, San Fernando Valley,

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with his wife and two children, a girl of five and a son of two.

Killing spree

There is no definitive reason as to why the Espinosa brothers began their rampage but evidence suggests it was because the

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had been tasked with arresting the pair over alleged robberies in the area. When the two men did not give themselves up, one of their homes was burned and their property confiscated. The pair had ended up in American territory after the signing of the

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo officially ended the Mexican–American War (1846–1848). It was signed on 2 February 1848 in the town of Villa de Guadalupe, Mexico City, Guadalupe Hidalgo. After the defeat of its army and the fall of the cap ...

in February 1848. It had ceded the area and its Hispanic settlers to the United States following the conclusion of

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(1846–1848). In the decade that had followed the treaty, many Hispanic people had lost title to their lands because territory courts showed an inclination to settle land disputes in favor of White settlers. Aided by his brother Vivian, Espinosa began his murder spree in the thinly populated area of what is now

Fremont County, Colorado Fremont County is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 48,939. The county seat is Cañon City, Colorado, Cañon City. The county is named for 19th-century explorer ...

. "The brothers' first victim was found in May 1863, his corpse mutilated and the heart hacked out of his chest. During that summer, twenty-five more people were attacked and killed in similar fashion." Espinosa sent a letter to Territorial Governor

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stating his intention to murder 600 "

gringo ''Gringo'' (, , ) (masculine) or ''gringa'' (feminine) is a term in Spanish and Portuguese for a foreigner. In Spanish, the term usually refers to English-speaking Anglo-Americans. There are differences in meaning depending on region and country ...

s," if he and the other members of his gang were not granted pardons, some in

Conejos County Conejos County (Spanish for "rabbits") is a county located in the U.S. state of Colorado. As of the 2020 census, the population was 7,461. The county seat is the unincorporated community of Conejos. Being 50.7% Hispanic in 2020, Conejos was ...

, and appointments in the 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry Unit. Lawmen, including Conejos County Sheriff Emmett Harding and 1st Colorado Volunteer Infantry Unit Commander S.B. Tappan, were dispatched to find Espinosa, but they met with little success. A posse out of

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finally managed to track the brothers southwest of

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. Vivian was shot and killed in the ensuing gunfight but Felipe escaped. After hiding out for the remainder of the summer, Felipe recruited a 14-year-old nephew named Jose and resumed the rampage. Soon after, tracker

Tom Tobin Thomas Tate Tobin (May 1, 1823 – May 15, 1904) was an American adventurer, tracker, trapper, mountain man, guide, US Army scout, and occasional bounty hunter. Tobin explored much of southern Colorado, including the Pueblo area. He associated ...

was enlisted by the US Army to find the pair. In a matter of days, Tobin found the outlaws' camp and, in a brief gunfight, shot and killed both Espinosas. He took their heads back to

Fort Garland, Colorado Fort Garland is an unincorporated town, a post office, and a census-designated place (CDP) located in and governed by Costilla County, Colorado, United States. The Fort Garland post office has the ZIP Code 81133. At the United States Census ...

.Kutz, J.: "Mysteries & Miracles of Colorado", Rhombus, 1993

In popular culture

The Felipe Espinosa story is the foundation for Adam James Jones's book, ''The Vendetta of Felipe Espinosa'' (2014).

References

External links

*
The Untold Truth of Outlaw Felipe Espinosa
Grunge.com. 20 January 2022.
Felipe Espinoza: One Of America's First Serial Killers
Serialkillercalendar.com. {{DEFAULTSORT:Espinosa, Filipe 1820s births 1863 deaths American people of Mexican descent Fugitives Hispanic and Latino American people shot dead by law enforcement officers in the United States People shot dead by law enforcement officers in Colorado People from El Rito, Rio Arriba County, New Mexico Racially motivated violence against white Americans Serial killers from Colorado

Early life

Killing spree

In popular culture

See also

References

External links