Alfred Packer – Colorado Cannibal
Alfred Griner Packer, a name forever etched in the annals of the American West, remains a figure of morbid fascination and historical controversy. Born on January 21, 1842, in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, Packer’s life took a dramatic and ultimately gruesome turn in the unforgiving landscapes of the Rocky Mountains. His story, punctuated by hardship, questionable choices, and allegations of cannibalism, continues to fuel debate and captivate the imagination, solidifying his place as a dark legend of the American frontier. The name Alfred Packer is known throughout Colorado and the United States.
Packer’s early life offered few hints of the notoriety that awaited him. He was one of three children born to James Packer, a cabinet maker, and his wife, Esther Griner. The family relocated to LaGrange County, Indiana, in the early 1850s, where James pursued his trade. As a young man, Alfred, before becoming the infamous Alfred Packer, learned the craft of shoemaking.
The echoes of the Civil War soon reverberated even in the quiet life of young Alfred. In April 1862, he enlisted in the Union Army at Winona, Minnesota, answering the call to preserve the nation. However, his military service was cut short. Diagnosed with epilepsy, he received an honorable discharge just eight months later at Fort Ontario, New York. Undeterred, Packer attempted to serve again, enlisting in the army at Ottumwa, Iowa, in June 1863. Tragically, his condition persisted, leading to a second discharge in April 1864.
Driven westward, Alfred Packer sought his fortune in the rugged Rocky Mountains. For nine years, he toiled in various mining-related jobs, becoming familiar with the harsh realities of frontier life. The allure of gold and the promise of a better future drew countless individuals to this region, and Packer was among them, hoping to carve out a life for himself amidst the challenging terrain.
The fateful journey that would forever define Alfred Packer‘s legacy began in November 1873. He joined Bob McGrue’s party of 21 men, setting out from Provo, Utah, with the destination being the gold-rich region around Breckenridge, Colorado. The winter of 1873-74 proved to be exceptionally severe, testing the limits of human endurance. After three months of arduous travel, the party stumbled upon the camp of the Ute Indian Chief Ouray, near present-day Montrose, Colorado.
Chief Ouray, a respected leader known for his wisdom, recognized the peril that lay ahead for the travelers. He strongly advised them to postpone their expedition until spring, warning of the dangerous winter weather that awaited them in the mountains. Offering hospitality, Chief Ouray invited the men to stay with his tribe until the harsh season had passed, providing them with shelter and sustenance.
Despite Ouray’s sound counsel, a faction of four men grew impatient and decided to disregard his advice. They resolved to press on towards the government cattle camp near the Los Pinos Indian Agency, located near Gunnison, Colorado. As they departed, Packer attempted to join them, but they rebuffed his efforts, ordering him to return to camp at gunpoint. Reluctantly, he complied, but his desire to leave persisted.
The following week, on February 9, Packer and five other men – Shannon Wilson Bell, James Humphrey, Frank "Reddy" Miller, George "California" Noon, and Israel Swan – embarked on their ill-fated journey towards the Los Pinos Indian Agency. Bob McGrue, the leader of the larger party, guided Packer’s group until the horses could no longer continue through the deep snow. At that point, McGrue unloaded the men’s provisions and returned to Ouray’s camp with the horses, leaving the six men to navigate the treacherous mountain passes on foot. This is the group that Alfred Packer was travelling with.
On April 16, 1874, Alfred Packer arrived alone at the Los Pinos Indian Agency. His appearance raised immediate suspicion. Despite having supposedly endured a grueling winter trek through the Rockies, he looked surprisingly fit. When Preston Nutter, a member of the first group that had left Ouray’s camp, inquired about the fate of the rest of his party, Packer offered a dubious explanation, claiming that he had "got his feet wet and frozen," and the others had abandoned him.
Packer’s explanation failed to quell the growing unease among those who knew the perils of the mountains. After a brief stay at the Agency, Packer expressed his desire to travel eastward and accompanied Nutter and two other men to Saguache, Colorado. During this journey, Nutter noticed that Packer possessed a skinning knife that had belonged to Frank "Reddy" Miller. This discovery further fueled his suspicions, casting doubt on Packer’s version of events.
Upon arriving in Saguache, Packer began to spend money freely, even offering a loan to one man. This extravagant display of wealth heightened the suspicions of Nutter and other members of the original party. They confronted Packer, threatening to hang him for his alleged crimes. However, General Charles Adams, head of the Los Pinos Indian Agency, intervened, saving Packer from immediate mob justice. Adams initiated an investigation, interrogating Packer and eventually obtaining his first confession.
In this initial confession, Packer claimed that the men had succumbed to starvation one by one. He stated that "Old Man Swan died first and was eaten by the other five persons about ten days out of camp." He continued, "Four or five days afterward Humphreys died and was also eaten; he had about one $133. I found the pocketbook and took the money. Some time afterward, while I was carrying wood, the butcher was killed – as the other two told me accidentally – and he was also eaten. Bell shot ‘California’ with Swan’s gun and I killed Bell. Shot him. I covered up the remains and took a large piece along. Then traveled 14 days into the agency. Bell wanted to kill me with his rifle – struck a tree and broke his gun."
General Adams, seeking to verify Packer’s account, proposed that he lead a party of men to the original campsite. The physical evidence found there would either corroborate or refute Packer’s story. Initially, Packer agreed, but his behavior soon turned erratic. Claiming to be lost and then attacking Constable Herman Lauter with a knife, he was promptly jailed in Saguache.
While Packer remained incarcerated, a search party discovered the remains of the five men at a single campsite – a stark contradiction to Packer’s claim that they had died and been consumed along the trail. The gruesome discovery confirmed the worst suspicions: foul play had occurred. Packer was arrested and charged with murder, his initial confession serving as damning evidence.
However, the jail in Saguache was little more than a rudimentary log cabin. With the aid of a makeshift key smuggled to him and some supplies, Packer easily escaped, disappearing into the vast wilderness, seemingly vanishing without a trace.
Nine years passed before Alfred Packer was rediscovered. On March 11, 1883, Jean "Frenchy" Cabazon, one of the original members of the Utah mining party who had remained in Chief Ouray’s camp during the winter of 1874, recognized Packer in Cheyenne, Wyoming. Packer was living under the alias "John Schwartze." Cabazon reported his discovery to the local sheriff, who apprehended Packer and contacted General Adams.
Packer was transported to Denver for further questioning. General Adams arrived and persuaded Packer to provide a second confession, which he signed on March 16th. This time, Packer’s story took a different turn. He claimed that Shannon Bell had gone insane and murdered the others with a hatchet while Packer was out scouting. Upon returning, Packer claimed Bell charged at him with the hatchet raised, forcing Packer to shoot him twice in self-defense. Packer then claimed that he only resorted to cannibalism after several more days, when it was his only means of survival.
On April 6th, a trial began in Lake City, Colorado. Seven days later, the jury found Packer guilty of premeditated murder, and he was sentenced to death by hanging. According to a local newspaper, the presiding judge, M. B. Gerry, delivered a colorful and memorable sentence.
However, the execution was stayed due to appeals. In October 1885, the Colorado Supreme Court reversed the sentence, ruling that it was based on an ex-post-facto law.
Packer was retried in Gunnison. On June 8, 1886, having presented two conflicting accounts of the events, Packer’s credibility was severely undermined. The jury convicted him of five counts of manslaughter and sentenced him to 40 years in prison (eight years for each count). At the time, this was the longest custodial sentence in U.S. history.
On June 19, 1899, the Colorado Supreme Court upheld Packer’s sentence. He remained incarcerated in the Canon City penitentiary until he was paroled on February 8, 1901. After his release, Packer worked as a guard at the Denver Post and lived quietly in and around Littleton, Colorado, maintaining his innocence until his death. He was said to have been a model citizen and well-liked by his neighbors.
Alfred Packer passed away in Deer Creek, Colorado, on April 23, 1907, at the age of 65. The reported cause of death was "Dementia – trouble & worry." He was buried in Littleton, Colorado, with military honors, and his grave is marked with a veteran’s tombstone listing his original regiment in 1862.
