The Bloody Espinosas – Terrorizing Colorado
In the spring of 1863, a palpable sense of dread gripped the residents and travelers of the Colorado Territory. Whispers turned to shouts as chilling tales of brutal murders spread like wildfire. Lone riders vanished without a trace, their bodies later discovered in desolate gullies or concealed within the rugged embrace of the mountainsides. The crimes were shrouded in mystery, the perpetrators leaving behind no discernible clues. Frustrated, law enforcement and terrified citizens alike established numerous look-out posts throughout the affected regions, but their efforts were hampered by the lack of a clear suspect profile. Were they searching for a band of marauding Indians, a ruthless gang of outlaws, or a solitary, deranged desperado? The answer remained elusive, fueling the growing atmosphere of fear and uncertainty.
The initial documented victim was unearthed in May of that year, his corpse bearing the marks of savage mutilation, most notably the gruesome removal of his heart. As the summer months unfolded, the horror intensified, with a staggering twenty-five more individuals meeting similar, violent ends. The breakthrough in the case finally arrived when a wagon was ambushed along the road leading to Fairplay, Colorado. The driver, against all odds, managed to escape the attack and provide a crucial description of his assailants, finally shattering the wall of anonymity that had protected the murderers.
The culprits were identified as Felipe and Jose Espinosa, brothers who commanded a gang comprised largely of their cousins. This ruthless band quickly earned a chilling moniker: "The Bloody Espinosas." Hailing from Vera Cruz, Mexico, the Espinosas were deeply scarred by a traumatic event from their past. During the Mexican-American War, they had witnessed the devastating shelling of their town by the U.S. Navy, an act that resulted in the deaths of six members of their family. This tragic loss ignited a burning resentment within them, a resentment that would ultimately fuel their reign of terror.
Settling near the village of San Rafael, Colorado, the Espinosas found their bitterness compounded by perceived injustices. They vehemently protested the fact that their land grant in Conejos County was not being honored, and they watched with growing anger as numerous white settlers encroached upon what they considered their rightful property. While the Espinosa brothers had previously been suspected of petty crimes, such as horse theft, they were now wanted for a far more heinous offense: murder. The terror inflicted by The Bloody Espinosas was escalating, casting a long shadow over the Colorado Territory.
According to local lore, Felipe Espinosa claimed to have received a divine vision from the Virgin Mary, instructing him to kill one hundred "Anglos" for every member of his family who had perished during the Mexican-American War. However, this account is just one of several competing narratives that attempt to explain the motivations behind the Espinosas’ actions. Martin Edward Martinez, a direct descendant of the family who dedicated extensive research to uncovering their history, offers a more nuanced perspective. He argues that the Espinosas’ violence stemmed from a combination of factors, including the atrocities committed by American soldiers against their family and the prevailing ideology of "Manifest Destiny," which was used to justify the expansion of the United States across the continent. Martinez contends that the Espinosas saw "Manifest Destiny" as a justification for conquering and subjugating people deemed incapable of self-governance. He further claims that the Espinosas’ campaign of revenge was triggered by the rape of Felipe’s wife and daughters by American soldiers, an event that led to his wife’s death four days later in the fall of 1861. This tragedy was followed by a similar incident at Jose Espinosa’s home, where Jose killed a soldier who had raped his sister. In retaliation, more soldiers arrived at the ranch, killing everyone present and seizing the land and its contents.
Martinez asserts that it was these events, coupled with years of conflict with pioneers claiming their land and mistreatment by American soldiers, that drove several family members to seek vengeance for the deaths and rapes. As they searched for the soldiers responsible for the atrocities, they encountered other Mexican families who had suffered similar experiences and had been driven from their homes. According to Martinez, the Espinosas would then kill those who had taken over the ranches and return the land to the dispossessed Mexican families. The motivations of The Bloody Espinosas, according to this account, were rooted in a desire for justice and retribution.
With lawmen relentlessly pursuing them, Felipe Espinosa sent a defiant letter to Governor John Evans, threatening to kill six hundred "Gringos," including the governor himself, unless he and the other gang members were granted amnesty and a vast tract of land – some five thousand acres – in Conejos County, Colorado. Governor Evans responded by calling upon the U.S. Cavalry to assist in the hunt for the murderers. The violence perpetrated by The Bloody Espinosas had reached a point where federal intervention was deemed necessary.
At some point during this period, Felipe’s brother, Jose, was killed, but his place in the gang was quickly filled by a cousin named Julian Espinosa. The deadly vendetta continued unabated, claiming more and more lives. By their own admission, the Espinosas were responsible for the deaths of approximately thirty-two people. The reign of terror of The Bloody Espinosas showed no signs of abating.
Following the ambush and murder of a man and his wife on La Veta Pass, Colonel Sam Tappen, the commanding officer at Fort Garland, enlisted the services of Tom Tobin, a renowned frontiersman and scout. Tobin was tasked with using his exceptional tracking skills to locate the murderers and bring them to justice, dead or alive. Accompanied by a detachment of fifteen soldiers, Tobin, who also happened to be a cousin of the Espinosas, embarked on his mission. After a few days, Tobin left the main camp, accompanied only by a young Mexican boy. According to Tobin’s account, he tracked the outlaws within a few days, and a gunfight ensued, resulting in the deaths of both Felipe and Julian Espinosa. However, Martin Edward Martinez’s research paints a different picture. He claims that Tobin, a trusted family member, tricked the Espinosas by approaching their camp alone, feigning friendship. Martinez alleges that Tobin drank with them until they passed out and then cut their throats. Regardless of the precise details, historical accounts agree that Tobin returned to Fort Garland, carrying the heads of Felipe and Julian Espinosa in a sack. Although he had anticipated receiving a reward of $2,500 for their capture, he ultimately received only $1,500. The story of The Bloody Espinosas was coming to an end.
In an interview with Denver Westword in July 2013, Charles F. Price, author of the book "Season of Terror: The Espinosas in Central Colorado, March-October 1863," argues that the Espinosas’ animosity towards Anglos and the U.S. government began after the Mexican-American War, a period when the Hispanic population of Colorado and New Mexico faced anxieties about new laws and potential taxes imposed by the U.S. Government. Price suggests that the Espinosas were involved in a tax revolt, which led to the killing of an American soldier, an incident that triggered the bloody rampage. Price also contends that the soldier was part of a detachment sent to arrest them and that their house was burned under orders.
However, Martinez and his family’s account places most of the blame on American greed, corruption, and the atrocities committed during that era. In his thesis, Edward Martinez writes:
"The story of the Espinosas unveils the hardship and the terror that they faced when the soldiers, frontiersmen, pioneers, and settlers came after the Mexican and American war. This is the case not only for the Espinosas but also for the Mexican families that lived in a conquered land. Mexicans had to adjust their life, culture, and ways in order to fit into the ‘new’ world. It was a new way of life for the Mexican families. If the Espinosas were bandits, guerilla fighters, and killers, let the truth be known. If the Espinosas were fighting for justice, let it be known. The Espinosas could even have been heroes. But, for myself, I am the proof, for it was my great-great-grandmother that was raped; I would have not been here to write this Senior Thesis if it was not for the men who raped her."
The legend of The Bloody Espinosas continues to resonate, a chilling reminder of a turbulent period in Colorado’s history.