Felipe Nerio Espinosa was desperate in June of 1863. He was on the run, accused of multiple murders. His brother and partner, José Vivián Espinosa, had been shot and killed by vigilantes a month earlier. He was 31 or 32 when he died. Felipe had barely escaped.

But Felipe wasn’t ready to quit. He recruited his nephew, José Vincente Espinosa, to join him in his ongoing fight against gringos.

For two months, no one knew who was responsible for multiple killings that had occurred in Southern Colorado. Suspicion initially pointed to Ute Indians, Confederate marauders and African Americans.

The murders that began in March 1863 sparked fear from South Park to Cañon City. A cavalry detachment from Fort Garland was sent out to protect citizens and seek the killers.

The first indication of the k

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