The Monte Vista journal. (Monte Vista, Rio Grande County, Colo.) 1888-1921, 1908-12-12
FRANCISCO MARTINEZ FINISHES
HORRIBLE CRIME IN SOUTH.
ERN COLORADO.
.FlVEF0LD MURDERER
ABDUCTED BEAUTIFUL GIRL, A.
sAULTED AND FINALLY
SHOT HER.

OeuNeT."a lTluludu SpeCIhi 10 luo
Republican Tuesday night says: De-
tails OF one of the most revolving
crimes or series Of crimes In the an
nails OF the West and which have
caused people to shudder at their aw-
fulness, are given by parties from this
city who returned today from the ex-
IRENE eastern part Of the county.
four members of the Garcia family
last Wedneslay-the father, mother.
son and grandmother, abducted Mag
gle Garcia, a seventeenyear-old girl
whom he held as prisoner until Sun
day night. completely at his mercy, as
saultine her At will, then sent . bull
let through her brain, which must
have been a welcome relief from her
tortures. and finally took his own life
to escape death at the stake. which he
knew awaited his capture alive.
While the community was prepared
for . ttory full Of horror. 1t was not
prepared for the awful details given
today.
Everything indicates that Martinez
preme i;tated the murder. as last Tues
day he was seen sharpening an axe
while the elder Garcia turned the
grindstOne for him. Martinez was
given shelter at the Garcia home We'd
nesday night and. after the family had
retired and he was satisfied that all
were asleep. he crept upon them and
killed first the son. twenty-five years
Of age. the only member of the family
who could have fought for his life.
Then the father. seventy-five years
Of age, and the mother, fifty-two years
of age. were attacked, he splitting
their heads clear to their chins. Then
going to the bed OF the aged grand
mother LUZ Gurule, who slept with
the seventeen ear-old girl. he dragged
her from the bed. as the mark on her
arm plainly indicator. so that he could
reach the girl.
Later he killed the grandmother
while rhe knelt in prayer ut the foot
of the other three members who had
been slain. md while she was hold.
ing erucifix In her hand. Her head
was split through the center clear to
her neck. and she fell to one side and
lay across the feet Of Mrs. Garcia.
Her knees were bent under her, show
Ing that she was praying when muir
dered. After four Of the family had
been Ia ruthlcssly slain. he turned his
attention to the beautiful seventeen.
year-otd girl. who WAS to later suffer
torture worse than thousand deaths.
With the bodies OF his victims. hor.
ribly butchered. In plain view. Marti.
neg assaulted the girl. she being too
helpers and too terrified to desist.
The fiend then forced the girl to
accompany him. As It was necessary
for her TO change clothing she secured
one OF her brothers coats and an over.
coat nj her father. Martinez took NO
horses. and dragging the terrified girl
with Inn. started for the hillA and
Rock anon. cast Of the Garcia home.
Tho murder did not become known
until Friday. when three posses were
started In pursuit. The last seen Of
Marines and the girl alive was about
400 o'clock Sunday afternoon. when
one o. the posse tracked them to Q
rocky canon. nearly thirty miles away.
Ono member OF the posse fired At Mar.
tines. when the latter placed the girl
between himself and his pursuers and
retroalad up the canon among the
rocks. which are Inaccessible to
horses. The posse was composed en-.
tireiy u Mexicans. already terrified At
tho murders committed and In deadly
fear Il Marines. These men re-
turned 70 TIE Garcia homo and there
found Under Sheriff Kresees. who had
left here the Saturday before.
Tho officer went back with the pos.
-. arriving at the hiding place oe Mar.
tinss carly Monday morning. Krseger
LED hiA men along the rocks until they
found the bodies ot the two.
Marines was In sitting positiou
against . large rock. and about ten
feet beiow him. lying face down. whs->
Il had fallen from . ledge oe rock after
the fatal shot. was the dead body Of
the giri. ohs had bssn shot betwsen
the eyes. the bullet passing through
hsr head. Marines had placsd ths
weapo, against bic right temple ana
ended his own worthless life. tearing
The TOY oe bic he'd nearly on.
The BODY Of The sis1 was carried on
tAs shoulAsfs q The men down The
canon 10 ~ reaA. whsse Il vas placed
- u WAOoa anA taken = IL Oar.
- ha4e. Iho pssty arrived just g
fe1etA eesvScO Woso bst1g ~ ever
~ be1Soe q ~ elhee eouf vtetlna.