Filipe and Vivian stole two horses during their retreat and made the mountains their new home on the run from the law. According to later law, it was during one of the freezing nights, camping in the woods that Filipe had a vision, a revelation.
The Virgin Mary appeared in his dreams, send as a messenger from God the Virgin had ordered Filipe to kill and kill again until the blood of 600 Anglos had been spilled. According to Filipe's own later writings, he had lost six relatives during the Mexican-American War and he would wash that trespass in blood, of course, by killing a hundred Anglos for each Espinosa.
Whatever the motivation, the Espinosa were hell bent on going on a killing spree. The hunting ground initially was an area called Sawmill Gulch.
Just outside of canyon city, it later became known as Dead Man's Gulch. The first victim was sawmill worker Franklin Bruce shot on March,16th, 1863.
According to some newspaper reports, a crucifix made of sticks protruded from his bullet wound. Two days later, it was lumber Henry Harkins's turn.
His co-workers found him one evening laying inside his cabin. He had been shot in the forehead with the cult navy revolver.
He also had two stab wounds on his chest. The most gruesome detail is that the murderer had split his head in half with an axe and they had inflicted further blows to his skull scattering fragments of bone and brain matter on the floor.
In a matter of days, the third victim was found James Addleman killed near wilkerson pass, west of colorado springs . During April the bloody Espinosa targeted the town of Fairplay.
Jacob Binkley and Abraham Shoup were taken by surprise as they camped outside the city limits. Binkley was shot in the back and died on the spot.
The Shoup was stabbed three times and tried to escape but collapsed after a short run. Three more men were slain by the end of the month.
