In the small railroad town of Carlin, Nevada, the disappearance of 57-year-old Miles Faucett on New Year's Day of 1888 initially caused little alarm. Faucett, a local miner and rancher, was last seen visiting the home of his friends, Josiah and Elizabeth Potts. When inquiries were made, Josiah Potts claimed that Faucett had abruptly left for California after selling them his ranch and wagon. With Carlin being a transient town, his sudden departure was plausible enough to quell immediate suspicion.
It wasn't until a year later, in January 1889, that a grim discovery brought the truth to light. The new tenants of the former Potts residence, the Brewer family, had been unsettled by strange occurrences in the house. Following a persistent soft spot in the cellar floor, George Brewer unearthed the mutilated and burned remains of a man. Though the body was severely dismembered and charred, an old knife found in a trouser pocket was identified as belonging to Miles Faucett.
Suspicion immediately fell upon Josiah and Elizabeth Potts, who had since moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming. Authorities located the couple and brought them back to Nevada to face charges. During the return trip, a nervous Josiah confessed to burying Faucett's body but claimed the man had taken his own life in their home. He stated that he dismembered and hid the body for fear of being falsely accused of murder.
The subsequent trial in Elko revealed a more complex story. Testimony suggested that Elizabeth Potts was a forceful figure who managed the family's finances and even had a bigamous marriage with Faucett. It was alleged that Faucett had come to the Potts' home on that New Year's Day to collect a debt. The couple's children gave conflicting testimonies, with their son initially supporting the suicide claim, while their young daughter later told authorities she witnessed her mother shoot Faucett.
Despite the largely circumstantial evidence, both Josiah and Elizabeth Potts were found guilty of first-degree murder. On June 20, 1890, they were executed side-by-side in a double hanging in Elko. Elizabeth Potts holds the distinction of being the only woman to be legally executed in the state of Nevada.
