Santiago Garduno: The Truchas Killer
Overview
Santiago Garduno was a violent criminal and serial killer whose string of homicides across the American Southwest in the early 20th century ended with his own state-sanctioned death. Convicted of three separate murders in Colorado and New Mexico, Garduno's life was marked by a recurring pattern of violence, imprisonment, and parole, which ultimately led him to a death sentence for the cold-blooded poisoning of his young stepson. His case is notable not only for its brutality but also for its place in New Mexico's legal history. On July 21, 1933, Garduno and another condemned man, Thomas Johnson, became the first two individuals to be executed in the state's newly installed electric chair, a technological shift that marked a new era of capital punishment in New Mexico.
Early Life and First Murder
Santiago Garduno was born on December 28, 1884, in Truchas, New Mexico, a small, isolated village nestled high in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Details of his upbringing and family life are scarce, lost to the passage of time and the unrecorded histories of rural communities of that era. What is clear, however, is that his life took a violent turn long before his final, infamous crime.
Garduno's documented history as a killer began not in his home state, but in neighboring Colorado. At some point before 1925, he was tried and convicted of murder. He served a sentence for this crime in a Colorado prison before eventually being paroled. Despite the consistent mention of this conviction in later court proceedings and historical accounts, specific details of this first proven homicide have vanished. The name of his victim, the exact date and location of the crime, the motive, and the circumstances that led to the killing are all unknown. This shadowy, violent episode remains the first chapter in his life as a murderer, a brutal act that foreshadowed the bloodshed to come.
Adding to the mystery of his criminal career, some historical sources suggest Garduno was charged with yet another, separate murder. However, this case reportedly never went to trial because key witnesses against him died before they could testify. Like his first murder, the details of this alleged fourth homicide are lost, leaving a gap in the full accounting of his violent deeds.
The Murder of Paulin Barela
After his parole from the Colorado prison system, Garduno returned to the familiar landscapes of northern New Mexico. His freedom, however, was short-lived. On New Year's Day, 1925, the community of Truchas was celebrating with a dance. During the festivities, a dispute erupted, escalating into a physical brawl involving several men, including Garduno.
In the heat of the moment, Garduno pulled out a pistol and fired into the crowd of fighting men. The bullets found unintended targets. A young man named Paulin Barela was struck and killed, and his brother was wounded in the chaotic gunfire. The Barela brothers were described as well-respected members of the community and veterans who belonged to the American Legion, making the senseless killing a shocking event for the tight-knit village.
Garduno was quickly arrested and charged with Barela's death. He stood trial, and while the prosecution sought a murder conviction, the jury ultimately found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter. For this crime, he was sentenced to a term of nine to ten years in the state penitentiary. His time behind bars, however, would not be served in full. In 1930, after approximately five years of his sentence, Santiago Garduno was once again granted parole and released back into society.
The Murder of Filemon Martinez
Now a free man for the third time after taking a life, Garduno settled down again, eventually marrying a woman who had a son from a previous relationship. This boy, Filemon Martinez, would become his final victim. On October 7, 1932, Garduno committed his most calculated and cruel murder. He handed his stepson a drink of whiskey that he had secretly laced with a lethal dose of strychnine. The poison inflicted a painful and agonizing death upon the boy. Sources from the time conflict on Filemon's exact age, with some reporting he was 14 and others 16.
The motive for this horrific act was reported to be a twisted and bitter jealousy. Garduno's own biological child had recently died, and he was said to harbor a deep resentment that his stepson was still alive while his own child was gone. This act of poisoning a child within his own family, born of a dark and personal grievance, was the crime that would finally ensure he would never be free again.
Investigation and Capture
The death of a young boy by poison immediately drew suspicion upon his family members, and Garduno was swiftly arrested. Given his extensive and violent criminal record, which included two prior convictions for killing, law enforcement likely viewed him as the primary suspect from the outset. The investigation proceeded quickly, and the evidence led to a charge of first-degree murder. The community and the justice system, having seen Garduno escape the ultimate penalty twice before, were determined that this time would be different.
Trial and Sentence
Santiago Garduno's trial for the murder of Filemon Martinez was definitive. The prosecution presented a strong case detailing the poisoning, and the jury was convinced of his guilt. They returned a verdict of first-degree murder. Critically, the jury did not include a recommendation for mercy with their verdict. Under New Mexico law at the time, this omission made a death sentence mandatory for the judge.
At the sentencing hearing, the presiding judge made a powerful statement, directly addressing Garduno and his history of violence. "This is the third time you have been tried for taking human life," the judge declared. "So far as this court is concerned, it will be the last."
Garduno's legal team filed appeals, but they were all denied. The state's highest courts upheld the conviction and the sentence. With all legal avenues exhausted, an execution date was set. Garduno's violent journey through the criminal justice system had reached its final destination.
Execution
In 1929, New Mexico had modernized its method of execution, replacing the gallows with the electric chair. The apparatus was built and installed at the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe, but it remained unused for several years. In the summer of 1933, it was prepared for its first use on two men: Santiago Garduno and Thomas Johnson, an African American man convicted of the murder of a young woman named Angelina Jaramillo.
In the early morning hours of July 21, 1933, the state carried out its first-ever electrocutions. Over 70 witnesses gathered to observe the grim proceedings, though all requests from women to attend were denied. Thomas Johnson was the first to be executed, pronounced dead at 12:38 a.m.
Then, it was Santiago Garduno's turn. Before his final moments, he was granted a visit with his mother and sister. For his last meal, he was served a chicken dinner. As he was being prepared for the chair, he spoke his last words, stating, "I forgive everyone for whatever has been done. I hold no malice." At 1:12 a.m., after being seated in the chair for seven minutes, Santiago Garduno was pronounced dead. The warden, Ed Swope, later commented on the efficiency of the new machine, stating, "There was no hitch at all... the executions were a success from a scientific standpoint."
The Victims
- Unknown male — Sometime before 1925, in Colorado. Garduno was convicted of this murder and served prison time, but no public records of the victim's identity or the crime's specific details have been found.
- Paulin Barela, age unknown — January 1, 1925, in Truchas, New Mexico. A respected military veteran and member of the American Legion, he was shot and killed by Garduno during a brawl at a New Year's Day dance.
- Filemon Martinez, age 14 or 16 — October 7, 1932, in New Mexico. Garduno's stepson, he was given whiskey laced with strychnine. Garduno reportedly poisoned the boy out of jealousy following the death of his own biological child.
