“marshal’s son kills his prostitute girlfriend” 3 x 3 inches, acrylic on photopaper.

Nabor Pacheco Yuma Prisoner 2991

Nabor Pacheco, Sr. was sheriff of Pima County and Tucson city marshall, with his dog, Jack, his constant companion on the beat.

On March 16, 1909, his son, Nabor Pacheco, Jr. (featured above) shot to death his prostitute girlfriend, Alice Cain aka Rena Edga. She was planning on leaving Tucson for Los Angeles and he objected. As she brought her trunks to the lobby to get ready to leave he shot her in the head. He then tried to kill himself, unsuccessfully.

Marshal Pacheco tried to resign immediately, but Mayor George Benjamin Henry, talked him out of it. Also note that Marshal Pacheco was disgusted by the spectacle of public hangings and would not have wanted this fate for his son.

Nabor, Jr. went to trial and was found guilty of manslaughter (a lighter sentence for the marshal’s son?) and was put in Yuma Territorial Prison. According to the records, he had $23.85 (equivalent to $600 now) in his pocket. Ironically his legitimate profession is listed as County Jailer.

It must have been quite an upset to be on the other side of the bars.

Find more details of the story here. See complete PRISON HILL series on flickr.