Massacre at Wickenburg: Arizona’s Greatest Mystery

The massacre at Wickenburg was one of the most notorious crimes committed in the Wild West–a story revealed in this book through a criminal investigation.November 5, 1871. A westbound stagecoach carrying seven men and one woman left Wickenburg in the early morning hours. At 8:00 a.m., six of the passengers were shot dead. One man and the lone woman, severely wounded, escaped into the desert. Debates raged over the identity of the murderous ambushers – Indians? Mexican bandits? The two survivors? After a massive investigation, the U.S. Army concluded that a band of local Yavapai Indians were responsible, which led to a policy of removal and concentration that altered the fate of nearly every Indian in America’s Southwest. Wilson, a longtime law enforcement officer who has spent decades researching 19th century crimes, presents the first book about this notorious crime and its resulting fallout. This is an intriguing look into the past, and a riveting story that reads like a mystery novel. R. Michael Wilson has served as a consultant for The History Channel about crimes of the Old West and the author of several books, including Great Train Robberies of the Old West. He lives in Las Vegas.