Five Joaquins Gang facts for kids

The Five Joaquins was the name given to a group of outlaws in California between 1850 and 1853. The State of California believed this gang was led by five men, all named Joaquin. These leaders included Joaquin Murrieta, Joaquin Ocomorenia, Joaquin Valenzuela, Joaquin Botellier, and Joaquin Carillo.

From 1850 to 1853, the gang was very active. They were joined by Murrieta's close partner, known as Three-Fingered Jack. This group was linked to many crimes in the Mother Lode area of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Their crimes included horse theft, robberies, and murders.

The gang was known for stealing a lot of money and horses. They reportedly took over $100,000 in gold and more than 100 horses. They were also said to have killed at least 19 people. The gang managed to escape from three different groups of lawmen, called posses. They also killed three law enforcement officers.

The California State Rangers

On May 11, 1853, the Governor of California, John Bigler, took action. He signed a law to create a special group called the "California State Rangers." This group was led by Captain Harry Love. Captain Love had been a Texas Ranger before this.

The main job of the California State Rangers was to find and capture the "Five Joaquins." The state paid the Rangers $150 each month. They also offered a large reward of $5,000 for the capture of Joaquin Murrieta.

The End of the Gang

On July 25, 1853, Captain Love and his Rangers found a group of armed Mexican men. This happened near Panoche Pass in San Benito County. This location was about 50 miles from Monterey.

A fight broke out between the Rangers and the group. Two of the Mexican men were killed during this clash. The Rangers claimed one of the dead men was Murrieta himself. The other was believed to be Three-Fingered Jack.

Today, a special marker (California Historical Landmark #344) is near the site. It is close to where State Routes 33 and 198 meet. This spot marks where Murrieta's hideout was thought to be, in Arroyo de Cantua.

The State of California officially stated that Murrieta was killed there. However, this claim was quickly questioned. The debate about whether it was truly Murrieta continues even today. Despite the debate, this fight broke up the gang. Their criminal activities came to an end. Some members went back to Sonora, while others stayed in California. Many of them became vaqueros (cowboys) on ranches or found other ways to live.

Key Members of the Gang

The California state legislature named five Joaquins. However, only three of them were actual leaders of the gang. The other two were members.

• Joaquin Murrieta: He was from Sonora and was the main leader of this group of bandit gangs.
• Joaquin Ocomorenia: This was an alias for Jesus Valenzuela. He was Murrieta's cousin. Jesus Valenzuela was a member of the gang, but not a leader. His alias was misheard and ended up on the state's list of the Five Joaquins.
• Joaquin Valenzuela: He was Ocomorenia's brother. He led his own part of the gang. His job was to gather and organize the gang's stolen horses. He also drove them south to be traded from California to Sonora.
• Joaquin Botellier: The state of California listed him as one of the Five Joaquins. His real name was Joaquin Botellas, and he was from Sonora. He was an active member of Murrieta's personal group within the gang.
• Joaquin Carrillo: He was the younger brother of Jesus Carrillo and Murrieta's stepbrother. He helped run Murrieta's ranch in Cañada Molina Vallejo. He worked with Murrieta's brother-in-law, Vincente Jesus Féliz.

The Five Joaquins in Pop Culture

The story of the Five Joaquins has appeared in movies and TV shows.

• The Mask of Zorro (1998): This movie shows a fictional version of the fight between the gang and Captain Love. In the film, Joaquin Murrieta, Three-Fingered Jack, and Murrieta's fictional brother Alejandro (Antonio Banderas) are bandits. They are confronted by Captain Harrison Love and his posse. Joaquin and Jack are killed. Alejandro escapes and becomes Zorro, later killing Love for revenge.
• Behind The Mask of Zorro (2005): This was a History Channel documentary. It explored the real story of Murrieta and his gang. It also showed how he inspired the famous character of Zorro.