The "Ruby Murders" refers to three linked incidents that took place near the mining town of Ruby, Arizona, a small border community in Bear Valley known for lawlessness stemming from its proximity to Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. The town's single business, the Ruby Mercantile store, was the site of repeated robberies and killings between 1920 and 1922.
On February 27, 1920, eleven days after brothers John and Alexander Frazer purchased the mercantile from previous owner Philip C. Clarke, two bandits robbed the store and shot both brothers. Alexander was found dead near the cash register, shot in the head and back. John was found nearby, unconscious after being shot in the eye, and died five hours later without regaining consciousness. Investigators identified the assailants as Ezequiel Lara and Manuel Garcia. A posse led by Sheriff Raymond Earhardt failed to catch the pair. Garcia was killed in a gunfight with Pima County deputies near Twin Buttes in October 1920. Lara was later arrested in Mexico for other offenses but was never tried for the Frazer killings.
The second incident occurred on August 26, 1921, after the store had passed to new owners, Frank and Myrtle Pearson, who lived there with their three daughters. A group of seven Mexican men entered the store asking for tobacco, then shot Frank Pearson in the back; he died after firing several shots in return. The bandits then shot Myrtle Pearson in the neck and head, and removed several of her gold teeth after knocking them out with a pistol. Daughter Elizabeth was grazed by a bullet but survived, along with her two sisters. The bandits fled after robbing the store's safe and destroying its telephone line. A large posse and a U.S. Army biplane from Nogales searched for the attackers, marking the first known use of aircraft in an Arizona manhunt, but the search was unsuccessful. Authorities offered a $5,000 bounty for each suspect.
Months later, a bartender in Sasabe, Sonora, was found attempting to sell gold teeth traced to Myrtle Pearson; the seller identified the source as an outlaw named Manuel Martinez. Martinez and an associate, Placidio Silvas, were arrested and convicted of murder in Santa Cruz County in May 1922. Martinez was sentenced to death and Silvas to life imprisonment. On July 13, 1922, while being transported by Sheriff George White and deputy L.A. Smith, the prisoners escaped after a car wreck; both White and Smith were later found dead near the wreck. More than 700 volunteers from four counties launched what is described as the largest manhunt in the history of the Southwest. Martinez and Silvas were recaptured six days later in the Tumacacori Mountains. After legal appeals reached the U.S. Supreme Court, Martinez was executed by hanging on August 10, 1923. Silvas remained imprisoned at Florence, Arizona, until he escaped in 1928 and was never located again.
Key facts
- Victims
- Myrtle Pearson, John Frazer, George White, Frank Pearson, Alexander Frazer, L.A. Smith
- Date
- 1920
- Location
- Ruby, Arizona
- Case status
- solved
Case timeline
1920-02-27
John and Alexander Frazer, owners of the Ruby Mercantile, are shot during a robbery; both die.
1920-10
Suspect Manuel Garcia is killed in a gunfight with Pima County deputies near Twin Buttes.
1921-08-26
Frank and Myrtle Pearson, the mercantile's new owners, are killed during a robbery; daughter Elizabeth Pearson is wounded.
1922-05
Manuel Martinez and Placidio Silvas are convicted of murder in Santa Cruz County and sentenced.
1922-07-13
Martinez and Silvas escape custody after a car crash that kills Sheriff George White and deputy L.A. Smith.
1923-08-10
Manuel Martinez is executed by hanging.
1928
Placidio Silvas escapes from the state prison in Florence, Arizona, and is never seen again.
Best coverage
No approved coverage links are attached yet.
People
Manuel Garcia
CHARGEDIdentified by police as one of the bandits responsible for the 1920 Frazer killings; killed in a gunfight with deputies in October 1920 before facing trial.
Ezequiel Lara
CHARGEDIdentified by police as one of the bandits responsible for the 1920 Frazer killings; later arrested in Mexico for other crimes but never tried for the Frazer killings.
Myrtle Pearson
VICTIMWife of Frank Pearson, shot and killed during the same robbery on August 26, 1921.
John Frazer
VICTIMCo-owner of the Ruby Mercantile, shot and killed during a robbery on February 27, 1920.
Placidio Silvas
CONVICTEDConvicted of murder in Santa Cruz County in May 1922 in connection with the Pearson killings; escaped custody in July 1922, was recaptured, later escaped prison in 1928 and was never found.
George White
VICTIMSheriff killed after a car crash during the transport of convicted prisoners on July 13, 1922.
Manuel Martinez
CONVICTEDConvicted of murder in Santa Cruz County in May 1922 in connection with the Pearson killings; escaped custody in July 1922, recaptured, and executed by hanging on August 10, 1923.
Frank Pearson
VICTIMOwner of the Ruby Mercantile, shot and killed during a robbery on August 26, 1921.
Alexander Frazer
VICTIMCo-owner of the Ruby Mercantile, shot and killed during a robbery on February 27, 1920.
L.A. Smith
VICTIMDeputy killed after a car crash during the transport of convicted prisoners on July 13, 1922.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Places
Common questions
- What happened to the victim?
- Between 1920 and 1922, six people were killed in a series of robberies and manhunts centered on the Ruby Mercantile store near the border town of Ruby, Arizona, including two store owners, the wife of a second store owner, and two lawmen killed during a prisoner escape.
- Where did the murders happen?
- Ruby, Arizona.
- Who was convicted?
- Placidio Silvas (Convicted of murder in Santa Cruz County in May 1922 in connection with the Pearson killings; escaped custody in July 1922, was recaptured, later escaped prison in 1928 and was never found.) and Manuel Martinez (Convicted of murder in Santa Cruz County in May 1922 in connection with the Pearson killings; escaped custody in July 1922, recaptured, and executed by hanging on August 10, 1923.).
- What is the current status of the case?
- Status: solved.
Related cases
View all cases
Sources
- Ruby Murderswikipedia · Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
- Contemporaneous coverage — legendsofamerica.comnews · legendsofamerica.com · 2026-07-07
- Contemporaneous coverage — rowman.comnews · rowman.com · 2026-07-07