Word reached the company that the man behind these depredations was Manuel Gonzales, a man with many followers, including a number who were kept in line through fear of him. Although wanted by the sheriff for killing an old man named Asher Jones, the warrant for his arrest had never been served. On May 19, a deputy sheriff's posse of eight men left Maxwell City and rode thirty-five miles up the Vermejo where they were joined by Juan Jose Martinez. By 3: 00 A.M. they reached his house and found it vacant. When they were refused entrance to his brother's house nearby, they smashed down the door, broke the window, and threw lighted clothes wet with kerosene into the room. Still there was no Gonzales and the family would say nothing.

About 300 yards up the creek was a cluster of Mexican houses containing six rooms in the form of a square. While prowling around these buildings, two of the posse recognized the voice of Gonzales speaking to the people inside. He was promised that no harm would befall him if he would come out, but he cursed and replied that he would shoot any man coming near the door. The posse then asked that he send out the women and children as the building would be fired or torn down over his head if necessary to take him dead or alive. Again he refused. In deadly earnest, the besiegers methodically stripped away portions of the roof and tossed lighted rags inside, only to have most stamped out by the women as soon as they hit the floor. When it became obvious that he could stay inside no longer, taking a thousand to one chance Gonzales rushed outside, square against the muzzle of a Winchester. Shot near the heart, he turned to one side and plunged for a door to another room several feet away, three bullets following him. As he pushed open the door he fell on his face, one of his comrades pulling him inside.