By any measure, life on the frontier was full of danger in the 1800s. Violence usuallywon over reason, and those willing to kill often imposed their desires on the masses.

In 1875, in what was then Lake County Colorado, now known as Chaffee County, awar between newcomers and long-time locals exposed the lengths to which rancherswould go to protect their land and ensure the future would be written by them.

Historians refer to this story as one of the most vicious crimes in the annals of history.We’re talking about the murder of a sitting judge, Elias F. Dyer. The identity of thekiller or killers was a public secret that has never been shared.