As 1908 drew to a close, two of Arizona’s most respected lawmen, Territorial Sheriff Nabor Pacheco and Captain Harry Wheeler of the Arizona Rangers, stood at the precipice of significant career and personal transitions. The coming year, 1909, would prove to be a period of both pivotal change and immense challenge, intertwining their paths and testing their unwavering dedication to justice.
Nabor Pacheco: A Legacy Forged in Tumult
Nabor Pacheco’s career was a testament to his steadfast commitment to law enforcement. Beginning as a Tucson Policeman in 1885, he ascended through the ranks, serving two terms as Constable before making history as the first native-born person of Spanish descent to be elected Pima County Sheriff (1904-1908). His jurisdiction spanned a vast territory, demanding relentless travel and diverse duties. By 1908, a changing political landscape prompted Pacheco to step down from the Sheriff’s office.
Reports from the Arizona Daily Star in December 1908 indicated Pacheco’s probable appointment as Tucson City Marshal, a role he would assume after resigning as Sheriff. Before taking on this new challenge, his concern for his loyal canine companion, Jack, highlighted his compassionate nature. Jack, a seasoned partner from Pacheco’s police days, was renowned for assisting in arrests, even engaging with combative prisoners.
Pacheco’s tenure as City Marshal began with a decisive crackdown on illicit activities, including an audacious single-handed raid on opium dens in Chinatown, as detailed by the Tucson Daily Citizen in January 1909. However, his professional achievements were soon overshadowed by a devastating personal crisis. In March 1909, his oldest son, Nabor Pacheco Jr., was involved in the murder of a woman, an event that rocked the community and Pacheco’s world. Despite his immediate offer to resign due to his immense pride and integrity, authorities, recognizing his impeccable reputation, declined, urging him to continue his duties. Nabor Pacheco Jr. was subsequently convicted of manslaughter, serving two years in Yuma territorial prison, a testament that no one, not even a lawman’s son, was above the law.
More political turmoil followed when Tucson Mayor Ben Heney attempted to have Pacheco fired from his position, leveling charges of
