Salt Lake Telegram | 1934-06-04 | Page 3 | Man Confesses Ranch Murders

MAN CONFESSES RANCH MURDERS Describes Slaying Two Says Stove Explosion Set House on Fire EL PASO Texas June 4 JP-A JP A A year old ranch hand was held to to- to today day while officers investigated a signed statement he made admitting he killed Mr and Mrs Riley R. R Smith wealthy ranch couple of near Van Horn Their charred bodies were found round in the ruins of their home yc yesterday Antonio Carrasco the ranch hand in his statement said he hc struck Smith down with a stick when the ranch owner became angry because he was not rounding up cattle in the corral to suit him Carrasco said he then shot Smith with a shotgun He was quoted as saying that Mrs Smith who apparently witnessed the shooting came to the corral and I helped him carry Smiths Smith's body to th the house l Overcome by fear Carrasco was quoted as saying he struck Mrs Smith on the head with a stick of or stove stove- wood Carrasco said he then started to prepare his his- supper but that when he poured gasoline on wood in the stove the fuel exploded and soon the house was ablaze I