The Apache were some of the fiercest warriors in the American Southwest, known for their resilience, survival skills, and ability to navigate the harsh desert terrain. For decades, they fought against both the U.S. and Mexican governments, resisting forced relocation and the destruction of their way of life. While many Apache were eventually confined to reservations, some chose a different path – one that led them into a life of defiance, escape, and outlaw status.
Three men, in particular, stood out as some of the most dangerous and elusive Apache outlaws in history. Their stories involve prison breaks, daring escapes, and years spent on the run, evading some of the most determined manhunts of their time.
Massai: The Escape Artist
Massai was a warrior who refused to be caged. He had lived both on and off the reservation, at times working as a scout for the U.S. Army, tracking down renegade Apache warriors. But he also had a habit of disappearing into the wilderness, unable to accept a life of confinement. His story took a dramatic turn when, in 1886, he was captured along with Geronimo and a group of Apache warriors. Instead of allowing him to remain free, the U.S. military decided to send him east – on a prison train to Florida.
A Daring Escape
But Massai wasn’t about to let his fate be decided for him. Somewhere in Missouri, while the train was moving at a slow pace up a hill, he escaped through the window, along with a fellow Apache named Gray Lizard. They jumped off the train, tucked and rolled, and disappeared into the landscape.
The problem? They were 1,200 miles from home with no supplies, no food, and only their survival skills to rely on. The two outlaws traveled by night, navigating using the stars, and hid during the day to avoid being seen. They scavenged for food, trying to kill small animals with rocks, but hunger and exhaustion took their toll.
Tragedy Struck
Their luck turned when they stumbled upon a mining camp in the Ozark Mountains. They waited for the miners to leave and then stole everything they could – food, weapons, ammunition, and supplies. Armed and fed, they continued their long journey westward. But tragedy struck when their only water source, a deer’s stomach used as a makeshift canteen, was accidentally destroyed. Without water, they were on the verge of collapse.
Massai later told his daughter that he and Gray Lizard prayed for rain—and miraculously, it came. The two men collected water and pushed on, eventually making it back to New Mexico after a full year on the run. However, Gray Lizard never made it back to his family – he disappeared along the way, leaving only Massai to continue the legend.
One of the World’s Most Wanted Men
Back in Apache territory, Massai became one of the most wanted men in the West. He raided settlements, evaded countless military patrols, and lived as a fugitive. His fate remains a mystery. Some say he was killed by a posse; others claim he escaped to Mexico and lived out his days in the mountains. What is certain is that he remained one step ahead of his pursuers for years, cementing his reputation as an outlaw who simply could not be caught.
The Apache Kid: Soldier Turned Fugitive
The Apache Kid was once a respected scout for the U.S. Army, known for his skills in tracking and combat. He had been taken in by the legendary Al Sieber, the Army’s chief scout, who saw great potential in him. But his life took a dark turn when his father was murdered in 1886.
Under Apache law, revenge was not just expected – it was a duty. The Apache Kid sought permission from Sieber to track down his father’s killer but was denied. Unable to let the crime go unanswered, he and a group of friends hunted down the man anyway and killed him.
Facing Justice
When Sieber found out, he was furious. He demanded the Apache Kid turn himself in, warning that running would only make things worse. Wanting to avoid becoming a fugitive, the Kid returned to face justice, but as he was surrendering, a gunfight erupted. Sieber was shot in the ankle, shattering the bone, and though the Kid wasn’t the one who pulled the trigger, he knew he would be blamed.
With no other choice, he fled into the wilderness. He was eventually captured, sentenced to death, then had his sentence reduced to 10 years at Alcatraz. But legal complications resulted in his release after just a year. Unfortunately, freedom did not last long.
Sieber, now permanently crippled, held a personal vendetta against his former protégé. Using legal loopholes, he had the Apache Kid put on trial again, this time for his supposed role in Sieber’s shooting. The evidence was weak, but that didn’t matter – he was sentenced to another seven years, this time at Yuma Prison in Arizona.
Becoming a Ghost
But the Apache Kid never made it to Yuma. While being transported, he and a group of prisoners overpowered their guards, killing the sheriff and escaping into the mountains. From that moment on, he was a ghost. The U.S. Army, bounty hunters, and even Mexican authorities hunted him relentlessly, but he was never officially captured.
Rumors swirled for decades – some claimed he had been killed, others said he lived in Mexico well into the 1930s. What is known is that he was never seen again. His fate remains one of the greatest mysteries of the Old West.
The Bronco Apaches: The Last Holdouts
Even after Massai and the Apache Kid vanished, small bands of Apache warriors remained hidden in the Sierra Madre Mountains, refusing to surrender. These men were known as the Bronco Apaches, and they carried out raids well into the early 1900s.
Mexico, in particular, feared them. The Rurales, an elite Mexican military force, were sent to wipe them out. In 1900, a group of soldiers tracked down a man believed to be Massai. He was shot and killed, but instead of collecting the massive reward for his capture, the soldiers cut off his head and burned it.
The Last Free Warriors
As for the Apache Kid, stories persisted that he was still alive years later. Some claimed he was seen in Sonora in 1924, while others swore he visited friends on the San Carlos reservation as late as 1935. At that point, he would have been around 75 years old.
The Bronco Apaches were among the last free warriors of the American West, holding out against overwhelming odds. They outlasted many of their famous counterparts, and their true fates remain shrouded in mystery.
The Legacy of the Apache Outlaws
The stories of Massai, the Apache Kid, and the Bronco Apaches capture the final, desperate years of Apache resistance. These men defied governments, evaded the most skilled trackers, and fought to live life on their own terms, even when the world around them was changing.
Were they criminals? To the U.S. and Mexican governments, yes. But to their own people, they were symbols of defiance, warriors who refused to be broken.
Their fates remain uncertain, but one thing is clear – their legends will never be forgotten.
Ed spent his childhood in the backwoods of Maine, where harsh winters taught him the value of survival skills. With a background in bushcraft and off-grid living, Ed has honed his expertise in fire-making, hunting, and wild foraging. He writes from personal experience, sharing practical tips and hands-on techniques to thrive in any outdoor environment. Whether it’s primitive camping or full-scale survival, Ed’s advice is grounded in real-life challenges.