Now under seventy-five feet of water below Bonito Canyon dam, the town is best remembered for the multiple murder committed by the town's constable, a Martin Nelson. Labeled as one of the worst crimes in New Mexico history, the constable went berserk, entered the Mayberry Hotel and shot and killed seven people including four members of the Mayberry family. The next morning, the constable was discovered by a posse and was shot and killed. Although Bonito City survived until the early twentieth century, its end came when the Southern Pacific Railroad chose Bonito Canyon as the most likely location to build a dam to fulfill its need for a water supply. Courtesy Henry Chenoweth.

CORRECTION: Please open and read the following link for Bonito City in Lincoln County New Mexico your original story was wrong please make the corrections thanks. The story has a news paper clipping for proof of the correct story.

http://encounterghosts.com/bonito-city-the-real-story/

Submitted by: Michael McGee