The Mystery of the Goat Raiser's Murder

3/7/2025

by M.P. Pellicer | Stranger Than Fiction Stories
Macario Timon, a 58-year-old goat-raiser was found with his throat cut inside his home which was left in shambles. Originally it was believed the crime was tied to the whereabouts of a mysterious old mine that Timon was seeking.

Police found occult literature among Timon's belongings

March 20, 1926
Oakland, California

A map supposedly showing the location of the mine was found under a seal on a photograph holder. Four months before his death Timon submitted a sample of ore to a chemist for assay, with a result of 41 cents to the ton.

Gregoria Garcia, a neighbor who lived at 1880 Fifth St. found his body in the hall of the house. Authorities also found a razor with the blade missing, and a blackjack. The blow on Timon's head tore the leather cover and lead shot from the blackjack and the slashing of his throat broke the razor.

In the living room glasses and a broken wine bottle were strewn, about and the furniture overturned. A footprint was found in the doorway leading from the hall where the body was found, and blood stains upon two doorknobs in the house.

The police questioned Mrs. Garcia in connection with the murder, but she was released soon after when the police were satisfied she was not involved in the crime. While Mrs. Garcia had gone to notify police, an anonymous telephone call was received at the coroner's office informing them that a dead man was at the Third Street address.

Macario’s neighbors knew little of him, and considered him a recluse but understood he was a mining man, who also raised goats. Neighbors said they had seen Timon on Thursday March 18 at 3 p.m. accompanied by a "stout" woman. The identity of the stout woman remained unknown.

The report of Assayer Walter L. Gibson stated the ores Timon brought for testing were "no richer than could be dug out of any backyard." This belied the belief that Timon's claim had any real worth.

Within a day another motive had arisen for the murder. It seemed Timon was in the midst of some type of bootlegging feud. Men and women were known to come to the house at all hours of the night, and two barrels of wine were found in the basement.

Detective Richard V. McSorley found several excavations, 2 or 3 feet deep in Timon's cellar. Some believed he was burying money made from the wine he sold. Since no bank book was in the house, perhaps others believed he kept cash on hand for his transactions.

Police investigated if Macarias Timon was killed by other cult members

Timon came to Oakland from Honolulu in 1919, where he had a divorced wife, Ascension Lara and several children. Authorities could find nothing in Honolulu that would throw any light on the crime.

Police interviewed Florencia Celestina, Macario's daughter. She told them the family had been living in Hawaii for the past 13 years. They had settled there in 1913 after leaving Spain. Macario Timon while in Honolulu had worked as a laborer and owned a small farm. Her parents had divorced 7 years before. After he left Hawaii they had known little of his movements or whereabouts. She had never known that he had any interest in mining.

A few days later evidence was presented that a society of "devil worshippers" were in some way responsible for Timon's death. Inside his house police found cabalistic books and documents. One of them was a ritual written in Latin. There was also a letter addressed to "Lucifer" signed by Timon, in which he applied for aid in realizing certain unnamed ambitions. It was written in a fluid that may have been blood.

James F. Galliano, Timon's attorney advanced the theory his client was a leader in the The Satanic Order of Lucifer who were believed to practice human sacrifice. Papers found in the bedroom of the house were linked to the "Satanic Order", which was an outgrowth of the devil-worshipping religion of Yezidis which flourished in southern and western Asia before the birth of Christ. There were sects in Mexico and the United States.

The book titled El Libro Infernal which translates to the Infernal Book described how members of the order inscribed their names on its records using their own blood for the signatures. Other customs described in the book were blood sacrifices.

Macario Timon's murder some believed took place because he was killed by the cult he belonged to

At the coroner's inquest held on March 24, 1926 it was found that robbery was not the motive, but that Timon in all probability was marked for death because of some infraction of the rules of a secret society.

The police would also go on to search for a richly-dressed woman in black satin who was seen prowling around Timon's home at 1165 Third Street, Oakland and was believed to a "sub-priestess" of the cult. She was dressed differently then bootleg patrons who came to sample Timon's wines. The mystery woman was also seen to reconnoiter the home every time before entering, and would wait until the other guests had left. She would stay for hours at the house.

The murder may have been performed in accordance with ritual, according to Inspector Thomas Woods since none of the money he had on his person was taken. Among his writings was the indication he had been hunting a "satanic stone" said to have the power of enabling the owner to win riches and confound his enemies.

A little square sheet of yellow paper on which was drawn a design of a rising sun behind hills, with a tree and a cross accompanied by mystic symbols provided a clue which police hoped would lead to the killer. Police suspected the drawing, which was found in a folder which contained the "key and scroll" talisman of the devil worship cult would lead to the culprit.

Excavations in the basement of the Timon's home found a strange letter he had written in Spanish which read:

Most Powerful Lucifer: I ask you to present yourself to my prayer and lend me your mouth of wisdom and knowledge so I may discover the occult sciences to gain advantage over and do damage to my enemies, and I shall recognize you as my lord and sovereign if you put me in possession of this eerie art so that I may have the gratification of whatever I desire. And for that I subscribe my name with the blood of my veins.

Picture of the altar at which the cult performed its rites. The kin of a scrifical goat is stretched over the altar with dried beans, potatoes, candlesticks and a wine bottle above and below.

The drying hide and leg of one of Timon's goats believed to also have been killed as a sacrifice was found in the hut where he lived, and was made into an altar. Police also found hidden under clothing, books on black magic, hypnosis and magnetism. Lucifer, Beelzebub and Astarth were uppermost in the Timon's blood-inscribed prayers.

Dr. David Prescott Barrows, former president of the University of California weighed in on the crime. He compared it to the murder committed on November 4, 1925 of Rubia Gonzales who was killed at Nogales, Northern Sonora. She had become involved with a witch doctor known as the Marquis de Sade. She was found dead in his rooms which were filled with the hides of animals, strange potions and herbs that were designed to turn humans into snakes and birds.

Barrows said he was not sure if Timon belong to the De Sade cult, and if he was killed by members or by others who feared his magic.

Leocadio Camison, who was named as one of the executors of Timon's estate and guardian of his minor son was unable to throw any light on the sect. Camison had known Timon when he lived in Hawaii, and he said Timon was formerly a deeply religious man but suddenly severed his connection to the Catholic church for no apparent reason, and became mysterious in his ways. His friends believed his loss of faith was connected to trouble with his wife, when after their separation he tried to bring the children to Oakland to live with him, however their mother was not in agreement.

Advertisement for boarders at the Timon house c.1923

According to police inspectors Tom Woods and Tom Gallagher it seems that an attempt had been made against Timon a year before, when the gas in his home was turned on while he slept. Other occupants awakened him, since on occasion he would take in boarders. It was believed that since then he had come into the possession the magic stone (Piedra Iman), a talisman that resembled white opaque quartz but. It was found in a satin-lined wooden box among Timon's things.

Mr. Galliano as Timon's attorney revealed that Timon had sent several letters to Juana Fernandez of Havana Cuba. He believed she was tied into a voodoo religion, and the last letter Timon had sent was returned stamped: "barred from Cuban mails on the ground of fraud". He believed this was the woman seen skulking around Timon's house.

New importance was given to Timon's goat-raising farm since in the The Infernal Book the "infernal goat, the diabolical cat, the black hen and the black spirit" were the Emperor Lucifer's personal representatives on earth.

Detectives found evidence of allied organizations of worshippers in the United States, Mexico and Cuba.

Local Oakland newspapers details the murder involving Pellegrini and Bernardi c.1924

During the early 20th century, correspondence courses especially those with occult teachings became very popular, especially in California. A person would advertise a new system of achieving hidden knowledge in magazines, and interested parties would pay for a step by step educational course by mail. The lessons would be mailed, and then there was a test at the end of the chapter. Once finished with the system, which could take from 25 to 75 letters, graduation was achieved and now this person could open a local lodge.

The search for clues in the murder mystery then turned to mining camps near the Nevada border, while leaders of the secret cult were sought in the bay district.

The clues then also pointed to a love triangle involving Mrs. Garcia who had found Timon’s body, her husband Gregorio Garcia and a woman named Dolores Alvarez Trujillo. It’s unknown if the Garcias had actually secured a divorce, however Mr. Garcia left with Dolores to Sunnyvale. He worked in the mines, and she worked at a cannery.

The police only found Dolores Trujillo when they arrived in Sunnyvale. She told them Garcia had been there with her until a month ago when he left, and she had not seen or heard from him since. Timon was known to have a "bitter dislike" of Dolores Trujillo, even though the police were not sure why he had this enmity towards her. Did she know more than she said, and more importantly did Mr. Garcia’s absence mean he had some involvement in Macario’s death?

However this was not the only time that death had visited the house due to a love triangle. In 1924, the following appeared in an local newspaper:

Angelo Bernardi of 1165 Third St. Oakland is currently incarcerated in connection with the death of Dave Pellegrini last night at St. Mary's Hospital. Police say Bernardi fatally shot Pellegrini when Pellegrini wanted to poke his nose into his marital affairs.

Bernardi's divorced wife lives in Pellegrini's home at 391 Charter Avenue. Bernardi went there to make peace with his wife and when they got into a dispute Pellegrini wanted to intervene resulting in Bernardi smashing his head in with a rock.

Oakland c.1930

Ana Martinez and her husband Esteban Suelas were questioned when it was found one of the letters Timon had sent to Cuba for a charm, asked for a reply to be sent in their care.

Police then discovered "devil worship" literature in the home of Felix Dominguez while he was being investigated for burglary. He told police he was illiterate and didn't know from who he had gotten a "devil's dictionary" found in his possession.

Another letter was found among Timon's belongings directed to Juana Fernandez in Cuba dated 1924:

I hope that upon you receiving these short words that you find yourself well with your family. Well, I am well. This is to tell you that I have sent you four letters asking you for the infernal laws, or is it of the emperor Lucifer that makes the No. 37 in the catalogue. See if you understand it.

I sent that signature the 11th of March by registered mail and they sent me a little card that you had received it. With this I tell you to put all your faith in me as I have it in you and I also tell you that I have had no fear whatsoever of the talisman, putting all of my faith in the Piedra Iman (magnetic stone) and because of this I tell you that you put all your faith in the infernal book, or is it the laws of the emperor Lucifer and his minister which is the No. 37 of the catalogue.

"And you look well into the secrets that I have, some person that is doing me evil. Doing that you put yourself in all my operations and without more for today, receive the tender affection of your brother who is Macario Timon.

Washington Street, Oakland c.1885

The police said the devil worshippers were divided into three classes. First, there was the imperial trinity over which Lucifer rules as emperor, aided by Beezlebub, chief and Astaroth, duke. Next there is a group of 8 persons, named as follows: Lucifer, prime minister; Satanas, general in chief, Agallaret, general; Francella, lieutenant general; Sargatanas, brigadier general, and Nebiron, aide de camp.

A third group contained 20 spirits and they are not of the alcoholic type, but are flesh and blood creatures. Satan is well down the list in this group and is just but a minor official in the realm of devils.

Authorities were now revising their original premise, believing that Macario was sacrificed like a goat, motivated perhaps by refusing to pay any more money to his tutors.

Later testing in laboratories proved that statements written in two of the books reading "signed in my own blood" was true.

One of the books found, Secrets of King Solomon described the following spell:

First you must catch a black hen—one that has never laid an egg—catch it with care, so that it does not cry out. To do this catch it at two o'clock in the morning. Take it to the center of crossroads that form a perfect cross, and there with a wand of cypress draw a mystic circle. This done, place the hen in the in the center and cut its body in two parts, pronouncing these words: 'Eloin, essain, fingatoris, estiratis, perpendu salarui." Then after turning the face to the east and bowing, recite the curse of the Great Spirit Adoney, and you may confront the spirit immediately.

The description of goat sacrifice was given as:
“Buy a little goat and cut its throat at midnight pronouncing these cabalistic words: 'Abumalis, eaods, ambulavit in fortitudine ab illius' Then cut the skin in little pieces, reserving one piece in four around which in blood you must write the magic words, 'Toratus curristorates' These words must be written in the blood of a new born kid. Then put a piece of the skin in a white silk bag and hang it about your neck. Go then to a church and for 24 hours meditate on the difficulties you must overcome. In this way you will get your desire.

Timon grave, Oakland, CA

By September, 1926 the detectives were directing their inquiries to discover the identity of the chiefs of the cult in Havana. However this eventually led to a dead end.

However Macario had a mysterious past to begin with. He was born in Spain, and christened in 1867 at San Pedro, Extremadura. His birth name was Macario Simon Geronimo. His father’s name was Martin Simon and his mother was Maria Geronimo. It is a Spanish custom to also use the mother’s surname. He married Maria Ascension Davila Alvarez, and they had their first child a son Sandalio Geronimo Davila, in 1897. Other children soon followed: Nemesia Geronimo Davila (1898), Antoliano Geronimo Davila (1901), Gregorio Geronimo Davila (1903), Florencia Celestina Geronimo Davila (1905), Sotero Geronimo Davila (1907), Felipe Geronimo Davila (1910).

It was after 1907, that Macario started to change the first letter of his father's surname from S (Simon) to T (Timon). Why he decided to do this is unknown.

The family immigrated to Hawaii in 1913, and during the trip their oldest son Sandalio died from meningitis.

The trouble in Macario’s marriage, which caused him to leave Hawaii in 1919 is unknown, however on November 20, 1919 his wife married Antonio Lara, a man ten years younger than her. By 1928, two years after Macario’s death, she had left Hawaii and was living in Oakland, California. Her husband Antonio owned a shoe shop.

Despite their divorce when she died in 1942, she was buried next to Macario.

Macario’s murder remains unsolved, and the motive remains just as elusive.