Joaquin Manuel Carrillo Murrieta (1825-?), younger of two older step brothers of Joaquin Murrieta.

Joaquin Manuel Carrillo was born in Spain, before his father moved to Ures, Sonora with his wife, Joaquin and his older brother Jesus Carrillo. At age five, he along with his older brother would acquire the Murrieta name after his widowed mother remarried the Sonoran Joaquin Murrieta of Pueblo de Murrieta, soon to be the father of the famous Joaquin Murrieta and his younger brothers.^{[1]: 127–128}

Joaquin Manuel Carrillo Murrieta came to California before 1848 and there squired a lease and operated the Murrieta rancho in Cañada Molina Vallejo. When gold was discovered in California he wrote his stepbrother, Joaquin to bring members of the family to California.^{[1]: 127–128}

He rode with Joaquin Murrieta to avenge his brother Jesus' lynching by a mob at Murphy's New Diggins and occasionally at other times. With Joaquin Murrieta's brother-in-law Vincente Jesus Féliz Joaquin Manuel both watched over Rosa Féliz, Murrieta's wife who lived there following the attack on her and her husband Joaquin by American claim jumpers in their gold claim.^{[1]: 127–128}

Later, after the death of Murrieta at the Cantua (/ Love, Ridge, et. all) or his disappearance/death while returning from Arroyo Cantua (/ Latta), Rosa claimed to be a widow and marriage to J. M. C. M. in San Francisco.

Letter to the newspaper.^[1]

Steamer voyage of J. M. C. M. and Rosa from S. F. to San Blas, Sinaloa and disappearance.^[1]

To Spain? Peru?

Missing money of the gang. Money the gang was expecting to be distributed when they reached Sonora was never found. Fights over the horse herd their only remaining asset at Rancho Bayoreca.^[1]

• If J. Murrieta
  • After telling everyone in the gang he was going to wind up his affairs in CA and go to Sonora to settle up the money with the gang at Rancho Bayoreca, did he take off with the money to somewhere other than Sonora? Leaving without Rosa, maybe tired of her or disgusted by her dishonored status. Destination if evading the Gang would have to be outside Mexico, possibly Spain or more likely somewhere in Spanish America. Peru has been suggested.

• If J.M.C.M.
• Was he involved in financial transactions of the horse trade between Rancho Bayoreca in Sonora and San Francisco?
  • Given his proximity to SF and the Vereda del Monte his ranch location would be ideal. He was the one that seemed to be a businessman and perhaps the mastermind of that trade, by bringing up his relatives, trusted men, to start and run the horse trade, especially after the the Foreign miner law was passed and took effect in the late spring of 1850, providing the motivated manpower and removing the distraction of gold mining from their minds.

• Was J.M.C.M. in love with Rosa, to the point he would betray Joaquin?
  • J.M.C.M. married Rosa soon after the Battle of the Cantua, so either Joaquin no longer cared for her and consented or he was dead and could not object which her claim of widowhood would seem to affirm.
    • If Joaquin was dead at the Cantua it was because Jesus Feliz betrayed him to Love and the Rangers. Joaquin's abandonment of his sister may have been the real motive for this betrayal, given the likelihood of death at the hands of the gang if he was found out he must have had a powerful reason to risk that, family honor or vengeance might have been that reason.
    • If Joaquin was not killed at the Cantua then it seems likely that either the supposed posse suggested by Latta killed him or J.M.C.M. himself killed Joaquin to get Rosa and the money. This act would necessitate having the money so they could disappear far away from California, Sonora, or Mexico in general, to evade the vengeance of the gang or Joaquin's relatives. Spain or somewhere in Spanish South America would seem to be likely places; especially those that had not sent large populations of persons to California that might return with stories about or encounters with Joaquin Murrieta.