Alferd Packer (November 21, 1842 - April 23, 1907) is often known as the only American ever convicted of cannibalism, though in reality his conviction was for murder, not cannibalism. Not even the members of the well-known Donner Party were convicted of cannibalism in California, as cannibalism is not a crime in the United Sates.

Note: Packer sometimes signed his name as "Alferd", sometimes as "Alfred", and is referred to by both names. In many documents, he is referred to simply as A. Packer or Al Packer.

Packer's life

Packer was born in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He served in the American Civil War, on the Union side presumably in an Iowa regiment, but was mustered out due to epilepsy. He entered fame in 1873.

In November, 1873, Packer with a party of 21 left Provo, Utah, bound for the Colorado gold country in Breckenridge. Leaving that late in the season was dangerous, as winter can come fierce and fast to the high country. On January 21 of 1874, he met with Chief Ouray (known as the White Man's Friend) near Montrose, Colorado. Chief Ouray recommended he wait until spring. On February 9, a party of six left for Gunnison, Colorado.

At an unknown date, the party got hopelessly lost, ran out of provisions, and became snowbound in the Rocky Mountains. Packer allegedly went scouting and came back to discover one of his party roasting human meat. According to Packer, the man rushed him with a hatchet; Packer shot and killed him.

On March 6, 1874, Packer arrived alone at Los Pinos Indian Agency near Gunnison. He spent some time in a Saguache, Colorado Bar, meeting several of his previous party. He initially claimed self-defense, but his story did not wash.

Packer signed a confession on May 8, 1874. He was jailed in Saguache.

On August 8, the victims were found, with evidence of struggle and murder, and Packer escaped from Saguache. He vanished for several years.

On March 11, 1883, Packer was discovered in Cheyenne, Wyoming living under the alias of "John Schwartze." On March 16, he signed another confession.

On April 6, 1883, a trial began in Lake City, Colorado, Hindsdale County. On the 13th, he was found guilty and sentenced to death.

But Packer hornswoggled the hangman; in October, 1885, the sentence was reversed by the Colorado Supreme Court on a grandfather clause. However, on August 6, 1886, Packer was sentenced to 40 years at a trial in Gunnison. The judge is reported to have noted at sentencing that there were only a handful of Democrats in the county, "and you ate" a substantial fraction of them.

On June 19, 1899, Packer's sentence was upheld by the Colorado Supreme Court. However, he was paroled on February 8, 1901 and two days later moved to the city of Deer Creek , in Jefferson County, Colorado.

He is widely rumored to have become a vegetarian before his death of reputed "Senility - trouble & worry" at the age of 64. His grave is still in Littleton, Colorado. His pardon waited until March 5, 1981.

Years later

Evidence dug up since suggests that Packer was a cannibal, but not a murderer. On September 17, 1989 an exhumation project was begun by Scientific Sleuthing Inc. However, it may never be known for sure.

In 1968, the University of Colorado at Boulder named their new cafeteria grill the Alferd E. Packer Memorial Grill. In 1982 a statue to Packer was placed on the Boulder campus.

In a veiled sarcastic criticism of food service available to members of the US Congress, a member representing Colorado once proposed renaming an eating facility there after Packer.

In 1993, then-future South Park creator Trey Parker created a student film, Cannibal! The Musical, based loosely on the life of Packer.

External links and references

• Colorado state archives on Alferd Packer
• http://www.museumtrail.org/AlferdPacker.asp
• A Denver Post story on Packer
• The Ballad of Alferd Packer
• Cannibal!: The Musical