Horrell Brothers

Horrell brothers
Born
Mart, Tom, Merritt, Ben, and Sam Horrell
Died
Cause of deathBen, Merritt, Mart, and Tom were shot
Years active1873-1878
Known forHorrell-Higgins feud
MotiveRacism against Hispanic people
Details
CountryUnited States
Location(s)Texas, New Mexico Territory
Target(s)Hispanic people
Killed18+
WeaponsGuns

The Horrell brothers, sometimes referred to as the lawless Horrell boys (circa 1873–1878), were five brothers from the Horrell family of Lampasas County, Texas, who were outlaws of the Old West, and who committed numerous murders over a five-year period before four of the brothers were killed in different incidents. The brothers are probably best known for the Horrell-Higgins feud, although it resulted in relatively few deaths compared to other feuds. However, starting in 1873, the brothers went on an ethnically motivated killing spree during which they killed a Hispanic lawman and a white lawman in New Mexico, killed 11 other Hispanic men, and wounded one Hispanic woman. The brothers had previously killed five lawmen in Texas.