Ronald Bristlewolf

"The Ronald Bristlewolf story seems so improbable that it seems to be fictional. Yet the story is true. At first glance, it would seem to be that of a crazy hermit killing two strangers and, later, a friend. However, there is more to the story. It starts with the burial of two Indigenous children over two millennia ago in a cave at present-day Elephant Mountain, located on the little-traveled northeast arm of the Black Rock Desert. It continues with a maimed prospector, the murder of three people, the grave robbery of the remains of two Indigenous children, a death threat to a judge, and ends with the deaths of two old men in prison." (Introduction to the "Bristlewolf" chapter from the book Black Rock Dead)

Ronald Bristlewolf was convicted of killing three people in the Black Rock Desert on June 15 or 16 and 28, 1978. The victims were:

• Richard C. Weese, 40 of Longmont, CO
  • Find-A-Grave
• Judy Weese, 31, also of Longmont, CO
• Peter Cachenaut, 75, a fellow desert recluse, who was killed after the Weeses on June 28, 1978
  • Buried in the Winnemucca Cemetery

The LA Times article states that the couple was looking the Blue Bucket Mine, based on a map from the man's father. Ronald Bristlewolf was known as Ronald Gress and in 1970 had blow off the thumb and a finger from his right hand. The LA Times stated that "the spring at the foot of Pinto Butte was called 'Three Fingers Hot Spring' because the hermit 'sort of rules over it'." Presumably, this is Pinto Hot Springs.

Bristlewolf was sentence to three consecutive life terms.

In December, 2013, the Nevada Prison Inmate Information site has a Ronald J. Gress, inmate #14937, Male, Caucasian, age 78, "INACTIVE-DEATH", no prior felonies. The February, 8 1980 news paper article states that he was 44, putting his birthdate around 1937-1938, which suggests he died in 2013. Archive.com has a 1940 Census page for Ron Gress, age 4, birth year 1936.

A 2003 newspaper article describes how in 1980, Jack Lee Harelson went to the Denio bar where the barkeep told him that a prospector, presumably Peter Cachenaut, had found a cave that was brimming with Indian artifacts. The barkeep told Harelson that Bristlewolf later shot the prospector and two other people. Harelson looked for, but did not find the cave. However, a few months later, Harelson found a crevice that they later excavated. That location was at Elephant Mountain, which is southwest of Pinto Hot Springs.

However, Outside Magazine states that Harelson was shown an arrowhead by Marge Stevens in Denio that had been given to Marge.

In 2025, Ormat received a geothermal exploration permit at Pinto Hot Springs. The Environmental Assessment discusses Bristlewolf's home:

"The historic component is the remains of the Ronald “Straightgut” Bristlewolf’s home and the scene of the three murders he committed in 1978. This component is eligible under Criteria A and D of the NRHP (Spidell and Richey 2021)."

(Spidell and Richey 2021) is not available.

References

• Frank Bergon, "Wild Game," 1994. p. 112. A work of fiction that mentions Bristlewolf and is probably based on Claude Dallas, who was convicted of killing two game wardens in southwestern Idaho.
• Bryan Denson, "Grave Injustice," The Oregonian. Portland, OR. Sunday, December 28, 2003. Jack Lee Harelson, Ronald Bristlewolf connection.
• Deanne Stillman, "Desert Reckoning: A Town Sheriff, a Mojave Hermit, and the Biggest Manhunt in Modern California History," 2012. Quotes Bergon, but has Pinto Hot Springs in the Virginia Range?

External Links

• Bibliography of the "Bristlewolf" chapter from the 2025 book Black Rock Dead
• BristleWolf: The Ronald Gress Story (2021 youtube video)
• Ronald Bristlewolf and the Sinister Histories of Pinto Hot Springs (findingnevadawild.com)