The story follows the myth of Joaquin Murieta, an infamous Mexican bandit who spread fear over the Californian ground during the 19th century.
It begins with his youth and how he, hopeful for a better life opportunity and admiring the Americans, moved to California from Mexico. He soon realized that Americans are not what he thought they were, experiencing their violence and racial degradation. He tries to pick himself up each time and start his life anew, up until he gets almost beaten to death and his lover violated. From this point on, Murieta decides to take revenge on Americans and his hatred for those people grew stronger by the day.
He soon establishes connections all over the west of America and makes a name for himself as a cruel and vicious band-leader who is out for American gold and American blood. He is followed, among others, by a vicious Mexican man called Three-Fingered Jack as well as his lover Rosita. Murieta travels through the country, unable to stay in one place for too long because of his reputation. A lot of his followers get captured and hanged on the way, and he himself experiences getting caught by a Native-American community, which decides to eventually let him go.
Murieta decides to ravish the south in his final action before retiring to a peaceful life. This is where he will get captured after a long and bloody chase by Captain Henry Love, who is only aware of Murieta's identity after he is killed in the chase.
Murieta's head, along with the arm of Three-Fingered Jack are preserved for evidence and to be put on display for people. After his death, his organization is broken up because no one is able to hold it together like Murieta. His beloved Rosita is left to mourn and wonder about the life she could have had, had there been no hatred and degradation from one man towards his fellow-man.
