On February 5, 1928, the young boy was captured during
a battle and imprisoned in the church sacristy. In order
to terrorize him, soldiers made him watch the hanging
of one of the other captured Cristeros. But José encouraged
the man, saying, “You will be in heaven before me. Prepare
a place for me. Tell Christ the King I shall be with him soon.”
In prison, he prayed the Rosary and sang songs of faith.
He wrote a beautiful letter to his mother, telling her that
he was resigned to do God’s will. José’s father attempted
to ransom his son but was unable to raise the money in time.
On February 10, 1928, the teenager was brutally tortured and
the skin of the soles of his feet was sheered off; he was then
forced to walk on salt, followed by walking through the town to
the cemetery. The young boy screamed in pain but would not give in.
At times the soldiers stopped him and said,
“If you shout, ‘Death to Christ the King,’
we will spare your life.” But he answered:
“Long live Christ the King! Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe!”
Once he arrived at the cemetery, José was asked once more
if he would deny his faith. The 14-year-old shouted out:
“Long live Christ the King!” and was summarily shot.
