Chuck Kuznetsov



Vlad (Chuck) Kuznetsov (Russian: Влад Кузнецов ) (1838-1865) was Chris Neisen (The Russian Joe)'s partner in the beginning stages of The Corazon Pelegroso Gang.

Background


He was born in in 1838. His parents came from St.Petersburg, Russian Empire and settled in the Americas in the 1820s. Originally to work in the Fort Ross establishment in Alta California.

Chuck's family moved somewhere near the Colorado river where was abandoned from his parents as a young boy and was raised by Navajo Indians. He married a young Navajo Woman and had two daughters named Lilah and Deluvina. But they abonded them after he left New Mexico and his daughters were held captives as slaves.

He settled in Las Vegas and met Chris Neisen (The Russian Joe) in 1864 where he committed his life of crime of Stealing and murdering ranchers for cattle. As becoming member of the El Pelegroso Gang. He liked Chris Neisen and thought of him as a kind and polite man.

Chuck was executed for his crimes along with his partner Henry O'Donnell on Christmas, 1865. he was hanged on a in Las Vegas, New Mexico. apparently, there were two unsuccessful attempts at killing him, some say that he looked up to the American flag where he was immediately found dead seconds later.

Death
After his death, Chuck originally didn’t have any grave, but his body was still preserved. Chuck’s daughter, Lilah Chisum requested that he would be cremated and be placed in his birthplace in Independence Missouri. In 1991, his grave marker was destroyed by vandals, It took several years for it to be fixed and was relocated somewhere in New Mexico.