CDCR History, Cemetery Tales, Front page

Cemetery Tales: Miguel Bravo meets end at SQ

October 8, 2026

The second installment of Cemetery Tales looks at Miguel Bravo, a 23-year-old who ended up in San Quentin in 1925.

Unfortunately, despite extensive digging into historical newspapers, we could find no stories regarding a crime committed by someone named Miguel Bravo in 1925. There is a news account of a gas station attendant named Miguel Bravo firing a shot at a fleeing vehicle when the driver didn’t pay for his gasoline. The incident occurred in San Jose in August 1925, so he’s probably not our person.

Details regarding M. Bravo's incarceration at San Quentin.

Miguel Bravo and his San Quentin prison information with a photo from 1925.

Bravo was sentenced to one-to-10 years at San Quentin out of Los Angeles County after being convicted of grand larceny. Details are scarce with only his prison record as our source. He was received Oct. 24, 1925, and assigned number 41393.

Born in 1902 in Mexico, his occupation is listed as laborer. When received, he stood 5-feet 4-inches tall and weighed 137 pounds. He’s described as having maroon eyes, black hair, a dark complexion and good teeth.

Bravo dies days before Christmas

After he passed away, the record for Miguel Brav was altered to indicate he was dead.

Bravo died in the San Quentin hospital a few days before Christmas, Dec. 22, 1926. He’d been incarcerated for a little more than a year. There is no cause of death given, but the prison register was altered to indicate his death (as shown above).

When no one claimed his body, he was buried in the San Quentin cemetery.

Story by Don Chaddock, Inside CDCR editor
Office of Public and Employee Communications

If anyone has information regarding this person’s crime, reach out to Don Chaddock at OPEC.Submissions@cdcr.ca.gov.

Did you know? Cemetery Tales began in 2022, originally planned as a five-part series. Due to its popularity, staff requested the series continue. Four years later, it’s still going. This installment marks the 24th story in the series. Every October, we randomly select people from the prison cemetery lists and research their stories. Check out the first story published Oct. 6, 2022.

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