HSUMD ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING/DINNER at the Historic USO Building.

Annual Dinner and Bagdad (CA) Murder Mystery

It’s time once again for the Society’s Annual Dinner Meeting, which will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The featured speaker will be Steve Reyes telling us about his book Four Miles East of Bagdad(California). Doors will open at the Historic USO Building at 1:30, and dinner will be served at 2:00, with a short business meeting including Board of Directors elections following dinner, and then the presentation. The dinner menu will include tri-tip and side dishes and will be cooked by Rolando Estrada and Joe DePina and served up by the High Desert Quilt Guild and Julie Pryor. Dinner guests (that’s you!) are invited to bring a potluck dessert to share, so whip your favorite recipe, even if it involves a supermarket and a credit card. Tickets cost $20 and are available at the HSUMD Book Store in the Historic USO Building, 230 West Ridgecrest Blvd.

Steve Reyes is a volunteer at the Twentynine Palms Historical Society, and several years ago he wanted to write a story about a homicide in the area of Amboy, California. His interest was circa 1895 and during a quick search of Newspapers.com he discovered a homicide that occurred in 1896. After a reading a handful of articles he determined the suspect in the case, Luis James Searcy, was falsely accused. What followed was a series of events that led Steve to original court documents, transcripts, and two photos of the defendant. It would be impossible to capture a compelling story in a single page, and he was compelled to write a book. Four Miles East of Bagdad tells the story of three homicides that occurred in the area of Bagdad in a one-year period. The primary source documents also tell the story about life at remote railroad settlements dotting the desert in San Bernardino County. It is about crime, violence and the railroad in remote San Bernardino County in 1896. Most importantly it is the story about Luis James Searcy, a bi-racial African American hobo wrongfully accused of murder and sentenced to death.

The HSUMD meets on the third Sunday of most months. Each meeting features a presentation on some topic of local interest. Meetings are free, and all are welcome to attend. For more information on this or future meetings, call 760-375-8456 during Bookstore hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 2 pm.