Right away, poor weather conditions hindered the party's progress, Packer said, and their supplies eventually ran out. Streams and lakes were too frozen or treacherous to fish, and wild game was scarce. They could not turn back, but they were not optimistic about going forward, either. Since they were already starving, their situation looked bad and they became desperate. Packer's statement to General Adams indicated that the other five men had died at various stages of their journey, either as starvation and exposure overtook them or as they were killed in self defense from one another's hunger maddened attacks. Ultimately, the bodies were found at various places along the trail.
Israel Swan, being the oldest at around 65, died first, about 10 days after the group departed, and the survivors had all taken pieces from him to eat.
Then four or five days later, James Humphrey died and was also eaten. He proved to have $133 in his pocket and Packer admitted that he had taken it. James was no longer going to need it, so why not?
The third man to die was Frank Miller, Packer referred to him as "the Butcher", in an accident that occurred while Packer was searching for wood. He did not go into detail about what kind of accident. The other two who were still alive decided to eat him, since he was dead, and Packer returned to find this activity already in progress.
The next to go was young George Noon. Packer reported that while he was off for several days hunting for game, Bell had shot California (Noon) with Swan's gun. Packer had returned and together they ate him. That left only Packer and Bell.
Bell decided that he was going to be the only survivor. Packer's statement reports: "Bell wanted to kill me, he struck at me with his rifle, struck a tree and broke his gun. So I (Packer) had to kill him first."
It is obvious why Packer had not offered this tale immediately upon returning to the settlement, but is not made clear in his confession, and perhaps was not even questioned. He swore that this statement was "the truth and nothing but the truth, so help me God."
After his trial at the courthouse in Gunnison, Alferd Packer was given 17 years in the penitentiary. Alferd was eventually paroled and found work as the doorman at the Denver Post Newspaper in Denver. He is buried in Littleton in the Prince Street cemetery in a military grave. Colorado highway 149 to Lake City is known as the cannibal trail.
