María Petra Alcantar Santa Cruz was born on 21 June 1844 in Tucson, Sonora, Mexico, daughter of Juan María Santa Cruz and Manuela Bojorquez. She was baptized on 2 September 1844 in Tucson. In July 1858, Petra was a godparent with Ramón Pacheco to María Luciana Green, daughter of Theodore Green and Concepcion Telles.

Petra was married circa 1858 to Hiram Stevens. Hiram was born on 20 March 1832 in Weston, Windsor County, Vermont, son of David Stevens and Lydia Fletcher. On 18 July 1850, Hiram was working as a farmer in Weston, Vermont while living in the household of Joshua and Hannah Hale. He had attended school in the previous year. Prior to their marriage, Hiram was required by Petra's aunt Guadalupe Santa Cruz to join the Catholic Church.

On 3 August 1860, Hiram (listed as Horace Stephens), Petra, Filomena Sopas, and Ignacio Sopas (Santa Cruz) were living in Tucson. Hiram was listed as a merchant with $6,000 in personal property. On 13 July 1862, Hiram purchased a house along the Overland Mail Road from Patricia Granilla de Pope for $100.

In 1864, Petra lived with her husband and aunt Guadalupe in Tucson. Hiram was a merchant with real estate $3,000 and $4,000 in personal property. On 14 July 1864, Hiram and Petra sold a house and lot along the Overland Mail Road to Samuel Hughes. On 1 January 1865, Hiram purchased a property on the west side of the Military Plaza from John Sweeney for $50. On 4 January 1866, Hiram purchased a property on the west side of Main Street containing a house and warehouse from Jeremiah Riordan for $3,000. The 1866 census lists Hiram and Petra with several of Petra's family members. On 10 March 1866, Hiram and Petra were the godparents for William Steven Hodges, son of Francis Hodges and Francisca Ferrar. Several weeks later, on 24 April 1866, Hiram and Petra sold a property containing a house and two warehouses on the west side of Main Street to Frank Hodges, Alexander Levin, and José María Castenada. On 1 May 1866, Hiram and Petra sold a field property to George and Matilda Tyroll. On 15 July 1866, Stevens purchased back a property on the west side of Main Street that he had previously sold from Alexander Levin, Francis Hodges, and Frances Hodges for $4,867. In March 1867, Petra was listed in the household of Hiram Stevens, as well as her aunt Guadalupe Santa Cruz and relatives Juana and Victoria Bojorquez. Next door was Petra's sister Atanacia and her family. On 21 October 1867, Hiram purchased a house and lot along the east side of Main Street (the current Fish-Stevens House) as well as a field west of town, from George and Matilda Tyroll for $4,000.

On 15 January 1870, Petra and Hiram were godparents to María Serafina Sweeney, daughter of John Sweeney and María Ramirez. In March 1870, Hiram and Petra lived in Tucson with Petra's aunt Guadalupe and her relatives Juana and Victoria Bojorquez. Hiram purchased the deed for Lot 5 of Block 188 from the Village of Tucson for $20.30 on 27 August 1872. On 3 September 1872, Hiram and Petra sold a field property west of Tucson to Francisco Romero. On 29 December 1873, Hiram purchased Lot 4 of Block 190 from H. Hewitt for $500. On 25 February 1875, Hiram and Petra sold Lot 1 of Block 187 to a group of five prominent business for $350. On 15 March 1878, Hiram and Petra sold Lots 4 and 5 of Block 188 to Zenona Levin for $1,500.

In June 1880, Hiram and Petra lived on Main Street with Petra's aunt Guadalupe. Hiram was working as a miner and Petra was keeping house. On 1 June 1880, Hiram and Petra sold Lot 4 of Block 185 to F. L. Stiles for $2,000.

H. S. STEVENS DEAD. From a Bullet Inflicted by his Own Hand. He Shoots His Wife Before the Deed...

Hiram S. Stevens killed himself yesterday afternoon.

He shot his wife also, before ending his own life.

The lamentable deed is undoubtedly that of an insane man. He had been out with the member of the board of supervisors for the past three or four days, during which he was unwell, though he complained little, being of a deep, reserved nature.

He came in yesterday at noon. One of the servants of his household told that he lay down in the afternoon with a headache. It was so intense that he got up from one bed, to lie down in another, changing from one bed to the other several times.

WITH TWO REVOLVERS

At ten minutes to three yesterday Mrs. Stevens was lying on the bed, also suffering with a headache. Mr. Stevens came to her with two revolvers, a large one with a long barrel, and a small six-shooter, and spoke sympathetically.

"Let me feel of your head,: he said.

"No, my dear," she replied, without looking up. "You are ill yourself. Go and lie down."

Then to her horror she saw Mrs. Stevens had two revolvers, one in either hand. A moment later and shots rang out, coming from the smaller weapon, and Mrs. Stevens was shot.

Mrs. Stevens was shot through the left hand, the ball passing through the fleshy part, between the thumb and forefinger, and in the top of the head. She says that the ball passed through her hand into her head. Whether or not the ball is lodged in her head her physicians, Doctors Armstrong and Goodfellow, are unable to say. They think perhaps the woman was struck by the butt of a revolver, making the hole in her head, which is the size of one's little finger. The wound caused a depression of the bone on the brain.

This morning she will be placed under chloroform and the wound opened, the ball, if there, removed, and the bone raised. The doctors saw the ball or some foreign matter in the wound. Her condition is quite serious.

He then turned the large revolver on himself, the ball entering through the forehead above the right eye, crashing upward and coming out of the top of the skull, tearing a ghastly hole in it.

Stevens was unconscious from the time of the shooting. Physicians were quickly summoned, Drs. Goodfellow and Armstrong. They found a sad sight. The wounded man's face was powder marked and the brains oozed from the hole in the top of his head.

That he could not survive was evident. He was made comfortable as possible, and suffered little till the end came. He died at five o'clock.

The ball passed upward from the eye, nearly following the skull to above the forehead. Here it glanced along the inside of the skull, passing clear through the top of the head, the ball stopping in the back of the head. The ball crashed and broke the skull in its passage, so that by pressure of the hand along the head one could feel the broken skull.

Stevens was unconscious from the moment of the shooting. The surgeons set about stopping the flow of blood, which was excessive, by typing up the arteries. This was slow work. Pieces of bone like one's finger were removed. The patient breathed heavily until the last half hour. Then the pulse failed. A few minutes before death the last artery was died.

At the request of friends present, after death, the doctors searched out the ball. The course of the ball along the skull was opened, and well back Dr. Goodfellow sighted it, inserted a tiny instrument and removed it. It was a forty-four caliber. Another ball of like-size, nearly round, was found on the floor. It was supposed to have passed through the bedding.

NOT IN HIS RIGHT MIND

Those who knew Mr. Stevens best, who have seen him of late, say he was not at all the quiet, jolly Stevens of years ago. During the past six months he has not acted right. Some in a position to know think the disposal of the Cosmopolitan hotel property at $2,800, half or less than actual value, all things considered, was not an act he would ordinarily have done. Of late he has been downhearted, looking on everything darkly. His cattle have died to a great extent, and his health has been bad, factors contributing, but the chief cause is declared by those nearest to him not to lie there, but "in a trouble about a matter in the east that will come out by and by." What this mysterious matter is, is at present with held.

Dr. Armstrong says that Stevens has been suffering from bowel trouble. Yesterday this became so severe it went to his brain, rendering him delirious, so that he was unaccountable for his actions.

At present the value of the real estate of the deceased at the time of holding the inquest and the date of the funeral are unknown. Of the estate, it is generally declared to be considerable, some going so far as to say that Hiram Stevens was one of the richest men in Tucson...

Stevens was buried in the Catholic portion of the Court Street Cemetery. Petra survived her wounds. After Hiram's death, Petra became administrator for his estate. At his death Hiram owned four horses, three buggies, two lumber wagons, two sets of double harnesses, two sets of single harnesses, a gold watch and chain, a shot gun, two pistols, furniture, and household fixtures. He also owned property in Tucson: Block 34; lots 2, 3, 6, 9, and 10 of Block 61; lot 2 of Block 175, the southeast 1/4 of the northeast 1/4 of section 22 of Township 14 South Range 13 East (40 acres), and one-sixth interest in the Margarita Mine in the Papago Mining District.

Petra prepared her will on 13 December 1909. She made nine requests and bequests: 1) That her "body be decently buried with proper regard to my station and condition in life and the circumstances of my estate;" 2) Estate be sold or disposed of; 3) That the expenses of her funeral and final illness be paid; 4) That her beloved adopted daughter Eliza Stevens de Velasco receive one upright piano manufactured by Kranich & Batch and two pillow shams (other bequests–a Mexican serape, a silk quilt, and a Spanish silk shawl–were crossed out); 5) Sarah Sanchez was to receive a silk home made crazy quilt; 6) Her friend Carmelita Romero was to receive a large picture of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, 7) Her niece Mrs. J. Knox Corbett was to receive the breast pin with a picture of Hiram Stevens and two silk shawls and Mrs. Corbett's son was to receive a watch and shirt studs of Hiram's; 8) cash bequests went to the Sister's of St. Mary's Hospital ($50), the Sisters of St. Joseph's Orphanage ($50), the Parish Priest of San Agustín Cathedral ($126.50), the Sociedad de Sar de Vocedle de Paul ($50), and to the Right Reverend Bishop Granjon for the benefit of the San Agustín Church ($100); 9) all the rest of the estate was to be divided between her sister Atanacia, her brother Filomeno, her adopted daughter Eliza Stevens de Velasco, her adopted son Thomas Stevens, her beloved nephew Lazaro Borquez, and her beloved niece Mrs. J. Knox Corbett including lots 5, 6, and 7 of Block 183; lot 13 of Block 228, and a promissory note of $2500 from J. Knox and Lizzie Corbett. Mrs. Corbett was named Petra's administrator.

Petra died on 30 July 1916 and is buried in Holy Hope Cemetery.