According to the mythology of Malverde's life, Cañedo derisively offered Malverde a pardon if he could steal the governor's sword (or in some versions his daughter). The bandit succeeded, but this only pushed Cañedo into hunting him down. He is supposed to have died in Sinaloa on May 3rd 1909. Accounts of his death vary. In some versions he was betrayed and killed by a friend. In others he was shot or hanged by local police. His body was supposed to have been denied proper burial, being left to rot in public as an example.