Jackson Lee Davis, known as "Diamondfield Jack," was born on August 12, 1863. In the early 1890s, he ventured west to Silver City, Idaho, lured by rumors of diamond discoveries. Though the diamond rush proved fruitless, his persistent tales of diamond mining earned him the nickname "Diamondfield Jack" .​

By 1895, Davis was employed by the Sparks-Harrell Cattle Company to protect cattle grazing lands from encroaching sheepherders. His duties included enforcing "deadlines"—boundaries sheepherders were not to cross. Davis was known for his aggressive tactics, including threats and violence, to deter sheepherders .​

On February 4, 1896, two sheepherders, Daniel Cummings and John Wilson, were found shot dead near Deep Creek in Cassia County, Idaho. The murders occurred in a region fraught with tension between cattlemen and sheepherders. Davis became the prime suspect due to his known hostility toward sheepherders and his presence in the area. He fled to Arizona but was arrested in March 1897 and extradited to Idaho.

Despite the lack of direct evidence, Davis was convicted of the murders in 1897 and sentenced to hang. However, in a twist, two other men, James Bower and Jeff Gray, later confessed to the killings, claiming self-defense. Their confessions cast doubt on Davis's guilt, leading to multiple stays of execution. Public opinion shifted in Davis's favor, and on December 17, 1902, Idaho Governor Frank W. Hunt granted him a full pardon.

Following his release, Davis moved to Nevada, where he capitalized on mining opportunities. He established several mining camps, including one named "Diamondfield." Davis became a prominent figure in Nevada's mining boom, amassing wealth and notoriety. He continued to be involved in mining ventures until his death on January 2, 1949, after being struck by a taxi in Las Vegas.