José María Miculax Bux was born in 1925 in Patzicía, Guatemala. Limited information is available about his early life. By 1946, he was residing in Guatemala and had a cousin, Mariano Macú Miculax.

Between January and April 1946, José María Miculax Bux, along with his cousin Mariano Macú Miculax, perpetrated a series of brutal murders in Guatemala. They targeted young boys aged between 10 and 16. The victims were sexually assaulted and then strangled, often with their hands and necks bound by rope.​

The first known victim, Enrique Sactic Cuyuch, aged 14, was found on February 23, 1946. Subsequent victims included Oscar Emilio López (12), Cesar Augusto Bolfovich (13), and several others, some of whom remained unidentified. The bodies were discovered in various locations, often showing signs of the same modus operandi.​

Authorities apprehended José Miculax Bux on April 26, 1946, after an elderly woman provided a description that matched him. Mariano Macú Miculax was arrested the following day in Antigua. During interrogation, José confessed to the murders, while Mariano denied involvement.​

On June 18, 1946, José was convicted of multiple counts of murder and sentenced to death. Mariano received a 30-year prison sentence. José was publicly executed by firing squad on July 18, 1946. Notably, his head was preserved at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala for medical study but was reportedly stolen in the 1990s.​