Promoted to brigadier general in 1905, he was killed in action at a ravine called Barranco del Lobo, during the Second Melillan campaign, leading a column of light infantry that was ambushed by Riffians at the foothills of the Mount Gurugu.

[3] Promoted to the rank of Alférez in April 1874, he was destined to the Zamora regiment,[3] part of the Army of the North during the Third Carlist War.

[4] José Marina Vega entrusted him and his brigade with the vigilance over the area of the Wolf and the Alfer Ravines, in the foothills of the Mount Gurugu (to the south of Melilla),[5] where Riffians were supposed to be strong.

The column (formed by 6 battalions) departed on 27 July; although Pinto only needed to keep the Riffians at a distance, he compromised the whole brigade for an advance into the ravine of the Barranco del Lobo.

[7] Pintos had died before in the early stages of the operation,[6] as having dismounted from his horse to rest, after advancing some positions with the right wing of the column near the ravine attempting to take the hill of Ait Aixa, a Riffian sniper killed him putting a bullet in his skull.