A small group of men decided to kill Zipacna. They cut down a thick tree and waited for him to approach, and when he did he predictably mocked the men for being unable to life the log. He did it for them and they led him to their house, which was only just being built. Zipacna placed the tree, as directed, in a deep hole, to be a support for the house. They quickly began throwing rocks at him down in the hole, and Zipacna hid in a side chamber destined to become the cellar. When they decided he was dead and began getting drunk, Zipacna left the hole. He threw the men into the sky, and they became the Pleiades.
Hun-Apu and Ixbalanque, two divine Hero Twins, also decided to kill Zipacna because his father, Vucub Caquix (along with Hun Came), had killed their father, Hun Hunahpu. They made a crab decoy and told Zipacna where he could find a giant crab to eat. When Zipacna went to the spot, they threw a mountain on him, killing him.
Zipacna was characterized as a large caiman and often boasted to be the creator of the mountains.
Zipacna emerged from his hole after the boys had passed out, and with his massive strength he felled the column and caused the house to crash down upon the sleeping boys, killing the lot without a single survivor.
The account of Zipacna "entering" in search of the crab (which is specified to be a female), in particular his going in "on his back" on the second try, seems to be a parody of sexual intercourse.