History of San Antonio police officers killed in line of duty

SAN ANTONIO – Throughout the years, the SAPD has paid tribute online to officers who lost their lives in the line of duty.

>> First Black police officer killed in San Antonio remains unsolved murder 80 years later

Here’s a list of fallen SAPD officers.

SAPD officer deaths: 2000s-current

2000:

• Officer Oscar D. Perez, 31, was fatally shot on March 24, 2000, while serving an arrest warrant. He served six years with the department.

2001:

• On Feb. 3, 2001, officer John A. Riojas was shot after a foot pursuit turned into a fight. The suspect was able to grab Riojas’ gun and shoot him. He served 11 years at the department.
• On March 29, 2001, officer Hector Garza, 48, died while responding to a disturbance call. A man inside a home shot and killed Garza along with a woman who lived inside the home. He served 25 years with the department.
• On Dec. 11, 2001, officer Juan Antonio Morales, 33, died after being sideswiped by another car while riding his motorcycle along Interstate 10. The driver of the car involved was suspected to be under the influence of alcohol. Morales served 11 years with the department.

2005:

• Officer John Wheeler, 41, was killed Oct. 14 after a drunken driver rear-ended his patrol car unit. The driver was said to be going over 90 miles per hour. The impact caused Wheeler’s patrol car to explode, killing both him and the other driver. He served 12 years in the department.

2007:

• Detective Mario Moreno, 37, was shot and killed on Sept. 21, 2007, while serving a warrant on a suspected wanted for aggravated assault. He served 11 years with the department.

2008:

• On Dec. 1, 2008, officer Robert Davis, 21, died from injuries he had received four days earlier. Before his death, Davis was struck by a patrol car while clearing flares at the scene of an earlier accident. He had served one year with the department.

2010:

• Officer Sergio Antillon, 25, died on Oct. 29, 2010. Two weeks prior to his death, Antillon was hit by a drunken driver. He passed away due to complications from the crash. Antillon had only served two months with the department.

2011:

• On March 15, 2011, officer Stephanie Brown, 27, died after being hit head-on by a wrong-way driver. She had only served two years with the department.

2012:

• Officer Edrees Mukhtar, 28, passed away on Dec. 29, 2012, three weeks after a car crash. He had only served one year with the department.

2013:

• On Dec. 20, 2013, officer Robert Deckard, Jr., 32, died after being shot in the head while pursuing robbery suspects. He served seven years with the department.

2016:

• Detective Benjamin Macroni, 50, was killed on Nov. 20, 2016, during an ambush-style attack. McManus said Marconi was writing a ticket in his patrol car when a man drove up, firing two bullets into Marconi’s car, striking him both times. Marconi died at San Antonio Military Medical Center. The shooter, Otis McKane, was convicted and sentenced to the death penalty.

2017:

• On June 30, 2017, officer Miguel Moreno, 32, was shot while investigating vehicle burglaries on the North Side. He died at the scene. Moreno had served for 9 years with SAPD.

2021:

• Police officer Joseph Cisneros, 43, passed away on Jan. 4, 2021, due to complications as a result of contracting COVID-19 in the line of duty. Cisneros served with the department for over 20 years.

2022:

• On Feb. 25, 2022, officer David Evans, 70, died following complications from a gunshot wound he had sustained while working a domestic disturbance call in 2003. Evans returned to work and retired after 30 years.

SAPD officer deaths: 1990s-2000s

1990:

• Officer Roger Henarie, 25, passed away on April 13, 1990, while driving to help out another officer involved in a chase. The other officer hit Henarie’s patrol car and he died from injuries suffered in the crash. He served one year with the department.

1991:

• On April 20, 1991, officer Douglas Goeble was eating dinner at a restaurant when a man and woman involved in a disturbance entered the establishment. The man immediately shot Goeble and the woman, killing them both. He had served two years with the department.

1992:

• Officer Rondall Sisco, 45, was driving to his substation on his motorcycle when another vehicle hit him while exiting the freeway. Sisco died as a result of severe head injuries. He served 21 years with the department.

1995:

• On Jan. 15, 1995, officer Fabian Dominguez, 29, died after burglary suspects shot him. He served two and a half years with the department.
• On Aug. 28, 1995, officer Michael C. McInnis was pursuing burglary suspects when he lost control of his car and crashed. He died from injuries sustained in the crash. He served two years with the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1980-1990:

1983:

• Patrolman Gilbert Ramirez, 34, was shot and killed by a shotgun-wielding assailant while responding to a family disturbance call. He served five years with the department.

1988:

• Patrolman Edwyn Gorrell, 34, died on July 5, 1988, four months after he was shot while trying to arrest a suspect. He was in a coma for four months. He served two years with the department.
• On Dec. 4, 1988, patrolman Antonio Garcia, 26, was responding to an officer in trouble call when his patrol car slid into a utility pole. He died as a result of his injuries. He served two years with the department.
• On Dec. 27, 1988, patrolman Patricia Calderon, 26, was chasing a theft suspect when she fell into a creek and drowned. She was the first female SAPD police officer to be killed in the line of duty. She served five years with the department.

1989:

• Patrolman Gary Williams, 37, died on March 27, 1989. Williams was responding to a suspicious vehicle call when he was shot. He served three years with the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1970-1980:

1970:

• On Sept. 4, 1970, patrolman Guadalupe J. Martinez passed away while responding to a shooting call. When arriving at the scene, Martinez tried to talk to an elderly man about giving up his gun when that man shot him. He served just nine months with the department.

1972:

• Patrolman Antonio Canales, 29, died on May 18, 1972. Canales was fatally shot while trying to apprehend two men suspected of robbery. Despite being shot, Canales fired back at the suspects, causing their vehicle to crash and they were arrested. He served three years with the department.

1973:

• On Jan. 14, 1973, patrolman George Jacobs, 32, died from gunshot wounds received four days prior. Jacobs was attempting to stop a robbery suspect when he was shot. He served four years with the department.
• On June 30, 1973, patrolman Russell Spannagel, 24, died. He was conducting a routine follow-up investigation when a suspect shot and killed him. He served four years with the department.

1974:

• Patrolman Harry Brackman, 28, passed away on June 27, 1974. Brackman was responding to an officer in trouble call when he lost control of his motorcycle and crashed. He served six years with SAPD.

1975:

• On July 1, 1975, Detective James E. Anderson, 39, was responding to a disturbance call when he was shot and killed. He served 18 years in the department.
• On Sept. 13, 1975, SAPD lost two officers. Patrolmen James Bennett Jr., 30, and George Copeland III, 28, were directing traffic at the scene of an accident when they were struck by a vehicle from behind and killed. Bennett served two years with the department. Copeland served seven years with the department.

1977:

• Patrolman Eloy Gonzales, 27, was shot and killed on Aug. 15, 1977. He was getting into his patrol car to investigate a sidewalk disturbance when he was shot. He served four years in the department.
• On Feb. 27, 1977, Officer Val Lopez was responding to a call for a man with a gun when he was shot twice. He was hit in his abdomen and chest. Lopez later died in 2006 after serving 31 years with the department.

1978:

• On Nov. 16, 1978, patrolman Bernabe Salazar Jr., passed away. Salazar was shot and killed while attempting to serve a search warrant on a suspected narcotics law violator. He served nine years with the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1950-1970:

1954:

• Patrolman Winston Culpepper, 32, died on Sept. 11, 1954. Culpepper was investigating a deadly traffic accident when he was struck and killed by a passing vehicle. He had served less than two years with the department.

1968:

• On Aug. 2, 1968, patrolman Richard Cuellar, 37, was transporting juveniles when one of the teens pulled out a gun and shot him. Cuellar died an hour later. He served 10 years in the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1940-1950:

1941:

• Patrolman Julius N. Alberson, 29, died on Dec. 4, 1941. Alberson was attempting to arrest five people charged with disturbing the peace when one of the suspects grabbed his gun and shot him. He was the first black SAPD officer to die in the line of duty. He had only been with SAPD for less than 10 months.

1942:

• On Nov. 8, 1942, probationary patrolman Frederick Coblentz, 26, was escorting an ambulance in his patrol car when he crashed into another vehicle. He died from injuries sustained in the crash.

1944:

• Detective Michael Ellis, Jr., 27, passed away on May 11, 1944. Ellis was responding to a disturbance call when his police car was shot at. Ellis’ partner was wounded and Ellis pursued the suspect. The suspect shot and killed Ellis before turning the gun on himself. Ellis served five years on the department.

1945:

• On Oct. 18, 1945, investigator Otto Hillock, 42, was patrolling on his motorcycle when he collided with a bicyclist and died. He served 18 years in the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1930-1940:

1930:

Three SAPD officers lost their lives in 1930.

• First was patrolman Louis Grobe, 26. He passed away on March 22, 1930, when he collided head-on with an oncoming vehicle during a pursuit. He served just six months with the department.
• On July 29, 1930, patrolman Theodore Boynton, 35, was riding a bus downtown when another rider drew a gun on the bus driver. Boynton began fighting the man when he was shot. He served three years in the department.
• On Dec. 25, 1930, patrolman Raleigh Taylor, 28, was riding his motorcycle when he was involved in a major accident. He served one year with the department.

1931:

• Patrolman Peter Scrivano, 38, died on May 28, 1931. Scrivano was investigating a traffic accident when one of the drivers involved in the crash drew a gun and shot him. Before dying, Scrivano managed to fire back at the shooter, leading to his death a week later. Scrivano served three years in the department.

1933:

• On Dec. 11, 1933, Henry Perrow, 56, passed away while pursuing a member of the Dillinger Gang. He cornered a fugitive in an alley and a gun battle began. Perrow was shot and killed. He served 15 years with SAPD.

1936:

• Patrolman John Stowe, 57, was at a bar when the bartender told him that a patron in the bar was armed. Stowe attempted to disarm and arrest the person, but he was shot and killed in the process. He served 26 years in the department.

1937:

• On Jan. 16, 1937, patrolman Agnal Edwards, 33, was riding his motorcycle when he became involved in a pursuit. The suspect began firing from the car, hitting and killing Edwards. He served 12 years in the department.

1938:

• Patrolman Earl Kanning, 31, was riding his motorcycle when he skidded on wet pavement and crashed. He died a day later on Christmas Eve. Kanning had served two years with the department.

SAPD officer deaths: 1900-1930:

1900:

• On Nov. 29, 1900, patrolman William Lacey, 38, was accidentally shot and killed by the person he was assigned to protect during a labor dispute.

1917:

• Frank East was riding his motorcycle when a bicyclist pulled out in front of him, causing him to swerve and crash. He died from severe head injuries on June 11, 1917.

1924:

• On Oct. 6, 1924, patrolman Joseph Pedraza, 45, was investigating a disturbance call when he was accidentally shot and killed by a Military Police Officer who was assisting in the investigation. He served nearly nine years with the department.

1927:

• On Sep. 11, 1927, Chief of Detectives Sam Street, 60, was investigating a tip that a notorious bandit was staging a holdup. During the investigation, Street was shot and killed. He died the next day.
• On Nov. 10, 1927, Detective Robert White, 31, was investigating a suspicious person report when the subject ran into a grocery store. White chased the suspect but was shot and killed. He served just over one year with the department.

Before 1900:

1857:

• Frederick Fieldstrup died on May 29, 1857. Fieldstrup is usually acknowledged to have been the first San Antonio police officer to die in the line of duty after the appointment of the first city marshal of the City of San Antonio.

1867:

• On Sep. 22, 1867, patrolman Van Ness Wells, 36, was working when he ran across a drunken man lying on the ground. While attempting to arrest the violator, Wells was stabbed. He died the following day.