Heroes

Every day, brave men and women place their lives in harm's way to protect America and Americans, from foreign nationals who would do us harm, with little or no regard for their own personal safety. This page is dedicated to those heroes who pay the price for the freedoms that we enjoy.

Assaults

Gerardo Grajiola-Garcia, 38, was arrested, and a background check showed that he had an active felony warrant for "Failure to Appear" on charges stemming from Felony Child Abuse, Battery on a Peace Officer, Aggravated DUI, and Duration of Evidence. Grajiola-Garcia is an illegal alien from Mexico. CBP, November 2, 2004, U.S. Border Patrol Arrests Criminal Aliens

Rodolfo Ambriz-Ramirez, 37, who was previously convicted of a felony and deported, was arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman and four police officers. He was charged with attempted first degree murder, five counts of aggravated assault, and kidnapping. Ambriz-Ramirez is an illegal alien from Mexico. Arizona Daily Star, November 1, 2004, Man arrested after assault at South Tucson auto shop

Jose Wilber Sorto, 22, was arrested. He is suspected of shooting at two ICE special agents, and is wanted on an outstanding, unrelated murder warrant. Sorto is from El Salvador. ICE, October 28, 2004, Federal Way Shooting Fugitive Captured In L.A.

Miguel Figueroa-Rodriguez, 21, was arrested for "Knowingly using a Deadly or Dangerous Weapon to Forcibly Assault multiple Federal Agents while they were engaged in Official Duties." Figueroa-Rodriguez is an illegal alien from Mexico. The Tucson Sector of the US Border Patrol has recorded over 100 assaults on its agents in the Fiscal Year 2004. US Border Patrol, October 8, 2004, US Border Patrol Agents Assaulted with Vehicle

Obed Cortez-Olivares, 22, who was wanted for first-degree reckless endangerment and attempted manslaughter on a peace officer, was arrested after he illegally entered the U.S.. Cortez-Olivares is from Mexico. TriValleyCentral, August 26, 2004, Border Patrol arrests two illegals with felony warrants

Fallen Heroes

Arango, Hugo

	Detective Hugo Arango, 24, of the Doroville Police Department, was murdered on May 13, 2000. Detective Arango was shot and killed after having been flagged down by a club patron who indicated that some men had been breaking into cars outside of a nightclub. Detective Arango located three suspects and detained them. As he searched for weapons, Bautista Ramirez shot Arango four times. The first shot took off one of his fingers, the second went through his thigh. As Arango lay on the ground helpless, Ramirez intentionally fired one round through Arango's badge, and then executed him with a shot to his head that severed his brain stem. Ramirez is an illegal alien from Mexico.

Atkinson, Marc

	Officer Marc Atkinson, 28, of the Phoenix Police Department, was murdered on March 28, 1999. Officer Atkinson was working on a drug suppression detail, surveilling a white Lincoln Continental, when his partners got called away on another detail. Shortly thereafter, three men emerged from the location and entered the vehicle. Officer Atkinson began tailing the vehicle, but temporarily lost visual contact. As he turned north in search of the vehicle, 17-year-old Felipe Petrona-Cabana emerged from the vehicle's driver's side, and began firing his .357 caliber revolver. Atkinson was struck twice in the head, and died the next day. All three suspects are illegal aliens from Mexico.

Cadena, Lawrence

	Officer Lawrence Cadena, 43, of the Dallas Police Department, was murdered on December 13, 1988. Officer Cadena was shot eight times at close range during an undercover drug sting operation. Javier Suarez Medina was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of Officer Cadena. Medina is from Mexico.

Clodfelter, Robert

	Trooper Robert Clodfelter, 34, of the Oregon State Police Department, was murdered on September 30, 1992. Trooper Clodfelter arrested Francisco Manzo Hernandez for driving under the influence. Trooper Clodfelter was found seated in his patrol car about four blocks from the scene of the arrest, with four bullets to the back of his head. Hernandez was tried, convicted, and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Manzo-Hernandez is an illegal alien from Mexico.

Collins, Kenneth

	Officer Kenneth Collins, 33, of the Phoenix Police Department, was murdered on May 27, 1988. Officer Collins was shot and killed in an off-duty incident as he attempted to thwart a robbery while working as a security guard at Valley National Bank in Phoenix, Arizona. Rudy Romero was found guilty on charges of first-degree murder, burglary, armed robbery, aggravated assault, and attempted armed robbery. Romero is from Mexico.

Dunman, Michael

	Officer Michael Dunman, 30, of the Salt Lake City Police Department, was killed July 17, 2000. Officer Dunman was on routine bike patrol in the downtown area when he was struck and killed instantly by suspect Yocundo Cruz-Silva. The fugitive was arrested and charged, then released on bail after the Hispanic community claimed discrimination. The defendant fled to Mexico where he is believed to be hiding today. Cruz-Silva was an illegal alien from Mexico.

Eggle, Kristopher William

	Ranger Kristopher "Kriss" Eggle, 28, of the National Park Service was murdered on August 9, 2002. Ranger Eggle was shot and killed in the line of duty at Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument on August 9, 2002, while pursuing members of a drug cartel hit squad who fled into the United States after committing a string of murders in Mexico.

Epling, James P.

	Agent James Paul Epling, 24, of the U. S. Border Patrol, died on December 16, 2003. Agent Epling drowned after rescuing a Chinese illegal alien from the Colorado River, and then attempting to capture other fleeing illegal aliens. Jose Antonio Vasquez-Villasenor pled guilty to bringing a group of undocumented aliens into the United States. According to the plea agreement, his conduct led to the death of Agent Epling. Vasquez-Villasenor is from Mexico.

Fass, Richard

	Agent Richard Fass, 37, of the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, was murdered on June 30, 1994. Agent Fass went to a strip mall in Glendale, Arizona to complete a narcotics transaction. He was shot six times in the head at point blank range with a .45 caliber handgun. The two shooters were quickly arrested, prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to life without the possibility of parole, plus 55 years. The mastermind of the plot to kill Agent Fass was Augustin Vasquez-Mendoza and the Mexican government refused to extradite him to the US. Vasquez-Mendoza is from Mexico

Gallegos, Saul

	Deputy Saul Gallegos, 35, of the Chelan County Sheriff's Department was murdered on June 26, 2003. Deputy Gallegos was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle in a routine traffic stop. Jose Sanchez-Guillen, 22, who had been deported three times, was found guilty of aggravated first-degree murder in the shooting death of Deputy Gallegos. Sanchez-Guillen is an illegal alien from Mexico. The Daily News, October 29, 2004, Jury convicts man in Chelan County deputy's death -- PoliceOne, July 14, 2004, Chelan Deputy Murder Suspect was Illegal Immigrant

Kirpnick, Alexander

	Agent Alexander Kirpnick, 27, of the United States Border Patrol, was murdered on June 3, 1998. Agent Kirpnick and his partner stopped Bernardo Velardez-Lopez, Julio Cesar Arenas-Hernandez, Manuel Gamez, and Juan Manuel Umares-Rivas, while transporting marijuana in backpacks across a well-known drug corridor west of Nogales. Agent Kirpnick had defendant Velardez-Lopez on his knees and was searching him when two of the suspects broke away from Kirpnick's partner and ran. As Kirpnick became temporarily distracted by the escape, Velardez-Lopez removed a concealed gun and shot Agent Kirpnick in the head. Velardez-Lopez is from Mexico.

March, David

	Deputy Sheriff David "Dave" March, 33, of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, was murdered on April 29, 2002. Deputy March was on routine patrol when he made a traffic stop. The driver, Armando Garcia, is wanted for shooting David March in the chest, and then the head, execution style. Garcia has been deported three times, has a long history of drug charges, violent crimes, and weapons charges, and is wanted for two attempted murders. Garcia is an illegal alien from Mexico

Seuis, William L.

	Officer William "Will" Seuis, 39, of the Oakland Police Department, was killed on July 24, 2004. Carlos Morales Mares, 38, has been charged with one count of felony hit-and-run. CA DMV records show Mares has a history of traffic violations. District Attorney Tom Rogers said Mares has a social security number and a driver's license, but there are questions about his citizenship status, and there is an immigration hold on him. Mares is from Mexico. KESQ, July 26, 2004, Suspect in East Bay hit-and-run had history of traffic convictions -- KTVU, July 26, 2004, Felony Hit-And-Run Charges Filed In Oakland Officer's Death -- Oakland Tribune, July 27, 2004, Trucker charged in Oakland cop death

Willmon, Don

	Deputy Don Willmon, 32, of the Angelina County Texas Sheriff's Department, was murdered on May 13, 1979. Deputy Willmon approached Alvaro Rodarte, and began questioning him about a burglary that had taken place in the area. During the encounter, a struggle ensued and Rodarte stabbed Deputy Willmon numerous times. Alvaro Rodarte is wanted for the capital murder of Deputy Willmon. Rodarte is from Mexico.

Winfield, Brandon

	Deputy Brandon "Brandy" Winfield, 29, of the Marion County Sheriff's Department, was murdered on October 17, 2004. Deputy Winfield was on routine patrol when he stopped to assist what he thought was a stranded motorist. Although the details are unclear, Deputy Winfield was found shot in the head in his vehicle, which had hit a guard rail and flipped into a ravine. It appears that at least one of two suspects had been inside Deputy Winfield's patrol vehicle at some point in time. Both suspects are believed to be illegal aliens, and have been taken into custody.

Zeppetella, Tony

	Officer Tony Zeppetella, 27, of the Oceanside Police Department, was murdered on June 13, 2003. Officer Zeppetella stopped Adrien George Camacho for a traffic violation. Camacho pulled out a gun and shot Zeppetella. Camacho then pistol-whipped the injured officer before shooting him again, and killing him with the officer's own gun. Camacho is an illegal alien from Mexico and a gang member with a criminal history that includes five previous felony convictions. He has been deported several times.

U.S. Border Patrol Officer Memorial

	U.S. Border Patrol Officer Memorial to Agents killed in the line of duty. "Appointees to this position will be required to [serve] along the two international boundary lines and at other assigned places ... The conditions under which this work is carried on are closely comparable in nature and requirements to the duties of a soldier under actual field conditions. ... The work may, for this reason, be attended with some risk and personal danger." From the first Border Patrol Vacancy Announcement October 8, 1924