End of Watch June 14, 1997
Age 25
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Badge E242
The Vigil Panel 144 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Border Patrol Agent Stephen Starch died after he fell 150-feet into a ravine while tracking suspected illegal aliens in the Tecate Peak area in San Diego County, California. After losing radio contact with him, other agents began a search of the area involving air support from the United States Customs Service and United States Coast Guard. Agent Starch was located at the bottom of the ravine along Cottonwood Creek with severe head trauma. Agents immediately began CPR but were unable to revive him. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Agent Starch had served with the United States Border Patrol for two years and was assigned to the El Cajon Station.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife.

In Our Keeping

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Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Border Patrol Agent Starch gave the United States Department of Justice 2 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Border Patrol Agent Starch.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Federal Agency
Location Washington, DC
Platform Identity usdjinsusbpfed.fed.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch June 14, 1997
Tour of Duty 2 yrs
Age 25
Badge Number E242
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

The Sacrifice · Accident

Stephen is one of 8,275 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,551 remembered there.

33,917 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.

  1. See the roll
  2. See the roll
Compare against
I

Time

In 1997, 73 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 38th heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Stephen was 25. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Stephen had served 2 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

Age at death
Where he stood among them
Age by years of service
III

When

June holds 7.9% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.9%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol has 68 officers remembered here, Stephen among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Border Patrol Agent Stephen Clay Starch

United States Department of Justice - Immigration and Naturalization Service - United States Border Patrol · End of Watch June 14, 1997

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 31-E

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