End of Watch October 30, 2001
Age 52
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
Gender Male

Incident

Inspector Thomas Murray died after being exposed to toxic fumes in the hold of a Panamanian ship he was inspecting on the Mississippi River at LaPlace, Louisiana.

He and two of the ship's crew members, including the captain, entered the hold for the inspection and were overtaken by fumes. All three died as a result of asphyxiation from the oxidation of scrap iron. Another customs inspector was also exposed to the fumes but was rescued by other crew members.

Inspector Murray was a U.S. Air Force veteran and had been with the Customs Service for 26 years and was assigned to the Gramercy Port of Entry.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, six children, parents, five brothers, and two sisters.

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 served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Inspector Murray gave the United States Department of the Treasury 26 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

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

Service Record

End of Watch October 30, 2001
Tour of Duty 26 yrs
Age 52
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Thomas Murray served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

The Sacrifice · Accident

Thomas is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.

34,103 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 2001, 77 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 31st heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.

Every year on record · United States
II

Who

Thomas was 52. 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. Thomas had served 26 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.

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

When

October holds 9.1% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Tuesdays: 14.1%.

By month
By day of the week
IV

How

Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.

Every cause
Weapons recorded
V

His people

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Thomas among them.

Across the years
VI

Where

Inspector Thomas Murray

United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service · End of Watch October 30, 2001

Military Service

Thomas Murray served in the U.S. Air Force before joining law enforcement.

Visit Thomas Murray’s page on salute.nw →

His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.

Where the Name Is Cut

National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 12-E

Also Remembered

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