Roel De La Fuente
Incident
Officer Roel De La Fuente died after contracting COVID-19 as the result of presumed exposure at the Pharr Commercial Facility in Hidalgo County, Texas.
Officer De La Fuente had served with the United States Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations for 19 years.
COVID-19 and Law Enforcement
Officer Roel De La Fuente died on July 13, 2020 of COVID-19 contracted in the line of duty. He was 49.
He is one of 885 officers honored here, and one of 29 at United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations.
Beginning in early 2020, law enforcement officers across the country contracted COVID-19 in the course of their duties. While much of the nation sheltered at home, they kept answering calls, making arrests, transporting prisoners, and working face to face with the public. There was no distance to be had from the job.
Corrections officers were hit hardest. Confined facilities and large populations meant constant, close, unavoidable exposure.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and two children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtp1s8ascfbf05d08b8wv- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Roel. Claim this record.
Also honored at requiem.nw. One record, 2 gates. Roel is one person.
This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.
Tributes
The country locked its doors. You kept working.
Officer De La Fuente gave the United States Department of Homeland Security 19 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer De La Fuente.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Illness
United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations has lost 39 officers; 30 of them lost to illness.
Roel is one of 137 officers lost to illness in DC, 9.7% of the 1,419 remembered there.
Roel is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Roel is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 2020, 12 officers at United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 3 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 16.
In 2020, 33 officers in DC were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 25 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 45.
In 2020, 346 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 2020, 347 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Roel was 49. Of the 29 lost to illness at United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations whose age is recorded, half were between 48 and 57; the middle age was 51. Roel had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 17.9 years.
Roel was 49. Of the 136 lost to illness in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 45 and 56.3; the middle age was 51. Roel had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 19 years.
Roel was 49. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Roel had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Roel was 49. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Roel had served 19 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
July holds 10% of these deaths at United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations; December holds the most, 20%. Mondays: 10%.
July holds 9.5% of these deaths in DC; October holds the most, 13.9%. Mondays: 18.2%.
July holds 7% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Mondays: 14.2%.
July holds 7.3% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Mondays: 14.6%.
How
Illness deaths account for 76.9% of all 39 deaths at United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations, the most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 9.7% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
His people
United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations has 39 officers remembered here, Roel among them.
-
Charles Floyd Collins, II
Jul 11, 2010
-
John Richard Zykas
Sep 8, 2010
-
Darrell Jean Windhaus
Dec 29, 2013
-
Dwight Bernard Blackman, Jr.
Aug 7, 2015
-
Edgard Garcia
May 5, 2017
-
Wolf Ruben Valmond
Dec 15, 2019
-
Richard G. McCoy
May 2, 2020
-
Omar E. Palmer
May 4, 2020
-
Ching Kok Yan
May 16, 2020
-
Alfonso H. Murrieta
Jul 9, 2020
-
Roel De La Fuente
Jul 13, 2020
-
Lucas G. Saucedo, Jr.
Aug 21, 2020
-
Carlo Jay Cayabyab
Sep 16, 2020
-
Domingo Jasso, III
Nov 5, 2020
-
Jose Antonio Santana
Dec 2, 2020
-
Richard Rios
Dec 2, 2020
-
Andrew Raymond Bouchard
Dec 19, 2020
-
Troy Allen Adkins
Dec 31, 2020
-
Byron Don Shields
Jan 20, 2021
-
Beverly Matthews-Good
Jan 28, 2021
-
Cesar Dangaran Sibonga
Feb 7, 2021
-
Genaro Guerrero
Feb 15, 2021
-
Carlos C. Mendoza
Feb 24, 2021
-
Crispin San Juan San Jose
Mar 9, 2021
-
Ruben Facio
Jul 17, 2021
-
Yokemia Letriz Conyers
Aug 18, 2021
-
Monica June Riola
Aug 20, 2021
-
Erik James Skelton
Aug 24, 2021
-
David Bryant Saavedra
Sep 2, 2021
-
Victor Julian Donate
Oct 7, 2021
-
Mathew Leslie Lyons
Oct 28, 2021
-
Kenneth MacCallum
Nov 26, 2021
-
Jeffrey Dela Cruz
Dec 23, 2021
-
Brian Vogel
Dec 30, 2021
-
Bruce Eckhoff
Jan 5, 2022
-
Cody Alan Olafson
May 20, 2022
-
Jorge Arias
Oct 19, 2022
-
Jacqueline Montanaro
Jan 14, 2023
-
John Dale Leatham
May 17, 2024
Where
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 32-E
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial — requiem.nw →
Others Who Wore This Badge
38 officers from United States Department of Homeland Security - Customs and Border Protection - Office of Field Operations are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.















