Incident
Location: Texas Weapon: Gun; Unknown type Offender: Not available
Customs Inspector Alden McLaughlin was shot and killed in Live Oak County, Texas, by a group of smugglers who were attempting to keep him from testifying against them at an upcoming trial.
He had left San Antonio on August 20th, 1871, to return to Corpus Christi. His decomposing body was found by a rancher between Rockey and Oakville.
He had previously seized 200 mules from a group of smugglers and it is believed he was murdered in retaliation.
Inspector McLaughlin was survived by his wife. He was a Civil War Veteran who served with the 1st Texas Calvary, Company F.
Survivors
Inspector McLaughlin was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- 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.
Customs Inspector McLaughlin served with the United States Department of the Treasury.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Alden McLaughlin served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Felonious
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has lost 94 officers; 47 of them killed feloniously.
Alden is one of 754 officers killed feloniously in DC, 53.1% of the 1,419 remembered there.
Alden is one of 15,743 officers killed feloniously in the United States, 57.1% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Alden is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously worldwide, 51.7% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1871, 1 officer at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service was killed feloniously, the 9th heaviest of 37 years on record. The heaviest was 1932, with 4.
In 1871, 6 officers in DC were killed feloniously, the 37th heaviest of 159 years on record. The heaviest was 1922, with 20.
In 1871, 33 officers in the United States were killed feloniously, the 152nd heaviest of 213 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 248.
In 1871, 35 officers worldwide were killed feloniously, the 152nd heaviest of 265 years on record. The heaviest was 1921, with 516.
Who
Alden was 30. Of the 42 killed feloniously at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service whose age is recorded, half were between 30.5 and 42; the middle age was 37.
Alden was 30. Of the 580 killed feloniously in DC whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 44; the middle age was 36.
Alden was 30. Of the 14,219 killed feloniously in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 47; the middle age was 38.
Alden was 30. Of the 15,853 killed feloniously worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 30 and 46; the middle age was 38.
When
August holds 14.9% of these deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service; January holds the most, 14.9%. Thursdays: 6.4%.
August holds 9.2% of these deaths in DC; July holds the most, 11.7%. Thursdays: 13.7%.
August holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; December holds the most, 9.4%. Thursdays: 14%.
August holds 8.6% of these deaths worldwide; December holds the most, 9.2%. Thursdays: 14.1%.
How
Felonious deaths account for 50% of all 94 deaths at United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 2.1% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 53.1% of all 1,419 deaths in DC, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 5.8% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 57.1% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 9.5% of these deaths.
Felonious deaths account for 51.7% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the most common cause. The weapon recorded was gun; unknown type, in 8.5% of these deaths.
His people
United States Department of the Treasury - United States Customs Service has 94 officers remembered here, Alden among them.
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Ellis Drake Aug 3, 1808
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Asa Marsh Aug 3, 1808
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Daniel Miller Jan 1, 1810
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Peleg Palmer Feb 17, 1811
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John Stout Jan 21, 1814
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James M. Anderson Dec 16, 1863
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William Bird Goodell
Dec 16, 1863
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William H. Phelps Dec 18, 1868
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George T. Hammonds Dec 18, 1868
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Frank Dupont May 26, 1869
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Alden McLaughlin Aug 31, 1871
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Kuntz Stahlberger Jan 2, 1880
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John A. Fallon Nov 5, 1890
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Frank B. Robson Aug 12, 1896
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John M. Plunkett Jul 2, 1897
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John Spaldt Nov 6, 1898
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Richard W. Wallace Nov 29, 1899
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Alphonse Levy Dec 13, 1901
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Frank Chapman
Sep 23, 1906
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Charles E. Jones Mar 19, 1908
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Charles R. Logan
Mar 19, 1908
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Ziba H. Nickerson Jul 16, 1908
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Charles F. Atwood Jul 16, 1908
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Thomas S. O'Connor Jan 30, 1911
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John S. H. Howard Feb 12, 1913
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Joseph Russell Sitter
May 24, 1915
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Robert L. Wood
Jul 31, 1916
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Fred Tate Aug 31, 1918
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John Fraser Pugh
Oct 26, 1918
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Robert Stuart Rumsey, Jr.
Aug 19, 1922
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Jot Gunter Jones
Oct 1, 1922
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James A. Wallen
Mar 6, 1923
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Lloyd Parks Criss Jan 13, 1924
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Orville A. Preuster
Mar 1, 1925
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Edward Billings Webb
Oct 9, 1926
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John W. Parrott Jan 7, 1927
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Gerardo Pescara Jan 19, 1927
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Stephen S. Dawson Feb 28, 1928
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Thomas Sampson Morriss Dec 23, 1928
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Clarence Neal Titcomb Jan 15, 1929
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Arthur M. Beaman Jul 27, 1929
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Charles Wilbur Rogers Sep 24, 1929
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Egbert Ellison Aug 9, 1930
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John Lawrence Kelly Feb 9, 1931
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Louis E. Babcock
Aug 17, 1931
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Arnold W. Gilbert
Nov 2, 1931
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Clyde Merrill Bristow Jan 12, 1932
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Ralph E. Bowden Mar 19, 1932
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Daniel A. Romberger Apr 25, 1932
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John Henry Heard
May 2, 1932
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Joseph Baker Sep 27, 1932
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Herff Alexander Carnes
Dec 4, 1932
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Rollin Culberson Nichols Nov 28, 1933
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Loy Cash Henry Jun 20, 1934
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Lewis Allison Highsmith Jan 7, 1937
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Matthew Kononen
Mar 5, 1939
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Joseph Turner Brown
Apr 9, 1940
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Patrick Joseph Black
Aug 31, 1943
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John Earl Fassett
Feb 21, 1945
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Anthony Cozza
Feb 24, 1945
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George E. Spencer Feb 24, 1945
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Clarence Jewell Trask, Sr.
Apr 8, 1947
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Pier Harry Bima
Apr 16, 1947
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Hugh Eugene Donnelly May 1, 1947
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George Marion Bacon
Feb 4, 1955
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Benjamin Bert Stone
Oct 7, 1957
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John Henry Sellenthin Sep 2, 1961
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Timothy Martin O'Riordan
Sep 29, 1964
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Charles J. Bokinskie
Apr 24, 1974
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Louis David Dixon
Apr 24, 1974
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Renault Rene Bayhi
Apr 29, 1975
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George William Singleton
Dec 22, 1975
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William Halley Jul 2, 1976
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John M. Lacey
May 21, 1977
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Vincent D. Kaskeski
Jan 12, 1978
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Michael Joseph Reimers
Apr 19, 1979
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Kenneth G. Ward
May 24, 1979
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Roger L. Von Amelunxen
Jul 30, 1980
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Denis Lee Van Patten
Dec 22, 1980
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George J. Spencer
Nov 30, 1981
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Richard Mack Latham
Jan 28, 1984
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John Edwin Hollingsworth Oct 20, 1984
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Morley Lester Miller
Oct 20, 1984
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Glenn Raye Miles, Sr.
Feb 21, 1986
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David Louie Crater
Nov 15, 1987
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James Darryl Taylor
Nov 15, 1987
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James A. Buczel
Oct 9, 1988
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George Reyes Saenz
Nov 2, 1989
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Timothy Cal McCaghren
Feb 19, 1990
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Carl Richard Talafous
Jul 14, 1993
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Alan John Klumpp
Jul 14, 1993
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Pedro Jose Rodriguez-Franco
Sep 18, 1998
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Richard Anthony Forde
Sep 12, 2000
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Thomas Murray
Oct 30, 2001
Where
Military Service
Alden McLaughlin served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.
Visit Alden McLaughlin’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 8-E
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