Roll of Honor

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Special Deputy Sheriff

A. L. Smithers

Luna County Sheriff's Department — Deming, NM

Felonious

End of Watch November 17, 1911

The Vigil Panel 26 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 2

Incident

Special Deputy Sheriff A.L. Smithers and Deputy Sheriff Thomas Hall were shot and killed as they attempted to arrest an escapee from the county jail.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-D6873897
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: September 9, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Special Deputy Sheriff Smithers served with the Luna County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Deming community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Deputy Sheriff Smithers.

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

Agency

Department Luna County Sheriff's Department

Type Sheriff's Office

Location Deming, Luna County, NM

Platform Identity lcso.luna.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 17, 1911

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Rifle

Special Deputy Sheriff A. L. Smithers is one of 1 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.

In NM, 123 of 193 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.7% of this state's fallen. That is 63.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Luna County Sheriff's Department, 3 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.

Luna County Sheriff's Department

of 3 officers

100% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. A. L. Smithers's cause is highlighted.

Felonious

1 (0%)

Accident

1 (0%)

Illness

1 (0%)

Cardiac

1 (0%)

Undetermined

1 (0%)

Suicide

1 (0%)

How A. L. Smithers Compares

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. A. L. Smithers is highlighted in Nov.

Jan

1,392

Feb

1,295

Mar

1,373

Apr

1,516

May

1,504

Jun

1,442

Jul

1,587

Aug

1,517

Sep

1,491

Oct

1,371

Nov

1,447

Dec

1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. A. L. Smithers was killed by rifle.

Handgun

3,684

Gun

3,592

Gun; Unknown type

1,492

Shotgun

1,109

Rifle

935

Officer's handgun

909

Others Who Wore This Badge

2 officers from Luna County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.