Billie Rose Heckle
Reserve Deputy

Billie Rose Heckle

Veteran → Felonious
End of Watch February 15, 1960
Age 45
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
The Vigil Panel 95 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Reserve Deputy Billie Heckle was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a suspect. Deputy Heckle and another officer had pursued the man in a stolen vehicle until it crashed near Randall Avenue and Larch Avenue in San Bernadino. The suspect then fled into an orange grove with the two deputies in pursuit. As Deputy Heckle shined his flashlight in search of the man, the suspect fired toward the light, striking Deputy Heckle in the forehead. Members of the Rialto Police Department arrested the suspect about an hour later. He was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to five years to life. Reserve Deputy Heckle was a United States Navy World War II veteran and had served with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department for 9 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife and stepdaughter.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-19F2E994
Stewardship
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.
Reserve Deputy Heckle gave the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the San Bernardino community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location San Bernardino, CA
Platform Identity sbcso.sanbern.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 15, 1960
Tour of Duty 9 yrs
Age 45
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Military Service

Billie Rose Heckle served in the the United States military before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Reserve Deputy Billie Rose Heckle 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 97,759 officers honored here.

In CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department, 8 of 18 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 44.4% of this agency's fallen.

San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department
8
of 18 officers
44.4% Felonious
CA — Statewide
974
of 1,837 officers
53% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,759 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Billie Rose Heckle's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Billie Rose Heckle Compares

Age at Death
45
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
9
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Billie Rose Heckle is highlighted in Feb.

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. Billie Rose Heckle was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Incident Location

Military Service

Billie Rose Heckle served in the United States military before joining law enforcement.

Visit Billie Rose Heckle’s page on salute.nw →

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