Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Charles Cunningham succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained two days earlier near Jarales, New Mexico, while attempting to arrest a man who had just shot the county sheriff and the Belen city marshal.
The sheriff and marshal had gone to arrest the man after the man assaulted his grandmother. The man initially cooperated with the officers and requested to retrieve a pair of gloves from his room. As he emerged from the room, he shot the city marshal in the leg. He then shot the sheriff in the back as he retreated to cover.
Both officers were rescued and taken to Belen for treatment. Deputy Cunningham and several other deputies responded to the house and went inside after receiving no response from the subject. As they walked across the floor, the man fired through a stovepipe hole in the second floor, striking Deputy Cunningham. He then barricaded himself inside as a posse surrounded the house. The posse eventually set fire to the house, forcing the man out. He was shot and killed as he fired at officers while emerging from the home.
Deputy Cunningham was transported to St. Joseph's Hospital in Albuquerque where he died on March 3rd, 1930.
He was survived by his wife.
Deputy Sheriff Cunningham was buried at Sunnyside Cemetery in Caney, Montgomery County, Kansas.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-0361D6F9- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Cunningham served with the Valencia County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Los Lunas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cunningham.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Charles N. Cunningham 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 Valencia County Sheriff's Office, 5 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 71.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Charles N. Cunningham's cause is highlighted.
How Charles N. Cunningham Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Charles N. Cunningham is highlighted in Mar.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Charles N. Cunningham was killed by gun; unknown type.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Valencia County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
