Roll of Honor
David Irvine Rucker
Incident
Trooper David Rucker was shot and killed while making a traffic stop on Highway 100 six miles east of Los Fresnos. Shortly after he was murdered, Patrolman Enrique Carrisalez of the Los Fresnos Police Department stopped the same man, not knowing he had just shot and killed Trooper Rucker. Officer Carrisalez was shot and mortally wounded as he exited his patrol car. A doctor found Trooper Rucker's body laid out in the traffic lane holding the identification of the man wanted in connection with both murders. Trooper Rucker had never radioed in the stop. The suspect was eventually arrested and was executed in 1993. During a search of the suspect's home officers recovered the stolen duty weapon of Hidalgo County Constable Ricky Lewis, murdered in 1979. The suspect was never charged with Constable Lewis' murder, which officially remains unsolved. Trooper Rucker had served with the Texas Highway Patrol for 14 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-A33D580F- 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.
Trooper Rucker gave the Texas Department of Public Safety 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Texas. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Trooper Rucker.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Trooper David Irvine Rucker 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol, 36 of 96 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 37.5% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. David Irvine Rucker's cause is highlighted.
How David Irvine Rucker Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. David Irvine Rucker is highlighted in Sep.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. David Irvine Rucker was killed by handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
95 officers from Texas Department of Public Safety - Texas Highway Patrol are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
