Incident
Special Agent James Lunn and Special Agent Ralph Shaw died in a plane crash during an operations flight in support of Mexico's opium eradication program. The single-engine de Havilland Beaver crashed into a 12,000-foot mountain near Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexico, during a period of low visibility due to a thick haze. Mexican federal narcotics agent Noe Echaustegui was also killed in the crash. Special Agent Lunn had served with the Drug Enforcement Administration for four years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, two sons, parents, four brothers, and four sisters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-FED-2F68B906- 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.
Special Agent Lunn gave the United States Department of Justice 4 years.
Thank you for your service. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Special Agent Lunn.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
James T. Lunn served in the U.S. Air Force (1959â1963) before joining law enforcement.
Special Agent James T. Lunn is one of 1 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 0% of all 97,772 officers honored here.
In TX, 657 of 2,422 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 27.1% of this state's fallen. That is 27.1 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At United States Department of Justice - Drug Enforcement Administration, 20 of 38 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 52.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Accident compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. James T. Lunn's cause is highlighted.
How James T. Lunn Compares
When Accident Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Accident deaths across the full memorial record. James T. Lunn is highlighted in May.
Incident Location
Military Service
James T. Lunn served in the U.S. Air Force (1959–1963) before joining law enforcement.
Visit James T. Lunn’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
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