James Monroe Vigil

Alamogordo Police Department — Alamogordo, NM

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch August 29, 1973

Age 29

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 112 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 5

Incident

Lieutenant James Vigil was shot and killed after stopping a vehicle for speeding on U.S. Route 54. Unbeknownst to Lieutenant Vigil, the suspect had just shot his 16-year-old wife in Kansas and was fleeing to Mexico. As Lieutenant Vigil approached the car during the traffic stop, the man opened fire with a .22 caliber handgun, striking him twice. Lieutenant Vigil was able to return fire, wounding the suspect. Although wounded, the suspect walked to Lieutenant Vigil, took his gun, and shot him twice more. The suspect then took the gun and fled but was found later after committing suicide. Lieutenant Vigil had been with the Alamogordo Police Department for over six years.

Survivors

He was survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-5A7EC9FB
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. James is one person.

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Tributes

I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Lieutenant Vigil gave the Alamogordo Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Alamogordo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Lieutenant Vigil.

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

Agency

Department Alamogordo Police Department

Type Police Department

Location Alamogordo, Otero County, NM

Platform Identity apd.otero.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 29, 1973

Tour of Duty 6 yrs 6 mo

Age 29

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

James Monroe Vigil served in the U.S. Air Force (1962â1966) before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Lieutenant James Monroe Vigil 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 Alamogordo Police Department, 4 of 6 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.

Alamogordo Police Department

of 6 officers

66.7% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious