Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Jim Beckwith, Deputy Sheriff Charles Layton, and Deputy Sheriff Joaquin De La Torre were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect wanted for murdering two other people. They were members of a posse organized by the sheriff that had gone to the man's shack along the Salinas River south of Rancho El Tucho (Rancho Las Salinas). A woman came to the back door and told Deputy De La Torre that the suspect was not there. The man suddenly emerged from inside and fatally shot Deputy De La Torre before shooting Deputy Layton and Deputy Beckwith. The man fled on Deputy Beckwith's horse but was later captured by a mob and lynched.
In Our Keeping
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BO-US-CA-AFA17B12- Stewardship
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
171 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Beckwith served with the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Salinas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Jim Beckwith 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 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 Monterey County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jim Beckwith's cause is highlighted.
How Jim Beckwith Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jim Beckwith is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jim Beckwith was killed by gun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
8 officers from Monterey County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw.
