John Robert Vicha

Waco Police Department — Waco, TX

Felonious Veteran

End of Watch August 29, 1989

Age 39

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

The Vigil Panel 135 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 10

Incident

Sergeant John Vicha was shot and killed while attempting to stop his brother-in-law from murdering his family at their home in Axtell. Sergeant Vicha's parents were also killed in the incident. The suspect was sentenced to death in two separate trials in 1990 and 2008. Another appeal was denied in 2018 and he was subsequently executed on February 28th, 2019. Sergeant Vicha was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Waco Police Department for 18 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his two children and sister.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-TX-480AE250
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Tributes

I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Vicha gave the Waco Police Department 18 years.
Thank you for your service to the Waco community, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.

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

Agency

Department Waco Police Department

Location Waco, TX

Platform Identity wacopd.mclennan.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch August 29, 1989

Tour of Duty 18 yrs

Age 39

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Executed in 2019

Military Service

John Robert Vicha served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Sergeant John Robert Vicha is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In TX, 1,463 of 2,421 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.4% of this state's fallen. That is 6.2 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.

At Waco Police Department, 9 of 11 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 81.8% of this agency's fallen.

Waco Police Department

of 11 officers

81.8% Felonious

TX — Statewide

1,463

of 2,421 officers

60.4% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious