Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Joe Cisneros was shot and killed while investigating a van without license plates parked off a rural county road. He was en route to back up another officer on a van littering call. He saw the van parked, backed up, on a farmer's access road off Cherry Glen Road and radioed that he was out at the van. As Deputy Cisneros got out of his patrol car, a male suspect ran to the front of the van armed with a shotgun and tried to order Deputy Cisneros to drop his weapon. Deputy Cisneros saw that a second suspect had started the van and told the first suspect that his partner was going to run him over. While the first suspect looked back at the van, Deputy Cisneros tried to back up to his vehicle, but before he reached it, the first suspect shot him, killing him instantly. Because other officers were in the area, Deputy Cisneros' body was found almost immediately. A pursuit ensued on Cherry Glen Road, with the suspects shooting out the tire of a California Highway Patrol officer's vehicle. After more agencies and the California Highway Patrol helicopter became involved in the pursuit, the suspects realized there was no escape, pulled into an orchard, and surrendered. The van had been taken at gunpoint earlier in the day in San Pablo, California, but the dispatch center did not have that information. It is likely that because the notice had been issued during a shift change for the dispatch center, it was not heard. The shooting suspect was convicted of second-degree murder and sentenced to 25 years to life imprisonment. The man committed suicide in 1997 while at Folsom Prison. Deputy Cisneros was the original deputy who investigated a murder that would go unsolved for 42 years. With his investigative details and DNA evidence, the case was solved. Deputy Cisneros had served with the Solano County Sheriff's Department for 14 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, daughter, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-87B2146E- 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 never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Deputy Sheriff Cisneros gave the Solano County Sheriff's Department 14 years.
Thank you for your service to the Fairfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Cisneros.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Jose "Joe" Cisneros 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 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Solano County Sheriff's Department, 2 of 3 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 66.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jose "Joe" Cisneros's cause is highlighted.
How Jose "Joe" Cisneros Compares
Offender Outcome
Sentenced to life
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jose "Joe" Cisneros is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jose "Joe" Cisneros was killed by shotgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
2 officers from Solano County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
