Jose Gerardo Herrera
Jailer

Jose Gerardo Herrera

Felonious
End of Watch February 4, 1986
Age 22
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
The Vigil Panel 130 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Jailer Herrera was shot and killed by a prisoner who had somehow obtained a gun. Jailer Herrera, who was unarmed, was about to take the prisoner to make a phone call when he saw the gun and was shot in the head. He was taken to a local hospital where he succumbed to his wound at 1:20 am the following morning. The Laredo Police Department SWAT team subdued the suspect. The man was convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. He died of cancer while awaiting the sentence to be carried out. Jailer Herrera had served with the agency for 4 years.

Survivors

He was survived by his parents, four sisters, and two brothers.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-9AF7E528
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.
Jailer Herrera gave the Webb County Sheriff's Department 4 years.
Thank you for your service to the Laredo community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Jailer Herrera.

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

Agency

Type Other
Location Laredo, Webb County, TX
Platform Identity wcso.webb.tx.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 4, 1986
Tour of Duty 4 yrs
Age 22
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Handgun

Jailer Jose Gerardo Herrera 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 TX, 1,461 of 2,422 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60.3% of this state's fallen. That is 60.3 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Webb County Sheriff's Department, 1 of 2 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 50% of this agency's fallen.

Webb County Sheriff's Department
1
of 2 officers
50% Felonious
TX — Statewide
1,461
of 2,422 officers
60.3% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Jose Gerardo Herrera's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How Jose Gerardo Herrera Compares

Age at Death
22
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 39.0 years
Years of Service
4
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Jose Gerardo Herrera is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Jose Gerardo Herrera was killed by handgun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909

Others Who Wore This Badge

1 officer from Webb County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.