Roll of Honor
Incident
Deputy Luis Garza and his wife, Elida, were shot and killed after being abducted by a suspect. Deputy Garza's wife was riding with him when he pulled over a vehicle for a traffic violation. The driver was actually en route to rob a bank in a nearby town. He abducted Deputy Garza at gunpoint and forced him to drive his patrol car, as his wife followed in the suspect's car, to an abandoned farmhouse. Once at the farmhouse the suspect handcuffed Deputy Garza and his wife together and then shot them both. The suspect, a 28-year-old ex-convict was apprehended later that day by a state trooper on Interstate 35 in Medina County. Later that same day FBI agents arrested two men, 22 and 33, for conspiring to rob a bank with the suspect in Cotulla. On May 9, 1974, the suspect was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. On March 23, 1983, his sentence was commuted to 99 years. Deputy Garza had served with the agency for only five months.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-TX-64AFD6B0- 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 Garza served with the Atascosa County Sheriff's Department.
Thank you for your service to the Jourdanton community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Deputy Sheriff Garza.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Deputy Sheriff Luis L. Garza 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 Atascosa County Sheriff's Department, 7 of 7 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 100% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Luis L. Garza's cause is highlighted.
How Luis L. Garza Compares
Offender Outcome
Not available
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Luis L. Garza is highlighted in Jul.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Luis L. Garza was killed by gun; unknown type.
Others Who Wore This Badge
6 officers from Atascosa County Sheriff's Department are honored on badge.nw.
