Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Oldham was killed when his police motorcycle was struck head-on by a drunk driver. The motorcycle was the same one that Officer Richard Armijo was killed on five months earlier. The 59-year-old driver was jailed on a drunk driving and manslaughter charge. On November 5, 1959, he pled no contest to the charges. The judge said he needed time to study the case and had him returned to jail. On Christmas Eve the judge had him released and deferred his sentence indefinitely. The driver died in 1964. Officer Oldham had served with the Albuquerque Police Department for 1 year.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-E76B7220- 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
You barely got started.
Police Officer Oldham gave the Albuquerque Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Albuquerque community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Oldham.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Max R. Oldham 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 NM, 123 of 193 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 63.7% of this state's fallen. That is 63.7 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Albuquerque Police Department, 13 of 15 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 86.7% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Max R. Oldham's cause is highlighted.
How Max R. Oldham Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Max R. Oldham is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Max R. Oldham was killed by automobile.
Others Who Wore This Badge
14 officers from Albuquerque Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
