Porfirio Soto, Jr.

Tampa Police Department — Tampa, FL

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch December 30, 1988

Age 26

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

The Vigil Panel 134 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 28

Incident

Officer Porfirio Soto was shot and killed as he and another officer served an arrest warrant at 3710 E. Idlewild Avenue. The subject was wanted in a neighboring jurisdiction for armed robbery, aggravated battery, and carrying a concealed firearm. A struggle ensued inside of the suspect's home in which Officer Soto was shot in an area not protected by his vest. The man fled the home after shooting Officer Sorto but was arrested a short time later. He was convicted of first-degree murder and sentenced to life in prison. He hanged himself in prison on April 13th, 1997. Officer Soto was a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and had served with the Tampa Police Department for 18 months.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife and 10-month-old son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-FL-15556206
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: August 2, 2026
Last updated: August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.

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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Porfirio is one person.

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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.
Police Officer Soto gave the Tampa Police Department 1 year.
Thank you for your service to the Tampa 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 Tampa Police Department

Type Other

Location Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Platform Identity tpd.hillsborough.fl.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch December 30, 1988

Tour of Duty 1 yrs 6 mo

Age 26

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun

Military Service

Porfirio Soto, Jr. served in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Police Officer Porfirio Soto, Jr. 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 97,756 officers honored here.

In FL, 539 of 1,008 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53.5% of this state's fallen. That is 53.5 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.

At Tampa Police Department, 21 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 72.4% of this agency's fallen.

Tampa Police Department

of 29 officers

72.4% Felonious

FL — Statewide

539

of 1,008 officers

53.5% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,756 officers

0% Felonious