Richard Gomez

New Mexico State Police — Santa Fe, NM

Veteran → Felonious

End of Watch April 17, 1980

Age 31

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

The Vigil Panel 122 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Military Department 28

Incident

Patrolman Richard Gomez was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a man for drunk driving one mile west of Coyote, New Mexico. During the arrest, the suspect pulled out a .22 caliber handgun and shot Patrolman Gomez in the left shoulder, severing a major artery. The suspect remained at the scene and surrendered without incident. The 60-year-old suspect was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years in prison on February 21st, 1981. Patrolman Gomez was a U.S. Navy veteran and had served in law enforcement for ten years.

Survivors

He is survived by his wife, daughter, and son.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-NM-9DAD650E
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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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Navy. One record, 2 gates. Richard 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.
Patrolman Gomez gave the New Mexico State Police 10 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of New Mexico, 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 New Mexico State Police

Type State Police

Location Santa Fe, NM

Platform Identity nmsp.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch April 17, 1980

Tour of Duty 10 yrs

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Handgun

Military Service

Richard Gomez served in the U.S. Navy before joining law enforcement.

View full service record on salute.nw →

Patrolman Richard Gomez 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 New Mexico State Police, 10 of 29 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 34.5% of this agency's fallen.

New Mexico State Police

of 29 officers

34.5% Felonious

NM — Statewide

123

of 193 officers

63.7% Felonious

Nationwide

of 97,772 officers

0% Felonious