Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Richard Hyche was shot and killed from ambush by a man with a rifle in the area of 916 Deodar Street. An off-duty officer had spotted the man, who was wanted for murder, walking along I-10. When backup officers arrived they came under fire from the man who had made it to an apartment complex. When Officer Hyche arrived on the scene he stopped to ask a grounds person for information. As he was doing so the man shot him from the corner of one of the buildings. The suspect was eventually apprehended. In April of 1976, the suspect, 23, was convicted of Officer Hyche's murder and another mans murder. He shot and killed his accomplice in an earlier robbery. He received a life sentence and a death sentence. The death sentence was later commuted to life. On February 21, 1986. he hid in the back of a prison truck and escaped from Vacaville Prison. On May 1, 1986, he was being tracked through mountains near Wolf Creek, Montana, when he opened fire on officers from a cabin he had broken into. He was killed by the officers return fire. Officer Hyche had served with the Ontario Police Department for four years and had previously served with the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Office for two years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and three children.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-E77DB374- 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. Marine Corps. One record, 2 gates. Richard is one person.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Police Officer Hyche gave the Ontario Police Department 6 years.
Thank you for your service to the Ontario community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Hyche.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Richard Mason Hyche served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1962â1965) before joining law enforcement.
Police Officer Richard Mason Hyche 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 CA, 974 of 1,837 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 53% of this state's fallen. That is 53 percentage points above the national rate of 0%.
At Ontario Police Department, 4 of 4 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. Richard Mason Hyche's cause is highlighted.
How Richard Mason Hyche Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard Mason Hyche is highlighted in Oct.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard Mason Hyche was killed by rifle.
Incident Location
Military Service
Richard Mason Hyche served in the U.S. Marine Corps (1962–1965) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Richard Mason Hyche’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Others Who Wore This Badge
3 officers from Ontario Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
