Roll of Honor
Incident
Police Officer Richard Smith and Police Officer Michael King were shot and killed while attempting to take a man into custody for a mental health evaluation.
The officers located the man at an address near the intersection of Ash Street SE and Gold Avenue SE. They were fired upon immediately upon arriving at the scene. Officer King was killed instantly, Officer Smith was transported to the University of New Mexico Hospital where he succumbed to his wounds.
The suspect fled the scene on a motorcycle but was located approximately two hours later. He was injured when the motorcycle crashed as officers attempted to stop him. The suspect was charged with murdering Officer King and Officer Smith. He was also charged with two murders that had been committed earlier in the evening at a local motorcycle store at a fifth murder of a New Mexico Department of Transportation worker that had occurred that morning.
The suspect, 48, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia, was later found incompetent to stand trial. He was sentenced to 179 years in a state mental institution. If he is ever found competent preparations for a trial will begin. On January 20, 2022, he was still deemed incompetent.
Officer Smith had served with the Albuquerque Police Department for 22 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and daughter.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-3B80F1FA- 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
22 years. You could have gone home.
Police Officer Smith gave the Albuquerque Police Department 22 years. Still answering calls at the end.
Thank you for your service to the Albuquerque community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Police Officer Smith.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Police Officer Richard W. Smith 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 97,772 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. Richard W. Smith Jr.'s cause is highlighted.
How Richard W. Smith Jr. Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Richard W. Smith Jr. is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Richard W. Smith Jr. was killed by handgun; revolver.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
14 officers from Albuquerque Police Department are honored on badge.nw.
