William L. Jerrell
Agency patch
Deputy Sheriff

William L. Jerrell

Felonious
End of Watch February 5, 1884
Tour of Duty
The Vigil Panel 8 ›
Gender Male

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Jerell was shot and killed by stagecoach robbers. Sheriff Jerrell was returning home on a train after attempting to track some outlaws who had fled New Mexico to Texas. He was riding with a Texas Ranger when they were informed that there were stagecoach robbers onboard. When the robbers entered the officer’s stagecoach a gunfight began and Sheriff Jerell was shot and killed. One suspect was also shot by the Texas Ranger but all the suspects were able to escape.

Survivors

Sheriff Jerrell had been with the agency for ten days and was survived by his wife and three children.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-CAFF24E0
Stewardship
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Added to badge.nw
August 2, 2026
Last updated
August 2, 2026

Honored here by 1 tribute.

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Tributes

142 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff Jerrell served with the Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Las Cruces community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993

Agency

Type Sheriff's Office
Location Las Cruces, NM
Platform Identity dacso.doaana.nm.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch February 5, 1884
Tour of Duty
Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious
Weapon Gun

Deputy Sheriff William L. Jerrell 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 Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office, 6 of 10 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 60% of this agency's fallen.

Doña Ana County Sheriff's Office
6
of 10 officers
60% Felonious
NM — Statewide
123
of 193 officers
63.7% Felonious
Nationwide
1
of 97,772 officers
0% Felonious

National Cause Distribution

How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William L. Jerrell's cause is highlighted.

Felonious
1 (0%)
Accident
1 (0%)
Illness
1 (0%)
Cardiac
1 (0%)
Undetermined
1 (0%)
Suicide
1 (0%)

How William L. Jerrell Compares

Years of Service
0
This officer
Avg for Felonious: 8.4 years

When Felonious Deaths Occur

Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William L. Jerrell is highlighted in Feb.

Jan
1,392
Feb
1,295
Mar
1,373
Apr
1,516
May
1,504
Jun
1,442
Jul
1,587
Aug
1,517
Sep
1,491
Oct
1,371
Nov
1,447
Dec
1,624

Weapons Used Against Officers

Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William L. Jerrell was killed by gun.

Handgun
3,684
Gun
3,592
Gun; Unknown type
1,492
Shotgun
1,109
Rifle
935
Officer's handgun
909