Roll of Honor
Incident
Constable William Mettler was shot and killed while attempting to serve an arrest warrant near Tehachapi. The man who killed him was a member of a gang of desperados whose leader was Tiburcio Vasquez, one of California's most notorious bandits. A member of the gang shot and killed Constable William H. Hardmount of the Monteray Constable's Office on September 2, 1854. The gang roamed Southern California, robbing and killing from 1854 until 1874 when Vasquez was captured. Vasquez, who blamed all the murders on members of his gang, was hanged in 1875.
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BO-US-CA-38D41137- Stewardship
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- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
153 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Constable Mettler served with the Kern County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Bakersfield community. Gone but never to be forgotten.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Constable William Stewart Mettler 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 Kern County Sheriff's Office, 9 of 28 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 32.1% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William Stewart Mettler's cause is highlighted.
How William Stewart Mettler Compares
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. William Stewart Mettler is highlighted in Nov.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. William Stewart Mettler was killed by gun.
Others Who Wore This Badge
27 officers from Kern County Sheriff's Office are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
