Roll of Honor
Incident
Patrolman William Speight succumbed to exposure while en route to maintain a generator that powered a state police radio tower on Wofford Mountain near Cloudcroft. He suffered a fatal heart attack while hiking through deep snow in an attempt to reach the radio tower. While hiking up the mountain, he blacked out and succumbed to the cold temperatures. He experienced blackouts as a side effect of a gunshot wound received in 1939. Patrolman Speight was a U.S. Army WWII and had served with the New Mexico State Police for 12 years.
Survivors
He was a widower and was survived by his daughter, parents, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-NM-47B9208E- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- April 2, 2026
- Last updated
- July 23, 2026
Honored here by 1 sentinel - 1 tribute.
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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 Speight gave the New Mexico State Police 12 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
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
William T. Speight served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Patrolman William T. Speight is one of 1,306 officers lost to cardiac events in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 4% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In NM, 6 of 193 officers were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.1% of this state's fallen. That is 0.9 percentage points below the national rate of 4%.
At New Mexico State Police, 1 of 29 officers on record were lost to cardiac events in the line of duty — 3.4% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Cardiac compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. William T. Speight's cause is highlighted.
How William T. Speight Compares
When Cardiac Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Cardiac deaths across the full memorial record. William T. Speight is highlighted in Feb.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
28 officers from New Mexico State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
