Roll of Honor
Incident
Officer Don Beckstead succumbed to gunshot wounds he received after stopping a suspect who had just shot and killed Officer James Keeton minutes earlier on February 5, 1971. Officer Keeton had stopped the man for a traffic violation on I-40, just prior to the New Mexico border, and a struggle ensued. The suspect gained control of Officer Keeton's weapon and shot him with it. It is believed that Officer Beckstead did not know that the man had just shot and killed Officer Keeton when he stopped the suspect a second time. Officer Beckstead was transported to McKinley General Hospital in Gallup, New Mexico, where he was stabilized. While en route to Albuquerque for more treatment, he passed away. The man was wanted for raping and murdering a young girl in California. After shooting both officers, the man murdered another citizen before being shot and killed by New Mexico State Police officers. Officer Beckstead was a United States Navy veteran who had served with the Arizona Department of Public Safety for three years and previously served with the Phoenix Police Department.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife and two sons.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-AZ-F6683980- 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.
Officer Beckstead gave the Arizona Department of Public Safety 5 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Arizona, 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
Don A. Beckstead served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Officer Don A. Beckstead is one of 17,623 officers killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 54.2% of all 32,508 officers honored here.
In AZ, 204 of 330 officers were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 61.8% of this state's fallen. That is 7.6 percentage points above the national rate of 54.2%.
At Arizona Department of Public Safety, 16 of 31 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 51.6% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Don A. Beckstead's cause is highlighted.
How Don A. Beckstead Compares
Offender Outcome
traffic stop
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Don A. Beckstead is highlighted in Feb.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Don A. Beckstead was killed by officer's handgun.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
30 officers from Arizona Department of Public Safety are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
