Roll of Honor
Stephen Douglas Sorensen
Incident
Deputy Sheriff Stephen Sorensen was shot and killed after he responded to a trespassing call at approximately 1:30 pm at a rural area off Highway 138 near Llano.
After Deputy Sorensen arrived at the scene, a witness reported hearing about six gunshots and called the police. When deputies arrived, they were able to locate Deputy Sorensen's patrol car, but not the deputy. After searching for about an hour, deputies discovered Deputy Sorensen's body. He had been shot six times with a .223 caliber rifle. The suspect had tied his feet together and dragged his body through the desert.
Deputies also found chemicals consistent with manufacturing methamphetamine in the immediate area, leading to the theory that Deputy Sorensen had uncovered a meth lab before he was killed.
The suspect was located a week later in a house in the Lake Los Angeles area. He admitted to murdering Deputy Sorensen when contacted on his cell phone. When the suspect refused to surrender, deputies attempted to end the standoff by firing tear gas into the house and assaulting the structure with a mechanized battering ram. They were met with gunfire minutes before the house erupted in flames and burned to the ground. The suspect's body was later located inside, along with Deputy Sorensen's gun and radio.
Deputy Sorensen was a U.S. Army veteran and had served with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Office for 12 years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife and son.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
BO-US-CA-02C74262- 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.
Deputy Sheriff Sorensen gave the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department 12 years.
Thank you for your service to the Los Angeles community. Thank you 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
Stephen Douglas Sorensen served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.
Deputy Sheriff Stephen Douglas Sorensen 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 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 1.2 percentage points below the national rate of 54.2%.
At Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept., 58 of 120 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 48.3% of this agency's fallen.
National Cause Distribution
How Felonious compares to all causes of officer death in the memorial record. Stephen Douglas Sorensen's cause is highlighted.
How Stephen Douglas Sorensen Compares
Offender Outcome
Burned to death
When Felonious Deaths Occur
Monthly distribution of Felonious deaths across the full memorial record. Stephen Douglas Sorensen is highlighted in Aug.
Weapons Used Against Officers
Most common weapons in felonious officer deaths. Stephen Douglas Sorensen was killed by rifle; .223 caliber.
Incident Location
Others Who Wore This Badge
119 officers from Los Angeles County Sheriff's Dept. are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
