Joaquin De La Torre

Monterey County Sheriff's Office — Salinas, CA

Felonious

End of Watch November 10, 1855

Age 43

The Vigil Panel 2 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 8

Incident

Deputy Sheriff Joaquin De La Torre, Deputy Sheriff Charles Layton, and Deputy Sheriff Jim Beckwith were shot and killed while attempting to arrest a suspect wanted for murdering two other people. They were members of a posse organized by the sheriff that had gone to the man's shack along the Salinas River south of Rancho El Tucho (Rancho Las Salinas). A woman came to the back door and told Deputy De La Torre that the suspect was not there. The man suddenly emerged from inside and fatally shot Deputy De La Torre before shooting Deputy Layton and Deputy Beckwith. The man fled on Deputy Beckwith's horse but was later captured by a mob and lynched.

In Our Keeping

Permanent identifier: BO-US-CA-EC758E54
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.

Are you family? This record can be claimed and maintained by those who knew Joaquin. Claim this record.

This page is permanent and free. No fee to view it, no advertising, no tracking, and no account required. It will not be taken down.

Tributes

171 years is a long time for a name to go unread. Not today.
Deputy Sheriff De La Torre served with the Monterey County Sheriff's Office.
Thank you for your service to the Salinas community. Gone but never to be forgotten.

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

Agency

Department Monterey County Sheriff's Office

Location Salinas, CA

Platform Identity mcso.monterey.ca.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch November 10, 1855

Age 43

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Felonious

Weapon Gun; Unknown type

Offender Lynched

Deputy Sheriff Joaquin De La Torre 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 Monterey County Sheriff's Office, 7 of 9 officers on record were killed feloniously — deliberately targeted and murdered in the line of duty — 77.8% of this agency's fallen.

Monterey County Sheriff's Office

of 9 officers

77.8% Felonious

CA — Statewide

974

of 1,837 officers

53% Felonious

Nationwide

17,623

of 32,508 officers

54.2% Felonious